Karaage Sando
Japan's fried-chicken sandwich, built on double-fried karaage - a first fry at a lower temperature to cook the meat through, then a second, hotter fry to shatter the crust, coated in potato starch rather than flour for its signature light, crackling texture.
⏱ 45 min🍽 2 servings
dinnerjapanesesandwich
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimated - not lab-measured
650 Calories29g Protein54g Carbs32g Fat
Ingredients
- •1 lb boneless chicken thigh, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- •1 tbsp soy sauce
- •1 tbsp sake
- •1 tsp grated ginger
- •1 tsp grated garlic
- •1/2 tsp sugar
- •1/2 cup potato starch (katakuriko), for coating
- •Neutral oil, for deep-frying
- •4 slices shokupan or 2 soft sandwich buns
- •2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- •Shredded cabbage
- •Tonkatsu sauce or a squeeze of lemon, to finish
Steps
- 1.Toss the chicken thigh pieces with the soy sauce, sake, grated ginger, grated garlic, and sugar, and marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- 2.Drain off excess marinade, then coat each piece thoroughly in potato starch, shaking off any excess - potato starch, not flour, is what gives karaage its distinctively light, shattering crust.
- 3.Heat oil to 320F (160C) and fry the chicken in batches for about 3 minutes, just until cooked through, then remove to a rack.
- 4.Raise the oil temperature to 375F (190C) and fry the chicken a second time, about 1 minute, until deeply golden and audibly crisp - this double fry is what separates real karaage from a single-fried cutlet.
- 5.Spread Japanese mayonnaise on the bread, layer with shredded cabbage and the hot karaage, and drizzle with a little tonkatsu sauce or a squeeze of lemon.
- 6.Close the sandwich, press gently, and cut in half to serve.