Air Fryer Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage)

Air Fryer Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) in a bowl with lemon next to spicy mayo.

4.96 from 25 votes

Air Fryer Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage)

Chicken Karaage, or Japanese Fried Chicken, is coated in potato starch and double air "fried" to perfection! My spicy garlic mayo sauce is a perfect spicy, lemony compliment to the crispy chicken

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Marinating Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

Chicken

1 lb chicken thigh cut into 2" pieces
4 cloves garlic grated
1 tbsp ginger grated
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup potato starch
neutral oil spray I use avocado oil spray

Spicy Mayo Dipping Sauce

4 tbsp Japanese mayo
2 tbsp sriracha
2 cloves garlic grated
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
lemon wedges for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the chicken to a bowl along with the garlic, ginger, light soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, white pepper, and salt. Mix until combined and cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to marinate.
Add the potato starch to a tray. Dredge the chicken in the potato starch, making sure to coat the chicken well ensuring there are no bald spots. Shake off any excess potato starch.
Using a neutral oil spray, spray the tray of your air fryer basket with a layer of oil. Carefully place the chicken down on a single layer of the basket and spray the chicken with the neutral oil spray.
Air fry the chicken at 350F for 10 minutes. Give the chicken a flip, then spray the other side with more neutral oil spray. Air fry again at 400F for another 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp.
To make the Spicy Mayo, add the Japanese mayo, sriracha, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a small bowl and mix until combined.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over chicken before serving and enjoy!

Video

Notes

chicken thighs - I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs
sake - I haven't found a substitute for sake that I love, as I find that it has a distinct flavor profile that is hard to replace in a recipe. You can try sherry, mirin, shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, or even chicken stock, but I would highly encourage you to use sake if you can.
potato starch - this is a key ingredient in making chicken karaage - you must use the one labeled 'katakuriko' for the best results (see image below). If you can't find it, you can try tapioca flour or corn starch.
neutral oil spray - this is a key ingredient to make crispy chicken in the air fryer - you need oil spray to allow the batter to "fry" in the air fryer. I used avocado oil spray, but canola or vegetable oil will work as well! When air frying, periodically look for dry spots on the chicken and give them another spray of oil if needed.
optional lemon - I like to squeeze a little lemon juice over the karaage before eating. I find that the lemon juice gives a nice brightness and acidity that balances nicely with the fried chicken. Give it a try if you haven't done this before!

Lay the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer, with enough room in between each piece so there is airflow. This will help each chicken cook evenly and turn crispy!

Be generous with the neutral oil spray - this is the only source of fat for the dredge to turn crispy! I recommend spraying the air fryer basket (to prevent sticking) as well as the chicken pieces. After the first air-fry for 10 minutes, don't forget to flip the chicken and spray again!

Double fry is the key! My technique is to air fry first at a lower temperature (350F) to cook the chicken before flipping, spraying, and air-frying again at a higher temperature for the chicken to crisp up!

Storage and Reheating - Store any leftover Chicken Karaage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The chicken will soften as it sits - this is normal and to be expected! I like to reheat in the air fryer at 375 for 8-10 minutes until warmed through and crispy. You can also reheat until warmed through in the microwave.

Nutrition