Skolebrød with blueberries and wholemeal flour served Wholemeal Skolebrød with Blueberries Karaage bento box with crisp chicken, rice and fresh vegetables Japanese karaage chicken bento box Chorizo and parmesan focaccia served Chorizo & Parmesan focaccia Double pistachio cupcake served Double pistachio cupcakes Walnut strudel served Hungarian walnut strudel Swedish Cinnamon & Vanilla Buns, fresh and golden brown cinnamon rolls Swedish Cinnamon & Vanilla Buns Vegan cookies and cream cake served Vegan Cookies & Cream Cake Risotto with chicken liver, parmesan and fresh parsley Chicken liver risotto Caramelised Onion Quiche served Caramelised onion & Gruyère quiche Freshly baked orange and chocolate cupcake Orange and chocolate cupcakes Chicken ranch burger served Chicken ranch burger Osso buco served with chilli, spicy Spicy osso buco with chilli Freshly made idli with sambar, steamed idli and spicy lentil sauce Idli Sambar Cinnamon and apple chocolate soufflé served Cinnamon & Apple Chocolate Soufflé Black bean burger with fresh vegetables Smoky black bean burger Frango xadrez light, served with fresh parsley Frango Xadrez light (Brazilian chicken with peppers) Inari sushi served with cucumber and sprinkled with sesame seeds Inari Sushi with Cucumber & Toasted Sesame Vetkoek in golden brown spherical form, served with colourful vegetable curry Vetkoek with vegetable curry Chilli chocolate parfait served Chilli Chocolate Parfait Rum and raisin naan bread served Rum & raisin naan Skolebrød with blueberries and wholemeal flour served Wholemeal Skolebrød with Blueberries Karaage bento box with crisp chicken, rice and fresh vegetables Japanese karaage chicken bento box Chorizo and parmesan focaccia served Chorizo & Parmesan focaccia Double pistachio cupcake served Double pistachio cupcakes Walnut strudel served Hungarian walnut strudel Swedish Cinnamon & Vanilla Buns, fresh and golden brown cinnamon rolls Swedish Cinnamon & Vanilla Buns Vegan cookies and cream cake served Vegan Cookies & Cream Cake Risotto with chicken liver, parmesan and fresh parsley Chicken liver risotto Caramelised Onion Quiche served Caramelised onion & Gruyère quiche Freshly baked orange and chocolate cupcake Orange and chocolate cupcakes Chicken ranch burger served Chicken ranch burger Osso buco served with chilli, spicy Spicy osso buco with chilli Freshly made idli with sambar, steamed idli and spicy lentil sauce Idli Sambar Cinnamon and apple chocolate soufflé served Cinnamon & Apple Chocolate Soufflé Black bean burger with fresh vegetables Smoky black bean burger Frango xadrez light, served with fresh parsley Frango Xadrez light (Brazilian chicken with peppers) Inari sushi served with cucumber and sprinkled with sesame seeds Inari Sushi with Cucumber & Toasted Sesame Vetkoek in golden brown spherical form, served with colourful vegetable curry Vetkoek with vegetable curry Chilli chocolate parfait served Chilli Chocolate Parfait Rum and raisin naan bread served Rum & raisin naan
Karaage bento box with crisp chicken, rice and fresh vegetables
Portable lunch box featuring golden japanese fried chicken

Japanese karaage chicken bento box

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
The secret of Japanese fried chicken, Karaage, lies not in the spices but in the texture. While Western coatings are often heavy batter coats, here potato starch forms a wafer-thin, crisp layer on the meat, which remains enjoyable even hours after frying – in a bento box at room temperature. The double-frying technique ensures the thigh remains succulent while the outside achieves that characteristic 'scaled' crispiness.
🕒 Prep Time 35 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 50 mins
🍽️ Servings 2 servings
🔥 Calories 720 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Japanese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Deep frying pan or pot for frying
  • Kitchen thermometer (recommended)
  • Wire rack for draining
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Bento box or sealable lunchbox

Allergen Information

⚠️ Soya
⚠️ Gluten
⚠️ Sesame
⚠️ Eggs

Instructions

1 ✓

Cut the chicken thighs into uniform, approx. 3-4 cm bite-sized pieces. Ensure the skin remains on as this will provide extra flavour.

Tip: Uniform size is key so every piece cooks through at the same time. The fattier tissue of the thigh withstands heat better than breast.
2 ✓

In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, sake, grated ginger, crushed garlic, and sesame oil. Toss the meat in it and leave to stand on the counter for 20 minutes.

Tip: The salt (soy sauce) helps the meat fibres swell and lock in moisture (osmosis), so it doesn't dry out during frying.
3 ✓

Beat the egg and mix it into the marinated meat. Then coat the meat pieces one by one in the potato starch. Press the powder on thoroughly to cover everywhere.

Tip: Bread immediately before frying! If the starch sits too long on wet meat, it gets soggy and you get a sticky mess instead of a crisp crust.
4 ✓

Heat the oil to medium heat (approx. 160°C). Fry the chicken for 3 minutes until it takes on a pale, light brown colour. Remove to a wire rack and rest for 3-4 minutes.

Tip: During resting, the inside of the meat continues to cook from its own heat, while the surface cools and dries, preparing for the crisping fry.
5 ✓

Heat the oil to high heat (approx. 190°C). Return the meat for another 1 minute. It is ready when the coating is dark golden brown and the sizzling sound becomes sharper and higher pitched.

Tip: The high heat suddenly evaporates remaining water from the crust (dehydration), making the coating lastingly crisp.
6 ✓

Drain on the wire rack. Serve in the bento box with the cooked rice, steamed broccoli, and tomatoes. If intended for later, wait until completely cool before sealing the box.

Tip: Sealing hot food creates steam which condenses and re-wets the crisp coating, creating an ideal environment for spoilage.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the coating go soft?
You likely put too much meat in the oil at once, which cooled it down, or you skipped the second, high-temperature fry.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, but breast is more prone to drying out. If using it, reduce the frying time and use more sake for the marinade.
How long does it keep?
It can be stored safely in the fridge for 2 days, but it will lose some crispness.

Ingredients

  • 300 g Chicken thigh fillets (skin on)
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Sake (or dry white wine)
  • 1 tsp Fresh ginger (grated)
  • 1 clove Garlic (crushed)
  • 0.5 tsp Sesame oil
  • 1 pc Egg
  • 5 tbsp Potato starch (Katakuriko)
  • 500 ml Oil (neutral, e.g. sunflower)
  • 300 g Cooked Japanese rice
  • 100 g Broccoli (steamed)
  • 4 pcs Cherry tomatoes