This is now my favorite fried chicken – simpler, quicker, and cleaner than the Southern version. If you don’t mirin, add a little more wine or sake; if you don’t have MSG, add a little more salt. You should be able to find togarashi at a grocery store or on Amazon, but feel free to just make a spicy mayo with chili oil, like this one.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless skinless
- 10 g fresh ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic grated
- 20 g soy sauce
- 5 g sesame oil
- 25 g mirin
- 10 g white wine
- 5 g salt
- 30 g cornstarch
- 5 g MSG
- 500 g potato starch
- 200 g Kewpie mayonnaise
- 10 g seasoned rice vinegar
- 5 g togarashi or paprika
- 10 g chili oil
Instructions
- Quarter the chicken thighs into roughly equal pieces. In a large bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, wine, salt, cornstarch, and MSG. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, or all day to overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make the togarashi mayo by combining the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, togarashi, and chili oil in a small bowl. Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Heat neutral oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven to 325°F.
- Add a sprinkling or spray of water to the potato starch to hydrate slightly. Working in batches, dredge each piece of chicken in potato starch, pressing firmly to coat on all sides. Shake off any excess.
- Fry the chicken in batches for about 3 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and drain on a wire rack.
- Return the chicken to the oil for a second fry of 60–90 seconds, remove and let drain.
- Fry a third and final time for another 60–90 seconds until deeply golden brown and very crispy. Drain on the wire rack and serve with side of togarashi mayo.