What is mochiko chicken made of?

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the potato starch, mochiko, soy sauce, sugar, scallions, eggs, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and salt . Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

How is Japanese fried chicken different?

What is the Difference Between Karaage and Fried Chicken? Karaage is marinated: Karaage's unique flavor must come from its marinade. ... Karaage is not dredged in batter: Unlike tempura which uses a liquid batter, or katsu, which relies on panko (breadcrumbs), karaage theoretically uses only dry coatings. Jul 27, 2023

How to reheat mochiko chicken?

If you have any leftovers, it's best to reheat them in the oven or an air fryer . These methods help bring the puffy, crispy mochiko fried chicken texture back to life! To reheat mochiko chicken in the oven. ⇢ Bake at 425 degrees for 3-4 minutes per side.

What makes Korean fried chicken so crispy?

The Korean fried chicken is super crispy because potato starch is added to its batter and the chicken is fried twice . This second frying also cooks off the excess water in the chicken from the first frying. Korean fried chicken is known to stay extra crispy for a long time, even with a glazed surface.

Why do Japanese people eat runny eggs?

The most distinctive characteristic is the use of “raw” eggs. Compared to other countries, eggs in Japan are considered to be much less contaminated by salmonella, one of the causes of food poisoning , and therefore raw eggs can be eaten without worry. The most popular way to eat raw eggs is “Tamagokakegohan” (TKG).

Is sweet rice flour the same as mochiko?

Mochiko (もち粉), mochiko sweet rice flour, or mochi flour, is a glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour) made of glutinous short-grain Japanese rice . Known for its sticky and chewy texture, the Japanese use it to make Japanese pastries and sweets.

What is a substitute for mochiko flour in mochi?

Overall, you can substitute mochiko and tapioca flour for each other in many recipes, including my microwave milk mochi and Brazilian cheese bread recipes.

Is mochiko the same as tapioca flour?

Mochiko Flour VS. The roots of the cassava plant are used to make tapioca flour. It creates a light, airy consistency in recipes and helps keep baked goods from becoming dense. In contrast, sweet rice flour creates elasticity in baked goods. Unlike mochiko flour, tapioca starch has a neutral flavor in dishes.

Why is Chinese fried chicken so crispy?

This is done by first poaching the chicken in water with spices (e.g. star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, Sichuan pepper, ginger, fennel, and scallions), drying it, coating with a syrup of vinegar and sugar, letting it dry thoroughly (which helps make the skin crispy) and deep-frying.

What makes chicken skin extra crispy?

Rub with Salt and Baking Powder Both substances pull moisture out of the skin. But baking powder has additional powers. It prods some of the skin's proteins and fat to break down, which, combined with its alkalinity, accelerates the Maillard reaction, for skin that browns and crisps more quickly.

Why do Japanese people eat fried chicken?

But it wasn't until after World War Two that fried chicken, and in particular karaage, became the touchstone that it is today. After the war, Japan was decimated, food shortages were rampant, and with a lack of rice, the Japanese diet dramatically changed.

Why is chicken from Chinese restaurants so soft?

You may have wondered how Chinese restaurants come to have such soft, silky textured meat in their dishes? Rather than stir-frying the meat and searing it all over until browned, they use a special technique called velveting .

Mochiko Chicken Recipe - Japanese Fried Chicken (2024)

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Mochiko Chicken Recipe - Japanese Fried Chicken (1)

Out of all the chicken dishes that I prepare, my oldest son’s favorite is this Japanese Mochiko chicken recipe. He always squeals with delight when I tell him that I’m making it. You see, I don’t really care for fried chicken and I don’t make it very often. However, I do really like Mochiko fried chicken and I don’t mind making this treat for him every once in awhile.

What is Mochiko?

Mochiko is a sweet rice flour made from mochigome, a variety of glutinous short grain rice. Even though it is made with a glutinous short grain, this is gluten-free and safe for those on a gluten-free diet. Just make sure the other ingredients used in the recipe are also gluten-free.

What is Mochiko Chicken?

