Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (2024)

Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (1)

Written by Me on in Chicken, Recipes

Learn how to make crispy air fried karaage with the Ninja air fryer in under 15 minutes. Karaage (pronounced kah-rah-ah-geh) is a Japanese style deep fried marinated chicken dish that is crispy on the outside but juicy and bursting with flavor on the inside. It is a favorite at Izakayas and can be eaten as a main or side dish. Karaage is also served in obentos with shredded cabbage and a squeeze of lemon juice.

It is much healthier and easier to prepare Karaage in the air fryer compared to the traditional method of deep frying. The outer crust is still crispy and the chicken meat is tender and savory with sweetened soy, ginger, and garlic. To get the best taste, use fresh chicken thighs that are meatier and fattier. You can also use leaner cuts and a lighter spray of oil for a healthier option.

Pre-made Karaage Mix

I actually prefer preparing karaage with pre-made mix as it cuts the prep time down to 5 minutes. It is a fool proof alternative that tastes just as good as making it from scratch. When making it from scratch, your results can vary a bit depending on the brand of the raw ingredients. The pre-made mix cuts out the guess work. All you have to do is cut the chicken into bite size chunks, evenly coat the chicken meat with the mix, and spray a light coat of oil. The cooking time is the exactly same.

Below are two of my favorite mixes. I personally prefer the taste of the Kikkoman brand.

Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (2)Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (3) Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (4)Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (5)

Making Karaage from scratch

When making Karaage from scratch, the chicken is marinated in a sweet soy sauce and then dredged with potato starch. Potato starch is extremely light and can hold its crispness for quite some time. Dipping sauces are not necessary since the flavor is already embedded into the chicken meat. A squeeze of lemon juice is all that it needs. Also, rather than having whole chicken parts, the thighs are cut into small chunks which makes cooking times quick and easier to manage. The circulating heat in the air fryer also helps to cook the chicken evenly.

Air fryer chicken karaage ingredients

Meat

  • 1 Pound Boneless Chicken thighs

Marinade

  • 2tbspSoy sauce
  • 2tbspMirin
  • 1tspGrated ginger
  • 1tspGrated garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Coating

  • 4tbspPotato starch

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken up into bite size pieces
  • Put the chicken into a ziploc bag along with the marinade ingredients: soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, and salt and pepper.
  • Marinade the chicken in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Overnight is preferred.
  • Remove the excess marinade from the bag.
  • In a separate bowl or ziploc toss the chicken in the potato starch to give it a nice even coating.
  • Place the chicken in the air fryer on top of the wire rack and apply a light coating of oil spray so that there aren’t any dry potato starch spots left.
  • Set the air fryer to 390F for ten minutes. Flip the chicken half way through.

Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (6)

Air Fryer Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Learn how to cook Karaage with your air fryer.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4

Equipment

  • Ninja Air Fryer

Ingredients

Meat

  • 1 Pound Chicken thighs

Marinade

  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Mirin
  • 1 tsp Grated ginger
  • 1 tsp Grated garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Coating

  • 4 tbsp Potato starch

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken up into bite size pieces

  • Put the chicken into a ziploc bag along with the marinade ingredients: soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, and salt and pepper.

  • Marinade the chicken in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Overnight is preferred.

  • Remove the excess marinade from the bag.

  • In a separate bowl or ziploc toss the chicken in the potato starch to give it a nice even coating.

  • Place the chicken in the air fryer on top of the wire rack and apply a light coating of light olive oil spray so that there aren't any dry potato starch spots left.

  • Set the air fryer to 390F for ten minutes. Flip the chicken half way through.

Keyword Chicken, Chicken Karaage, Fried Chicken, Karaage

Other air fryer recipes you might enjoy!

Chicken katsu (Japanese chicken cutlet)

Yakitori (Chicken skewers)

Categories

  • Recipes (7)
    • Beef (2)
    • Chicken (3)
    • Fish (1)
    • Tofu (1)

Follow us on social media!

Sign up and be the first to receive new content!

Airfryd is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Crispy Chicken Karaage Air Fryer Recipe in Less Than 15 Minutes (2024)

FAQs

Why isn t my chicken getting crispy in the air fryer? ›

Dry the outside of the food properly before you add oil. Do not use too much oil, as this will make the food less crispy and more fattening. Meat or poultry can be lightly brushed with oil or marinated to get the crispiest results.

How long do you cook frozen chicken karaage in the air fryer? ›

Air fry for approximately 5-6 minutes (from frozen) or 4 minutes (defrosted) or until cooked through. Oven Bake (Fan forced): Preheat oven to 170-180°C. Oven bake for approximately 15-20 minutes (frozen) or 8-10 minutes (defrosted) or until cooked through, turning halfway through cooking.

