Crispy Hawaiian Mochiko Chicken (Printable)
Golden, crunchy Hawaiian-style chicken with sweet rice flour coating and savory marinade
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
→ Marinade
02 - 1 cup mochiko (sweet rice flour)
03 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
04 - 1/2 cup soy sauce
05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, beaten
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
09 - 2 tbsp green onions, finely sliced
10 - 2 tbsp sesame oil
11 - 1 tsp kosher salt
12 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
→ For Frying
13 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying
→ Garnish (Optional)
14 - Sliced green onions
15 - Toasted sesame seeds
16 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together mochiko, cornstarch, soy sauce, sugar, eggs, garlic, ginger, green onions, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth and well combined.
02 - Add chicken pieces to the marinade, tossing thoroughly to ensure each piece is evenly coated. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for optimal flavor development.
03 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep pot or large skillet to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat oil to 350°F, maintaining temperature throughout frying process.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5–7 minutes per batch.
05 - Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat frying process with remaining chicken pieces. Serve hot, garnished with additional green onions, sesame seeds, and lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The mochiko creates this shatteringly crisp coating that stays crunchy even after the chicken cools down, which means you can actually serve this at a party without everything getting sad and soggy
- That marinade does double duty, seasoning the meat deeply while forming the most incredible golden crust when it hits hot oil
02 -
- Double frying is genuinely worth the effort, that first fry cooks the meat through and the second fry creates that next level crunch that makes restaurant fried chicken so addictive
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature dramatically and turns everything soggy, resist the urge to fry everything at once and work in small batches instead
03 -
- Room temperature chicken fries more evenly than cold chicken, take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start frying
- If your coating starts getting too dark before the chicken is cooked through, your oil is probably too hot, adjust the heat down slightly