Supposedly, the origin of Mochiko Chicken came from Japanese immigrants in Hawaii and became a popular Hawaiian island dish. It’s made with mochiko that is mixed with soy sauce and various other ingredients. Unlike regular fried chicken, it has a unique salty and sweet flavor with a chewier, yet crisp crust. Mochiko chicken is a popular dish in Hawaii and you’ll often find it made using chicken wings, but I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs because it’s a bit more satisfying than a tiny little wing 🙂

Delicious Mochiko Chicken Recipe. Click to Tweet

Items Needed to Make Mochiko Chicken

Large container or large air tight bag
Spoon
Tongs
Oil
Mochiko
Oyster sauce
Sesame oil
Cornstarch
Soy
Eggs
Green onions
Sesame seeds (optional)
Garlic
Chicken thighs

Mochiko Chicken Cooking Tips

After making this chicken for years, I prefer the quick marinade method. I just defrost frozen boneless chicken, cut, and wipe off any excess water. Then, I marinate the chicken for 45 min. – 1 hour. This ensures a nice thick crust on the chicken because liquid from the chicken doesn’t thin out the crust mixture.
If you need to leave this overnight, use a low sodium soy sauce. This will prevent the chicken from becoming too salty. Note that the crust will be thinned by the chicken juices, so add 1-2 T. more of cornstarch.
Make sure there is enough oil in the pan to cover the tops of the chicken. If the oil does not cover the top of the chicken, the marinade coating will slide off. You want the marinade coating to cook and set in place as soon as the chicken is placed into the oil.
Chicken crust is not meant to be crispy like U.S. fried chicken, but more of a cross between chewy and crispy. If you prefer a more crispy crust, the chicken can be double fried. Meaning, once all the chicken is cooked, place the chicken back into the oil for about 2-minutes. Remove chicken to rack or paper towel to drain oil. I don’t think this step is needed as the chicken isn’t meant to have a super crispy crust, but it can be done.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

3 -4 lbs. defrosted boneless chicken thighs, cut in half or thirds and wiped dry
2/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup mochiko
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce *see notes
2 T. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 T. chopped green onions
2 large eggs
oil for frying *see notes
Optional - 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
Optional - 1/4 tsp. pepper flakes

Instructions

In a large sealable container, combine all the ingredients and mix well. It will be on the thicker side, but will thin out as the chicken marinates. Set aside
Cut chicken thighs into two or three equal pieces so they cook evenly. Dry chicken with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This will prevent excess liquid from thinning out the batter too much.
Add chicken to the mix and stir to coat well. Cover the container and let the chicken marinate overnight for a thinner crust or 45 minutes - 2 hours for a thicker crust. I prefer the quick method.
Remove chicken from refrigerator and stir until all chicken pieces are coated well. The cornstarch may have settled to the bottom, creating a thick paste, but just mix it back up. Note: The mixture will be thinner if marinating overnight as the chicken juices will mix with the marinade. Just make sure you coat each piece with the mix before frying. If doing a quick 45-minute marinade, since the crust will be thicker, use a low sodium soy sauce to prevent the chicken from becoming too salty.
Place enough oil in your pan to barely cover the chicken when placed in pan. Heat oil on medium-high and fry pieces till golden brown. If the chicken is browning too much, lower the heat to medium. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes a side. Depending on the thickness of the chicken pieces, total cook time per piece should be 6 -8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve.

Notes

Marinating the chicken for 45 minutes will result in a thicker crust, but it can be salty. If doing a quick marinade time, use low sodium soy sauce (I prefer Aloha soy as it is less intense than Kikkoman). If marinating overnight, you can use low or regular soy sauce. The juices from the chicken will help dilute the soy sauce salt, but will result in a slightly thinner crust.
Make sure there is enough oil in the pan to just cover the entire chicken. Too little oil will cause the batter to run off the tops of the chicken when placed in the oil.
I don't use any pepper flakes (kids won't let me), but you can add 1/4 tsp. to add some heat.
The 1/2 T. of sesame seeds are optional too, but I like to add them in for some extra sesame flavor without it being too overpowering.

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