Marinated and baked before being battered and fried, crispy tatsutage chicken is easy to prepare.

This recipe is part of our street food menu.
Servings: Serves 4–6
Ingredients
Chicken:
  • 1/2 cup sake
  • 6 Tbsp. light soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped garlic (from about 10 cloves)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped ginger (from a 4-inch piece)
  • 1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Peanut oil , for frying
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , divided
  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 1 Tbsp. nori furikake , plus more for garnish (optional)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 3/4 cups club soda or sparkling water
  • 1 egg , lightly beaten
Spicy mayo:
  • 1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. yuzu kosho
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Directions
Notes: Asian grocers sell nori furikake, a salty, dried seasoning made with seaweed and sesame seeds. If you can't find it, simply omit. Light soy sauce, not to be confused with reduced-sodium (often labeled "lite"), is thinner and more subtly flavored than dark soy sauce. This mayonnaise dipping sauce goes well with fried foods. Kewpie is a Japanese mayonnaise and yuzu kosho is a hot Japanese paste. Both are available at Amazon.com.

To make chicken: In a wide, shallow dish, whisk together sake, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and mirin. Add chicken, cover, and refrigerate, turning occasionally, 6 to 8 hours. (You can also marinate overnight.)

Preheat oven to 350°. Remove chicken, pat dry, and roast on a greased baking sheet, flipping once, until just cooked through, about 20 minutes; let cool.

Pour oil into a large pot to reach a depth of 2 inches and heat over medium-high until oil registers 350° on a thermometer.

Meanwhile, put 1 cup all-purpose flour into a wide, shallow dish. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, rice flour, furikake, salt, and baking soda. Add club soda and beaten egg; whisk to make a batter.

Dredge half the chicken pieces in flour, then dip in batter, shaking off any excess. Carefully drop chicken into oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken; garnish with furikake and serve hot.

To make sauce: Mix ingredients together. Serve as a dipping sauce for fried chicken.

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