Extra Crispy Air Fryer Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
Get the best of both worlds with this Extra Crispy Air Fryer Karaage recipe, a delicious and easy recipe that gives you all the yummy flavor of the popular Japanese fried chicken without all the added fat. Can easily be adapted to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free!
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What is Karaage?
Colloquially, karaage can be described as an iconic Japanese deep-fried chicken dish.
The chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces and then battered and fried. The dish is often served with rice and salad and can be found in both restaurants and households across Japan.
It’s one of my favorite comfort foods of all time, and is so delicious!
What You Need to Make Extra Crispy Air Fryer Karaage
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (use tamari if gluten-free)
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar (use coconut sugar if refined sugar-free)
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- salt and pepper, to taste
- butter, melted (use olive oil if dairy-free)
How to Make Extra Crispy Air Fryer Karaage
- In a small bowl, add rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Whisk well until combined.
- Add the chicken cubes to a large ziplock bag, then pour the mixture over the chicken cubes. Seal the ziplock, then mix it all together, making sure the chicken is well covered in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat a large air fryer to 400 F.
- Meanwhile, mix together the corn starch, salt, and pepper. Discard the excess marinade and coat the chicken pieces with corn starch mixture, making sure all sides are covered.
- Add the chicken to the air fryer, then drizzle oil or melted butter on top. Cook for 7-10 minutes until the karaage is golden and crispy. ENJOY! I love serving it with a warm bowl of rice. Yum!
Tips to Make the Best Air Fryer Karaage
The key to making great air-fryer karaage is to use quality chicken and allow it to the marinate overnight. When done right, the result is flavorful chicken that is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
The marinade is made out of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and sesame oil. It gives the chicken a great deal of flavor and helps to keep it moist during cooking.
Is Karaage Supposed To Be Crispy?
Some people might say that karaage is supposed to be crispy, while others might say that it doesn’t have to be. Ultimately, it’s up to the individual to decide what they think is the best way to enjoy karaage.
Personally, I enjoy my Japanese Karaage best when it’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. That’s what you’ll get with this Air Fryer Karaage recipe!
How Long Do You Cook Chicken In The Air Fryer?
That depends on the size of the chicken pieces. In this recipe, I have found that 10 minutes is a sweet spot for 2-inch cubes. If your karaage pieces are smaller, then cook for about 8 minutes; if they are larger, then cook for about 12 minutes.
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Extra Crispy Air Fryer Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs , cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (use tamari if gluten-free)
- 3 cloves garlic , grated
- 1¼ tsp fresh ginger , grated
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (use coconut sugar if refined sugar-free)
- ½ cup corn starch
- salt and pepper , to taste
- butter , melted (use olive oil if dairy-free)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Whisk well until combined.
- Add the chicken cubes to a large ziplock bag, then pour the mixture over the chicken cubes. Seal the ziplock, then mix it all together, making sure the chicken is well covered in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat a large air fryer to 400 F.
- Meanwhile, mix together the corn starch, salt, and pepper. Discard the excess marinade and coat the chicken pieces with corn starch mixture, making sure all sides are covered.
- Add the chicken to the air fryer, then drizzle oil or melted butter on top. Cook for 7-10 minutes until the karaage is golden and crispy. ENJOY! I love serving it with a warm bowl of rice. Yum!
