This air fryer chicken karaage is crispy, juicy, super flavorful, and undeniably as addictive as the classic chicken karaage, which is deep fried. Our air fryer version is easier to make, uses the minimal oil, and the best part — no oil clean up afterwards! If you're looking for more recipes to make in your air fryer, also try our air fryer chicken katsu, crispy pork belly, and char siu chicken!
If you’ve made this recipe or any recipes from our blog, please tag us on Instagram using #twoplaidaprons! You can also tag us in your Instagram stories using @two_plaid_aprons. We would love to see your creations! It absolutely makes our day! 🥰
Jump to:
Ingredient notes
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
- Chicken thigh - We recommend getting skinless, boneless chicken thighs for chicken karaage. It's juicier and tastier than chicken breast and will yield a better karaage.
- Sake - This is the secret to eliminating any unwanted chicken flavor and making sure that the chicken thighs stay juicy after frying. You can purchase sake at most Asian markets or liquor store, and it does not need to be expensive.
- Soy sauce - Soy sauce adds an extra layer of flavor along with umami and color.
- Ginger - Some freshly grated ginger not only freshens up the flavors of chicken karaage, it also makes the chicken taste aromatic.
- Salt and sugar - Just a little bit of salt and sugar to help round out the flavor of the marinade and making sure the chicken is well seasoned.
- Potato starch - This allows the chicken karaage to develop a light and crispy exterior. We do not recommend cornstarch as a substitute, as it will make the karaage too crunchy instead of crispy.
- Kewpie mayo, togarashi, lemon wedge (optional for serving)
How to make chicken karaage in the air fryer
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!
1. Marinate the chicken. Combine the chicken thigh, sake, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and sugar into a glass mixing bowl and mix well. Cover and marinate for 1 hour but best overnight in the fridge.
2. Batter the chicken. Place the potato starch into a wide bowl or plate and add the marinated chicken. Pack the starch onto the chicken pieces and coat well. Shake off excess starch.
🌟 Pro tip: Make sure to allow the excess marinate to drip off! This way the starch won't become excessively clumpy.
3. Air fry. Generously spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking spray then place the dredged chicken in a single layer. DO NOT overlap the chicken!
Spray the top of the chicken with cooking spray and air fry at 375°F for 8 minutes without flipping. Then flip the chicken and spray the top with some cooking spray. Air fry for another 8 minutes at 400°F without flipping midway through.
4. Serve. Remove the chicken karaage and enjoy while it's hot by itself or with a spritz of lemon and a side of kewpie mayo with togarashi.
Recipe tips
- Allow the chicken to marinate overnight for maximum flavor. with 1 hour of marinating, the chicken will be flavorful, but overnight marinating will ensure the marinate penetrates through the entire piece of chicken.
- Let excess marinate drip off before coating with potato starch. There will be a little bit of marinade leftover, so make sure to NOT dump the entire bowl of marinated chicken into the potato starch. Instead, coat a few pieces at a a time and let excess marinade drip off to prevent having excess clumps of starch or worse, turn the dry dredge into a wet batter.
- Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent the chicken from sticking! As the dredged chicken sits, the potato starch will absorb the excess moisture and turn into a tacky we batter here and there.
Storage
Leftover chicken karaage can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Just make sure to let it cool completely before covering and storing.
If uncooked, the marinated chicken can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before dredging and air frying.
Reheating
Leftover karaage can be reheated in the air fryer at 400°F for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
FAQ
There's no perfect substitution for sake, however, you could use a 1 to 3 ratio of Chinese Shaoxing rice wine and water in this recipe. For example, use 1 tablespoon of shaoxing rice wine and 3 tablespoon of water for ¼ cup of sake.
For a non-alcoholic substitute, simply use water instead of sake. The flavor will not be the same, but the chicken karaage will still be super juicy and tasty!
📖 Recipe
Air fryer Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
Ingredients
For the chicken karaage:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup sake
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce light sodium
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¾ cup potato starch
- Cooking spray any neutral oil spray with high smoke point is fine
To serve:
- Kewpie mayo
- Shichimi togarashi
- Lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
- Place the chicken thigh, sake, soy sauce, grated ginger, salt, and sugar into a glass mixing bowl and mix well. Cover and allow the chicken to marinate at least 1 hour on the kitchen counter, but best overnight in the fridge.
- Generously spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Coat each piece of marinated chicken well with potato starch. Make sure to allow the excess marinate drip off before putting the chicken in the potato starch.
- Arrange the dredged chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray the top of the chicken generously with cooking spray. DO NOT overlap!
- Air fryer the chicken karaage at 375°F for 8 minutes without flipping. Then flip each piece of chicken and spray the top with cooking spray. Air fry for another 8 minute at 400°F without flipping.
- Remove the chicken karaage and enjoy while hot by itself or with a spritz of lemon and some kewpie mayo topped with togarashi.
Notes
- Make sure to spray the bottom of the air fryer basket VERY generously because as the chicken sits, the potato starch will absorb all the excess moisture and turn the dry dredge into a sticky batter.
Comments
No Comments