Chicken Karaage

• 180 g raw Skinless chicken thighs (6.3 oz raw)
• 12 g Soy sauce (¾ tbsp)
• 5 g raw Fresh ginger (0.2 oz raw)
• 3 g raw (1 clove) Garlic
• 2 g Sugar (½ tsp)
• 20 g Cornstarch or potato starch (2½ tbsp)
• 5 g Vegetable oil (1 tsp)
• 8 g Lemon juice (½ tbsp)
• 0.2 g Salt (a pinch)

You'll need: Air fryer (or oven and baking tray), Bowl, Plate, Knife, Cutting board, Pastry brush or spray bottle.

Method

1. Marinate the chicken

   Cut the chicken into 4 cm (1½ inch) pieces. Then scrub the board, knife and your hands with soap before you touch anything else. Grate in the ginger and garlic, add the soy sauce and sugar, mix well and leave for 15 minutes.

   Thigh stays juicy in the air fryer. Breast dries out more easily.

2. Coat in starch

   Spread the cornstarch on a plate. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, let it drip, and roll each piece in the starch until fully coated. Leave for 2 minutes until the coating looks damp in patches.

   Waiting until the starch looks damp means it sticks and crisps instead of falling off.

3. Air-fry until crisp

   Heat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Brush or spray the chicken with the oil, making sure there are no dry white patches of starch. Cook in one layer for 12–14 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden, crisp and 74°C (165°F) inside. No air fryer? Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) at the start and bake on a lined baking sheet instead, turning halfway; it takes about 5 minutes longer.

   Dry white patches stay powdery. Dab them with a little more oil. No air fryer? Bake on a rack at 220°C (425°F) for 18–20 minutes.

4. Season and serve

   Sprinkle with the salt and squeeze over the lemon juice. Eat hot.

   A squeeze of lemon cuts through the crispy coating. It's always served with karaage in Japan.

Swaps

• Chicken thighs → Chicken breastLeaner. Take it out at 74°C (165°F) so it doesn't dry out.
• Soy sauce → TamariMakes it gluten-free.