Sesame-Garlic Fried Chicken (Mochiko Chicken)

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Cut into two-bite pieces)
• 1 cup mochiko (sweet rice flour) (Koda Farms or Bob’s Red Mill; sweet glutinous rice flour is essential for the characteristic texture)
• 0.5 cup soy sauce
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs (Large)
• 6 cloves garlic (Finely grated or minced)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (Finely grated)
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 8 cup neutral frying oil (Such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil; amount required will vary with the vessel, and not all oil will be absorbed)
• 3 scallions (Thinly sliced, for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, eggs, garlic, ginger, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and black pepper until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is evenly combined.

2. 2

   Add the mochiko and whisk until a thick, cohesive batter forms with no dry pockets. The batter should be substantially thicker than a typical pancake batter and able to cling heavily to the chicken.

3. 3

   Add the bite-size chicken pieces and stir thoroughly so every piece is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the seasoning to penetrate the chicken.

4. 4

   About 30 minutes before frying, remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet for draining, and line a second tray with paper towels if desired.

5. 5

   Pour the frying oil into a large, heavy Dutch oven or deep pot to a depth of about 2 inches. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C).

6. 6

   Using tongs or a small scoop, lift individual chicken pieces from the batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Carefully lower a portion of the chicken into the hot oil, leaving space between pieces so the temperature does not drop sharply.

7. 7

   Fry the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until the coating is deeply golden brown and crisp and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at the center, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil near 350°F.

8. 8

   Transfer each batch to the wire rack to drain. Do not stack the pieces, or the coating may soften.

9. 9

   Allow the oil to return to 350°F before frying the next batch. Continue until all the chicken is cooked.

10. 10

    Garnish with sliced scallions and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

The source specifically cautions against frying all the chicken at once: too much cold chicken lowers the oil temperature and produces soggy, oil-soaked pieces. Fry in batches and allow the oil to return to 350°F before each batch. This extraction is reconstructed because the accessible page excerpt did not include the member-only ingredient list or method.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• fried
• deep-fried
• Hawaiian
• chicken
• gluten-containing
• make-ahead
• picnic