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The most unforgettable karaage chicken I’ve had was at a cozy Japanese restaurant named Bessou, located in the Bowery area of New York City. They were known for their commitment to Japanese comfort food, and this particular dish left me in awe. The crunch of the chicken was so crisp, it stood out from anything I had ever tasted. Unfortunately, like many NYC favorites, Bessou closed after the pandemic, though you can still contact them for catering or follow their latest projects. I will always remember that crispy chicken.
What exactly is karaage chicken?
Karaage chicken is a Japanese-style fried chicken, similar to the Korean fried chicken method. While it seems simple, the key difference lies in the breading and frying technique, which set it apart from American fried chicken. These steps, along with the chicken itself, are crucial for achieving that perfectly crunchy texture.
Western-style fried chicken typically involves dipping the chicken in eggs or buttermilk, then coating it in a flour-based breading. In contrast, karaage chicken uses a marinade packed with flavorful liquids such as soy sauce, ginger juice, and sake. When it comes to crunch, the flour is largely replaced with potato starch (katakuriko), creating a different kind of texture. (Visit here for tips on other coating alternatives.)
Flour, potato starch, and cornstarch are the most commonly used coatings before frying, as they all contain amylose and amylopectin – the molecules responsible for that satisfying crunch. Starches with higher concentrations of these molecules create crispier, crunchier coatings. Among them, flour has the least starch, potato starch ranks second, and cornstarch, with the highest amylose content, takes the top spot. So why isn't cornstarch the best option? The answer lies in potato starch's combination of high amylose content and large granule size, which gives it superior crunch-resilience, as explained in Serious Eats' potato starch deep-dive.
The granule size of potato starch is a key factor in its ability to create a lasting crunch. Larger starch particles don't gelatinize as quickly as the finer flour or cornstarch, meaning they don't absorb as much water before the oil's heat causes evaporation. This allows the crispy coating to maintain its crunch longer. If potato starch is hard to find, cornstarch or a mix of cornstarch and all-purpose flour will be the next best option to replicate a karaage-like crunch.
Double fry your chicken to achieve the perfect crunch.
After coating the chicken with the ideal starch, the next step is to fry it to golden perfection. First, fry the chicken, then let it cool slightly before frying again. The combination of the starchy coating and the double frying process at two different temperatures works together to evaporate the water from the skin while preventing the chicken inside from overcooking. This crucial technique of double frying – with a short cooling period in between – is key to getting that crispy, satisfying crunch. Double frying chicken is essential to getting the texture just right.
While there are many examples of why double frying results in crispier food, seen in both chicken and Belgian frites, the science behind using two different temperatures isn't immediately obvious. According to the optimal frying temperatures for chicken, the two heat levels seem to serve distinct purposes: thoroughly cooking the meat and eliminating excess moisture. Karaage chicken is first fried at approximately 325°F-350°F, depending on your recipe, for about five to six minutes.
Deep frying always eliminates moisture, but the lower heat during the first fry allows the chicken to almost cook through while crisping the starchy coating. As the starches gelatinize, the heat causes the molecules to restructure, creating evaporation channels as water escapes. This process results in the “crunch” sensation we associate with crispy fried food. After resting for about five minutes, the chicken continues to lose moisture, which can lead to sogginess if not handled properly.
The second fry typically occurs at 375°F-400°F for a shorter time—around two minutes. This fry ensures the chicken is fully cooked and eliminates moisture that has risen to the surface during resting. The starch’s new structure allows moisture to evaporate more efficiently, while the high heat quickly triggers the Maillard reaction. When the chicken is pulled from the oil after this quick second fry, it results in a thick, dark brown crust that remains crunchy for hours.
Prepare your karaage chicken ahead of time.
You can make karaage chicken hours in advance. I prefer not to deep fry when entertaining friends, as the oil smell lingers. Instead, fry the chicken a few hours before your event and let it cool to room temperature. This gives you a two- to three-hour window to air out the space and focus on other party prep. When it's time to serve, simply reheat the chicken in a 350°F oven for five to ten minutes.
You can prepare karaage chicken well in advance by storing it in the fridge after the first fry. Before Bessou closed, they offered make-at-home meal kits that allowed you to finish cooking at home, and I had the chance to try their karaage chicken kit. (It was a fantastic way to enjoy restaurant-quality food during the pandemic.) The first fry cooks the meat, begins to move moisture out, and restructures the starches, and this process still holds even after a day or two in the fridge. You can pre-fry your chicken, and when you're ready, complete the second fry—even if it’s days later. Karaage chicken will set a new standard for crunch, and you can even use this technique with your grandma’s recipe.
