Steps

1. Grate 10g of ginger into a large bowl.
   🕒 02:05
2. Add 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine), 2 tsp Potato Starch, and 1.5 tsp Reduced-Salt Hondashi to the bowl with grated ginger and mix briefly to create the marinade. [Key Tip!] A thin coating layer made with a small amount of potato starch helps prevent juice from escaping.
   🕒 02:40
3. Pat the chicken thigh dry thoroughly with paper towels. [Key Tip!] Removing moisture helps reduce odor and allows the marinade to penetrate better.
   🕒 03:43
4. Cut the tendons and thick parts of the chicken thigh with the tip of a knife.
   🕒 04:21
5. Check for any bones or cartilage by touching the meat and remove them if found.
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6. Cut the chicken thigh into 6 large pieces. [Key Tip!] Cutting into larger pieces increases moisture retention, resulting in a juicier finish.
   🕒 06:11
7. Place the cut chicken into the bowl with the marinade and mix thoroughly by hand, massaging it in.
   🕒 07:01
8. Let the marinated chicken sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. [Key Tip!] Cold chicken can lead to uneven cooking, so bringing it to room temperature ensures it cooks evenly.
   🕒 08:19
9. Prepare a tray and rack (or a plate lined with paper towels) for removing the fried chicken, and a kitchen timer.
   🕒 08:53
10. Pour Vegetable Oil into a frying pan, enough to submerge half of the chicken pieces. [Key Tip!] Insufficient oil can lead to unstable temperatures, making it harder to cook through and preventing crispy sides.
    🕒 09:21
11. Put a generous amount of Potato Starch into a tray. [Key Tip!] Using too little potato starch can result in lumps or excess coating, making the chicken soggy. Use plenty!
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12. Using tongs or chopsticks, grab the chicken pieces and, while stretching the skin side, coat them thoroughly with the abundant potato starch.
    🕒 10:51
13. Once coated with potato starch, tap off any excess. [Key Tip!] A thick coating that is then well-tapped off ensures a crispy, not soggy, finish.
    🕒 11:46
14. Arrange the chicken pieces, with the skin side down, into the frying pan with cold oil after tapping off excess coating.
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15. Place the frying pan with the chicken pieces in cold oil over low heat. [Key Tip!] Starting with cold oil and gradually heating allows the chicken to cook through to the center while retaining its juiciness.
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16. Once small bubbles start to appear around the chicken, continue to fry over low heat for 4 minutes.
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17. After 2 minutes of the 4-minute frying time, flip the pieces over once. [Key Tip!] Frying the skin side more intensely allows moisture to escape, resulting in a crispier texture.
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18. With 1 minute remaining, flip again to fry the skin side.
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19. After 4 minutes, increase the heat to medium and flip the pieces for about 1 to 1.5 minutes to achieve a crispy exterior and a nice golden brown color. [Key Tip!] The double-frying effect creates a crispy outside and a juicy inside.
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20. Once the surface is nicely browned, turn off the heat, drain the oil, and transfer to the tray.
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21. Let the fried chicken rest on the tray for 5 minutes, using residual heat. [Key Tip!] Resting the chicken stabilizes the juices and allows it to finish cooking through. This seals in the juices, making it very succulent.
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22. Serve the rested fried chicken after 5 minutes for a completed dish.
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