Mochiko Fried Chicken Recipe (with Video)

Trimming and Preparing the Chicken
1. Trim chicken thighs of any excess fat and cut into 2" pieces and set aside.
Preparing the Marinade
1. In a mixing bowl, combine grated garlic, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, sriracha, sake, cornstarch, mochiko flour, and egg.
2. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
3. Add your chicken to the marinade and mix well.
4. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.
Preparing the Dredge
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, white pepper, and salt.
2. Drop in your chicken and toss in the dredge, coating thoroughly.
3. **Optional for extra crunch** Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes until the batter has absorbed some of the dredge, then toss again in the dredge to add additional batter to the chicken.
Frying the Chicken
1. In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat oil to 350F and fry chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
2. For best results, use a thermometer here to ensure the oil temp does not drop below 325F. If it does, remove chicken and fry in smaller batches.
3. Remove chicken from oil and immediately season with kosher salt.
Preparing the Garlic-Sriracha Aioli
1. To make the garlic-sriracha aioli, combine mayo, sriracha, grated garlic, salt and sugar.
2. Serve with the chicken, top with furikake seasoning, and enjoy!