Light & Crispy Mochiko Chicken (Hawaii-Style Fried Chicken Thighs)

Step 1

Use paper towel to pat the chicken thighs as dry as possible, then trim away any excess skin or fat & discard. To debone, place a chicken thigh on a cutting board, skin side facing down. Use the tip of a sharp knife to carefully scrape against the length of the bone, separating the meat from the bone – this video offers a great visual. Work all the way around the bone until it’s completely detached. Discard the bone (or set aside for later use) & slice the deboned chicken thigh into 6 small cubes. Repeat with the remaining chicken thighs. Set aside.

Step 2

To a large bowl, add all listed dry ingredients (mochiko flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, & white pepper). Whisk to combine well. Add the eggs & shoyu, then continue to whisk until the mixture forms a thick, smooth batter. Add the chicken pieces to the batter, stirring to coat well. Cover & transfer to the refrigerator to rest for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days.

Step 3

About 30 minutes before you’d like to start frying your mochiko chicken, remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator & set it on the counter to allow the chicken to come up to room temperature. Pour enough frying oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet (I use a 4-quart Dutch oven) such that the oil is about 1 inch deep. Preheat over medium-high heat. The oil is ready once it sizzles when you sprinkle a little flour into the skillet, approx. 350-375 degrees F.

Step 4

Once the oil is hot, transfer the marinated chicken into the hot oil – shake off all excess marinade from the chicken before submerging it in the oil & be sure to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Fry the chicken 4-5 minutes, gently stirring or turning the pieces about halfway through to promote even browning, until the mochiko chicken is crispy, golden brown, & an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of each piece registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Use a spider strainer to carefully transfer the fried mochiko chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Season with fruikake while the chicken is still warm. Repeat with the remaining battered chicken.

Step 5

immediately with rice, mac salad, noodles, or any other sides you love. Finish with a drizzle of gochujang aioli & an extra sprinkling of furikake or thinly sliced green onions. Enjoy!