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–+ servings

Hawaii Local-Style Mochiko Chicken Recipe (Super Crispy)

Joanne
Crispy on the outside while tender and juicy inside! Authentic Hawaii local-style mochiko chicken marinated in savory-sweet shoyu and fried golden for the classic plate lunch.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Hawaii Local, Japanese
Servings 6 people
Calories 467 kcal
Disclosure

The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.

Equipment

Baking Sheet With Rack
heavy bottomed pot
mixing bowls

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces

Marinade/Batter

  • ¼ cup Mochiko (flour) Koda Farms brand
  • ¼ cup potato starch sub: cornstarch
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoon mirin
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon ginger powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs beaten

For Deep Frying

  • neutral oil for deep frying
  • 2 tablespoon mochiko flour
  • 2 tablespoon potato starch sub: cornstarch

Instructions
 

Make The Marinade

  • Add the mochiko flour, potato starch, sugar, mirin, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder, salt, and beaten eggs to a shallow container.
  • Whisk the marinade ingredients together until smooth and there are no lumps.
  • Add the chicken pieces and gently mix them in the marinade until they are dredged. Cover and let it refrigerate for 4 - 6 hours.

Fry Chicken

  • Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. Stir the marinated chicken gently, making sure that the starch that collected at the bottom is incorporated into the marinade again.
    Note: Re-stir the chicken every time just before picking them up to put in the frying pot.
  • Add some neutral oil to a deep frying pan, and let it heat to 350℉ (175℃).
  • Mix the extra 2 tablespoon of mochiko flour and 2 tablespoon of potato starch in the marinated chicken.
  • Fry a few chicken pieces at a time, about 3-4 minutes until the chicken's inside temperature reads 165℉ (74℃).
  • Place the fried chicken on a rack to drain the oil.
  • Serve by topping the chicken with furikake and a side of steamed white rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 29gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 203mgSodium: 823mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 197IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated with the Spoonacular Food API and should be used for informational purposes only.
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