Description
This easy air fryer karaage recipe features Japanese-style fried chicken made crispy and flavorful by marinating chicken thighs in a mix of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar, then air frying it to perfection. The result is tender, juicy chicken with a light, crunchy coating, ideal for a quick and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 kg skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or substitute with apple cider vinegar or mirin)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Coating and Oil
- 100 g cornflour or cornstarch
- Vegetable oil spray or approximately 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for brushing
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Using a sharp knife, slice the skinless boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.
- Make the Marinade: Add the minced garlic, ginger paste, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar to the chicken pieces. Mix thoroughly to ensure every piece is evenly coated.
- Marinate: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, to let the flavors deeply penetrate the meat.
- Coat the Chicken: After marinating, dip each piece of chicken into the cornflour or cornstarch, ensuring they are generously coated on all sides.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (390°F) for 5 minutes to get it ready for cooking.
- Arrange Chicken in Basket: Place the coated chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on your air fryer size, you may need to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Apply Oil: Lightly mist the chicken pieces with vegetable oil spray or brush them with about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to help achieve a crispy texture.
- Air Fry the Chicken: Cook the chicken at 200°C (390°F) for 20-25 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through cooking and reapplying oil on the flipped side to ensure even crispiness. Repeat for all batches.
- Rest and Keep Warm: Once cooked, place the karaage on a wire rack or cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while cooking remaining batches.
- Serve: Serve the air fryer karaage with lemon wedges and mayonnaise for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Marinating the chicken for longer (up to 24 hours) enhances the depth of flavor.
- Ensure the chicken pieces are evenly coated with cornflour for a crispy outer layer.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket to allow proper air circulation and even cooking.
- Flipping and oiling the chicken midway during air frying helps achieve uniform crispness.
- Serve with lemon wedges and mayonnaise to complement the tangy and savory flavors of the karaage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 250 g)
- Calories: 386 kcal
- Sugar: 1.2 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
