Air Fryer Japanese Fried Chicken Karaage (Thigh & Breast)

Trim the excess sinew from 1 chicken thigh (300g) and cut it into 10 roughly equal pieces so it cooks through evenly.

Put the chicken in a bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon chicken stock powder, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sake, and 1 teaspoon each of grated garlic and ginger, and massage well until the liquid is absorbed.

Once the seasonings have soaked in, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and mix everything together, then add 1 1/2 tablespoons potato starch and mix until no dry starch remains. Dust the surface with more potato starch.

Arrange the chicken skin-side up on the air fryer rack, spacing the pieces apart so they don't stick together.

Set the frame in a large bowl, place the unit on top, and cook on fry mode at 200°C for 10 minutes.

It's done once it is browned and the skin is crispy. At an internal temperature of around 80°C it is cooked through. If the color is pale or it isn't quite cooked through, add cooking time to adjust.

Cut 1 chicken breast (300g) into 10 roughly equal pieces as well.

Put the cut chicken breast in a plastic bag, add 50ml water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon food-grade baking soda, seal the bag and shake to mix, press out the air, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

After 2 hours, drain in a colander, rinse quickly with water, drain well, and pat dry with paper towels. Put in a bowl, add the same amounts of seasonings as for the thigh, and massage until the liquid is absorbed.

Add the same amounts of oil and potato starch as for the thigh and mix until no dry starch remains, dust the surface with potato starch, and arrange on the air fryer rack.

Set the unit and cook on fry mode at 200°C for 10 minutes. Breast meat has less fat, so it stays whitish with a floury look. When about 3 minutes are left, spritz it with oil spray and cook for the remaining time.

Both the thigh and the breast are done: juicy, crispy Japanese fried chicken karaage.