Name: Japanese Fried Chicken Thighs (Kao-chan Style)
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 450g chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces); 4 tbsp soy sauce; 3 tbsp sake; 4 tbsp grated garlic; 2 tbsp grated ginger; Potato starch, as needed; Vegetable oil (for frying), as needed

About "Japanese Fried Chicken Thighs (Kao-chan Style)"

This is a Japanese fried chicken (karaage) recipe created by Kaori Nagai (Kao-chan) from Osteria Lucca. It features a generous 4 tbsp of garlic, allowing the flavor to penetrate deeply in just a 5-minute marinade. Wiping off excess moisture with a paper towel after marinating prevents the coating from getting soggy, resulting in an incredibly crispy texture. When frying at 180°C (350°F), leaving the chicken untouched is key to achieving that perfect crunch. Highly praised by Chef Masuya, this punchy, flavorful dish goes perfectly with rice.

Introduction to 桝谷のSimple is best →

Tips for Making "Japanese Fried Chicken Thighs (Kao-chan Style)"

Seasoning
- Using a generous 4 tbsp of garlic ensures a punchy, rich flavor even with a short marinating time.
Prep
- After massaging in the seasonings, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the meat for 5 minutes to efficiently absorb the flavors.
Prep
- Gently wiping off excess marinade and moisture with a paper towel before coating is the ultimate secret to a crispy texture.
Frying
- Set the oil temperature to 180°C (350°F) and leave the chicken untouched after adding it to prevent the coating from peeling and ensure even crispiness.
Frying
- When the bubbles around the meat shrink and change to a high-pitched crackling sound, it is a sign that it is cooked through.
Frying
- Once the underside is golden brown (about 3 minutes), flip them over one by one and fry thoroughly for another 4 minutes.

Ingredients for "Japanese Fried Chicken Thighs (Kao-chan Style)"

7 items

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450gchicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
4tbsp soy sauce
3tbsp sake
4tbsp grated garlic
2tbsp grated ginger
Potatostarch, as needed
Vegetableoil (for frying), as needed

How to Make "Japanese Fried Chicken Thighs (Kao-chan Style)"

1
Place the chicken thighs in a bowl, add the sake first, and massage it in thoroughly.
2
Add 4 tbsp of soy sauce, grated ginger, and grated garlic, and massage thoroughly so the seasonings are evenly distributed.
3
Cover the chicken with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the meat (drop-lid style) and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
4
Remove the marinated chicken from the bowl and gently wipe off excess seasoning and moisture from the surface with a paper towel.
5
Thoroughly coat the patted-dry chicken with potato starch.
6
Heat the oil in a frying pan to 180°C (350°F) and add the chicken.
7
Once in the oil, fry without touching for about 3 minutes, then flip them over one by one once the underside is golden brown.
8
Fry thoroughly for another 4 minutes, and remove them when the bubbles get smaller and make a high-pitched crackling sound.
9
Transfer to a wire rack to drain, then plate and serve.

Detailed Commentary on "Japanese Fried Chicken Thighs (Kao-chan Style)"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Chef Masuya's Son's Favorite Karaage

In this episode, we introduce a secret karaage (Japanese fried chicken) recipe from Kaori Nagai, affectionately known as 'Kao-chan' from Osteria Lucca, which Chef Masuya highly praises, saying, 'You absolutely must make this once a week.' Chef Masuya's son also loves it, calling it 'the best fried chicken in the world,' preferring it even over his dad's cooking! Today, we will share the professional techniques to easily make super-fast, crispy, and juicy fried chicken at home. Kao-chan is exceptionally skilled at deep-frying, a talent fully endorsed by Chef Masuya. Anticipation builds for this secret recipe that dramatically elevates a household staple with just a few simple tweaks.

The Golden Ratio: Lots of Garlic!

Let's look at the ingredients for this delicious karaage. You will need 450g of cut chicken thighs, 3 tbsp of sake, 4 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of grated ginger, and a generous 4 tbsp of grated garlic, which is the key to the flavor. You can easily substitute store-bought tubes for the garlic and ginger. You'll also need potato starch for the coating. The defining feature of this recipe is the massive amount of garlic compared to standard recipes. Chef Masuya jokes about its intense aroma, but this bold seasoning ratio is exactly why the flavor locks in so well, even with a short marinating time.

The Secret to Fast Marinating

Let's start cooking. First, place the chicken thighs in a bowl, add the sake, and massage it in thoroughly. Next, add a generous 4 tbsp of soy sauce. In Kao-chan's style, using a bit more soy sauce is the secret to drastically cutting down the marinating time. Then, add the grated ginger and the star of the show, the grated garlic, massaging everything by hand so the seasonings coat the meat evenly. Once well mixed, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the chicken. This 'drop-lid' wrapping technique helps the meat absorb the flavors efficiently with less liquid, ensuring a deeply flavorful result in just 5 minutes.

The Pro Secret: Wiping Off Excess Moisture

Now for the ultimate secret technique that Kao-chan admits she 'didn't really want to share'—the key to making the chicken incredibly crispy. After marinating for 5 minutes, remove the chicken from the bowl. Before coating, use a paper towel to gently pat away the excess thick marinade and moisture from the surface. This extra step prevents the potato starch from mixing with excess liquid and becoming soggy. Chef Masuya nods in agreement, saying, 'This is the secret to the deliciousness.' By absorbing the excess sauce, the coating won't get mushy when fried, resulting in an amazingly light, restaurant-quality crunch.

Don't Touch! Frying at 180°C for Crispiness

After patting the chicken dry, coat it thoroughly with potato starch. Chef Masuya playfully teases Kao-chan, saying it looks like 'playing in the sandbox,' while watching her work. Next, heat the oil in a pan to 180°C (350°F). Once the oil is ready, add the chicken. Although adding too much at once drops the oil temperature, Kao-chan's style is to put them all in together. The crucial rule here is: 'Do not touch the chicken once it's in the oil.' Touching it too much prevents even cooking and can cause the coating to peel off. To achieve a crispy texture, patiently let it fry undisturbed while watching the bubbles.

Spotting the Signs of Perfectly Fried Chicken

After about 3 minutes of frying, once the underside turns a beautiful golden brown, flip them over one by one. Continue to fry them thoroughly. Chef Masuya shares his professional theory that 'you know it's done when you feel a vibration through your chopsticks,' but Kao-chan quickly dismisses it, bringing laughter to the kitchen. In reality, the sign that it's cooked through is when the bubbles around the chicken shrink and the sound changes to a high-pitched crackling. After about 4 minutes from flipping, once the chicken has a beautiful savory color, remove it and place it on a wire rack. Plate it nicely, and your ultimate crispy, juicy fried chicken is complete!

Chef Masuya's Praise: Perfect with Rice!

Chef Masuya and staff member Acchan taste-test the piping hot fried chicken. Taking a bite, Chef Masuya exclaims, 'Delicious!' Acchan is also highly impressed, saying, 'It's so good! I can't believe the flavor penetrated so deeply in such a short marinating time.' The potato starch coating is incredibly crispy, and the inside is extremely juicy. The punchy garlic flavor is a crowd-pleaser that goes perfectly with white rice. Kao-chan looks relieved. Everyone is amazed by this quick yet authentic recipe. The show wraps up warmly as they look forward to the next episode's budget-friendly pork and chikuwa yakiudon.

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