Mochiko Chicken

Recipe from Relle Lum

Adapted by Elyse Inamine

Updated October 10, 2023

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Mariana Velásquez.
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Total Time
35 minutes, plus at least 4 hours’ marinating
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes, plus at least 4 hours’ marinating
Rating
4(1,309)
Comments
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“Mochiko chicken is Hawaii’s fried chicken,” said Relle Lum, a nurse practitioner and the founder of the Keeping It Relle cooking blog. Growing up on the island of Maui, she enjoyed the craggy chunks at home. Mrs. Lum watched her mother and grandmother throw mochiko chicken together without a recipe, but she’s written one down that ensures the right juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside balance and sweet-savory flavor. The key is to let the chicken sit in the punchy marinade of soy sauce, sugar and scallions for a good amount of time, ideally overnight, then to fry it in batches, in oil heated to 325 degrees. —Elyse Inamine

Featured in: Hawaii’s ‘Local Food,’ a Rich Mix That Isn’t Strictly Hawaiian

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • ¼ cup/40 grams potato starch

  • ¼ cup/40 grams mochiko (sweet rice flour)

  • ¼ cup soy sauce

  • ¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar

  • ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2 scallions), plus more for serving

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic (from about 2 cloves)

  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger 

  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • Neutral oil (such as canola), for frying (about 1 ½ cups)

  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

21 grams carbs; 153 milligrams cholesterol; 484 calories; 19 grams monosaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 33 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 564 milligrams sodium; 26 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the potato starch, mochiko, soy sauce, sugar, scallions, eggs, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and salt.

  3. Step 3

    Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

  4. Step 4

    In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high to 325 degrees. (A deep-fry thermometer is helpful here.) Working in batches and adjusting the heat to maintain the temperature, fry the chicken: Using tongs, transfer chicken to the hot oil, shaking off excess batter, and fry until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side.

  5. Step 5

    Remove chicken from oil and place on a cooling rack over a baking sheet or on a large plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat with remaining chicken. Serve with rice and garnish with more scallions, if desired.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,309 user ratings
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Comments

ursostubborn

Recipe was good. Tastes very Hawaiian and good with some rice and macaroni salad. I tried the air frying route: I created an all purpose flour potato starch mix (1:1) and floured the marinated chicken before air frying it. I did 15mins on 400degrees—at 10mins, flip the chicken. Incredibly crunchy and delicious!

CC

For those struggling to find sweet rice flour look in the Asian section of your grocery store. It’s in a white box with a blue star, not in a paper flour sack or the plastic zip top bags regular rice flour is in.

kate

Wondering if this would work in an air fryer.

Neil

Air fryer works great with less mess than frying. Subbed coco aminos for the soy sauce and sugar since my son is soy and sugar free. Coated some tofu in the marinade for my vegetarian wife and baked in oven on parchment paper with a bunch of veggies. Made some teriyaki sauce with the coco aminos, garlic, ginger, and potato starch heated on the stove. Everything turned out delicious.

KW

Delicious! The only thing I changed was marination time - it only sat for 45 minutes because that was the time I had. Still super flavorful even with that short time.

SusanSF

I have made this recipe multiple times, exactly as written. It’s delicious! One of my favorite NYT chicken recipes.

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Credits

Adapted from Relle Lum

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