How to crisp cooked chicken in air fryer? ›

If you happen to own an air fryer, you can certainly reheat your fried chicken in its basket. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and let the fried chicken come to room temperature. Next, arrange the fried chicken in a single layer and cook it for about four minutes, flipping it once to ensure even cooking.

Why is my karaage not crispy? ›

Karaage chicken is incredibly crispy due to the twice-frying technique. Why is my fried chicken not crispy? Soggy fried chicken can be caused by the oil not being hot enough and not cooking for long enough.

Should I put oil on chicken before air frying? ›

While I do recommend very lightly spraying the fried chicken with oil before and during air frying, you don't submerge the pieces entirely in oil, and as a result, they undoubtedly absorb less oil in the process.

Is cornstarch or flour better for air frying? ›

An equal amount of all-purpose flour and cornstarch provides both structure and crunch to the batter. Cornstarch is a go-to ingredient for many fried foods (think crispy chicken wings), and using it to bolster the crisping power of flour resulted in a thinner, crispier, and sturdier (yet still delicate) breading.

Can you put foil in an air fryer? ›

The great news about air fryers is that you can use foil along with parchment paper to cook your food in an air fryer. Just remember that if it's safe and effective to use in a conventional oven, it will work just fine in an air fryer.

What's the difference between katsu and karaage? ›

What is the difference between karaage and katsu? Katsu refers to deep-fried cutlet and commonly uses chicken breast that's been breaded with panko before frying, while karaage uses bite-size chicken thighs that are coated potato or corn starch. We serve katsu with a sweet-savory brown sauce called tonkatsu sauce.

How do you make crispy skin in an air fryer? ›

Place a sheet of parchment paper over the chicken skin and a flat ceramic plate to keep the chicken skins flat (if you are ok with them curling up, you can omit this step). Air fry at 350F for 15 minutes or until the skin is crispy. Season the Chicken Skin Chips (Cracklings) with your favorite seasonings!

Why doesn t my air fryer crisp? ›

Why is my food not crispy in an air fryer? If your food is not crispy when coming out of an air fryer, you may not have patted it dry before putting it in to cook. Meat or proteins, or foods you may have washed, will fry better without the added moisture.

What is the trick to getting crispy chicken? ›

Double Dredge

The best way to ensure the breading will stay on the chicken is to double down on the flour. This creates a super thick, extra crispy coating on your chicken. After dredging the chicken in seasoned flour, dip it into an egg wash and place it back into the flour.

What is the difference between fried chicken and karaage? ›

Karaage is marinated: Karaage's unique flavor must come from its marinade. Fried chicken, in contrast, mainly gets its flavor from seasoning in its batter or sauces/toppings applied after.

What is the secret to crispy chicken skin? ›

That trick is a sprinkling of baking powder, and it'll get you the crispiest, crackliest bites of fatty, salty skin imaginable, whether you're cooking just one thigh, a plate of wings, or an entire bird. Baking powder, it turns out, is good for quite a lot more than baking.

Why is my air fryer not making my food crispy? ›

Why is my food not crispy in an air fryer? If your food is not crispy when coming out of an air fryer, you may not have patted it dry before putting it in to cook. Meat or proteins, or foods you may have washed, will fry better without the added moisture.

Why is my air fryer chicken so dry? ›

The #1 tip for the best chicken breasts in an air fryer is: Don't overcook them! Chicken breasts should be cooked to 160°F, but if you cook them all the way to that temperature in the air fryer, carryover cooking will take them beyond that temp and cause them to dry out.

Why is my air fryer chicken soggy? ›

Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. This can prevent the chicken from heating evenly and result in soggy chicken. Use tongs to flip the chicken halfway through cooking.

Why does my chicken not come out crispy? ›

If the oil isn't hot enough when you start frying the chicken, the chicken will absorb too much oil and won't get crispy. You want to make sure that the oil is at the right temperature before you start frying the chicken. The ideal temperature for frying chicken is around 350°F.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Manual Maggio

Last Updated:

Views: 6542

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Manual Maggio

Birthday: 1998-01-20

Address: 359 Kelvin Stream, Lake Eldonview, MT 33517-1242

Phone: +577037762465

Job: Product Hospitality Supervisor

Hobby: Gardening, Web surfing, Video gaming, Amateur radio, Flag Football, Reading, Table tennis

Introduction: My name is Manual Maggio, I am a thankful, tender, adventurous, delightful, fantastic, proud, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.