This Chicken Karaage Don is one of the most satisfying rice bowls ever. It has crispy, Japanese-style chicken on a layer of spicy sauce, boiled lettuce, and of course steamed rice. The inspiration behind this one comes from one of my favorite Japanese grocery stores in Vancouver.
Have you ever went to Fujiya? It's a small chain of Japanese grocery stores in Vancouver and Victoria. They sell groceries and premade Japanese foods like sushi, bento boxes, and donburis. One of my favorite items is their chicken karrage don!
I've tried making it a few times in the past but it never tasted as good as theirs. I could never get the spicy sauce right and the chicken skin wasn't as flavorful. But I decided to try it again recently and I'm really happy with the result. Crazy how much better your food can be after a few more years of constant home cooking.
How to make chicken kaarage
The type of meat you want to use is chicken thighs. I cut mine into chunks about 1 to 2 inches long but no more than one inch thick. You need to marinate the chicken for at least 40 minutes so make sure you do it ahead of time. The amount of aromatics is very important. I used about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of minced ginger which makes each bite very flavorful.
How to dredge the chicken
First, you want to add 2 tablespoons of the starch mixture to the marinade. What this does is it thickens the marinade so that more of the coating will stick to the chicken. After that, just coat each piece of chicken in the starches one at a time.
Deep-frying the chicken
For deep-frying, I used a ceramic Dutch oven. I love Dutch ovens because they are really good for keeping the temperature of the oil nice and hot. You want to deep-fry the chicken in at least 2-3 batches and allow the temperature of the oil to come back to 350°F each time. This ensures the chicken will be crispy and not absorb too much oil.
How to boil the lettuce
The important thing here is to do this step fast. You only need to submerge the lettuce for about 10 seconds before taking it out. The reason is because the lettuce will continue to cook once you remove it from the water. I also recommend adding a bit of oil and salt to the water as well. This will give a better texture and also add flavor to the lettuce.
Chicken Karaage Don
Ingredients
For the kaarage
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1 or 2-inch chunks)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg white
- 1 cup potato starch (or cornstarch)
- 1 cup tapioca starch (you can buy this at Asian grocery stores)
For the spicy sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
For assembling
- 4 cups cooked sushi rice
- lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
For the karaage
- To a medium bowl, add the chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sake, sugar, salt, and egg white. Mix well then marinate for at least 40 minutes.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and tapioca starch. Add 2 tablespoons of this mixture to the marinade (this helps thicken the marinade so that the skin will be thicker).
- Working one piece at a time, coat each piece of chicken in the starch mixture then transfer to a baking sheet. Make sure to shake off excess starch otherwise there will be white specks over the crust after frying.
- Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes to allow the starches to hydrate.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven. Use a spatula to release the chicken from the baking sheet. Deep-fry the chicken in two batches for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil. Allow the temperature to come back to 350°F before starting the next batch.
For the spicy sauce
- Simply combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
For the boiled lettuce
- To a medium pot, add the salt, oil, and about 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
- Use your hands to tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. I usually make them about 3 inches wide.
- Dunk the lettuce in the boiling water for 10 seconds then drain and set aside on a plate.
To assemble
- Scoop 2 cups of rice into a bowl. Add a layer of lettuce followed by a generous drizzle of spicy sauce. Finally, add the chicken on top. I also recommend serving this with lemon wedges for people who like it more sour. Enjoy!
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