Sticky Peanut Chicken

Today, I’m thrilled to share one of my favorite and most nostalgic dishes from my childhood. Growing up in Japan, this chicken dish was often served at our school lunches, and it still brings back so many wonderful memories. Every time this was on the menu, all of my classmates were fighting to see who gets the seconds! Once you taste how good it is, it may very well become one of your favorite dishes too. This simple recipe is very much like the famous Japanese Karaage, but it is much lighter, because I use chicken breast instead of thighs. You are welcome to make this with thighs, for more traditional taste and texture of this dish.

Let’s start by slicing the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Using a very sharp knife, I like to cut them on an angle into quarter-inch thick rounds, but you can cut them into strips, cubes, or whatever shape you prefer.

Put the chicken pieces into a bowl, and we’re going to add a ton of flavor by marinating them in a mixture of grated garlic and ginger, soy sauce, sake, salt, maple syrup, egg white, and cornstarch. I know it might be tempting to grab the garlic and ginger powder from your spice cabinet, but the taste difference will be night and day. So I only recommend using fresh ingredients in this recipe. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least an hour, or even overnight.

Now is a good time to prepare the sauce by roughly chopping some roasted unsalted peanuts. If you don’t feel like chopping, you can also use a food processor or a spice grinder, but be careful not to grind them too finely.

Next, mix the rest of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the honey is completely dissolved. Heat this mixture in a pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens. You are looking for the consistency of maple syrup. If it gets too thick, don’t worry, just add a little bit of water. Set it aside to cool.

When you are ready to fry the chicken, heat the oil in a pot or pan over medium heat. I am using a very small pot so I don’t have to waste a lot of oil. Since the chicken pieces are small, you only need about half an inch to three-quarters of an inch of oil at the bottom. When the oil reaches 375 degrees, carefully drop the chicken in, a few pieces at a time, making sure they don’t overlap or stick to each other. After about 3 to 4 minutes, they should be golden brown and fully cooked. Transfer them onto a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

While it’s still hot, pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and mix well to coat each piece. Finally, add the chopped peanuts, and we are ready to serve!

Whether you pile them high or present them in individual bites, you and your guests will keep coming back for this sweet, savory, sticky, and crunchy treat. So go ahead and double or triple this recipe and enjoy it with your favorite drink. As for my personal pairing recommendation, I cannot think of anything better than a super cold glass of Japanese beer, but as I always say, you do you!

Sipping Recommendations: Cold Beer!