If ordinary fried chicken is loud, karaage is confident. Tender chicken marinated in soy, garlic, and ginger, coated lightly, then fried until the outside becomes ridiculously crisp while the inside stays juicy enough to make you immediately grab another piece. No heavy batter. No thick coating. Just proper Japanese street-food magic. The sort of fakeaway that mysteriously vanishes before it ever reaches the table.
You’ll Need
600g chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
Karaage Marinade
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp honey
½ tsp black pepper
Coating
80g cornflour
40g plain flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
Oil spray
To Finish
Spring onions, sliced
Lemon wedges
Sesame seeds
Optional but Dangerous
Japanese mayo
Sriracha mayo
Sticky rice
Pickled ginger
Method
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.
Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, honey, and black pepper.
Add the chicken and coat thoroughly.
Leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes if you've got time.
Mix together the cornflour, plain flour, garlic powder, and salt.
Drain excess marinade from the chicken.
Coat thoroughly in the flour mixture.
Lightly spray the basket with oil.
Place the chicken into the basket in a single layer.
Spray the tops lightly with oil.
Air fry at 200°C for 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway, until deeply golden and crisp.
For extra crunch, give everything a final 2-minute blast at 205°C.
Finish with spring onions, sesame seeds, and lemon wedges.
Serve immediately while hot, crunchy, and dangerously moreish.