Air-Fried Karaage Chicken with Red Curry
This Karaage Chicken with Thai Red Curry Sauce is the ultimate comfort food. Crispy Japanese-style fried chicken is cooked in the air fryer until golden, then paired with a creamy, aromatic Thai curry sauce. Served over steamed rice, it’s a fusion-style meal that feels indulgent but is surprisingly easy to prepare at home.
Serves
4
Prep time
20 minutes
Cooking time
40 minutes
Ingredients
Karage Chicken:
- 500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg
- Cornstarch to coat chicken
- Cooking spray or a light drizzle of oil for the air fryer
Thai Red Curry Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 – 6 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste (store bought)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 400ml coconut milk
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 red capsicum, sliced
- Handful of snow peas
To Serve:
- Steamed rice
Tips for Success
- Marinate for flavour: Give the chicken at least 30 minutes to soak up the marinade. If you have time, let it sit for a few hours in the fridge for even deeper flavour.
- Crispy chicken: Make sure the chicken is coated evenly in cornstarch and arranged in a single layer in the air fryer. Overcrowding will stop it from crisping properly.
- Balancing the curry: Taste the curry sauce before serving. Add more fish sauce for saltiness, a squeeze of lime for brightness, or a pinch of sugar if you like it a little sweeter.
- Serving: For the best texture, keep the karaage and curry sauce separate until serving, so the chicken stays crispy when plated.
Directions
- Marinate the chicken in the ingredients listed for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, avoiding overcrowding. Lightly spray or drizzle with oil. Air fry for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and crispy.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add Thai red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken stock and coconut milk, stirring well to combine. Add kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and fish sauce. Stir and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes to meld the flavours.
- Add the capsicum and snow peas to the sauce. Continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
- Serve the karaage chicken with the red curry sauce over rice.
Ingredients
Karage Chicken:
- 500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg
- Cornstarch to coat chicken
- Cooking spray or a light drizzle of oil for the air fryer
Thai Red Curry Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 – 6 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste (store bought)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 400ml coconut milk
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 red capsicum, sliced
- Handful of snow peas
To Serve:
- Steamed rice
Tips for Success
- Marinate for flavour: Give the chicken at least 30 minutes to soak up the marinade. If you have time, let it sit for a few hours in the fridge for even deeper flavour.
- Crispy chicken: Make sure the chicken is coated evenly in cornstarch and arranged in a single layer in the air fryer. Overcrowding will stop it from crisping properly.
- Balancing the curry: Taste the curry sauce before serving. Add more fish sauce for saltiness, a squeeze of lime for brightness, or a pinch of sugar if you like it a little sweeter.
- Serving: For the best texture, keep the karaage and curry sauce separate until serving, so the chicken stays crispy when plated.
Directions
- Marinate the chicken in the ingredients listed for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, avoiding overcrowding. Lightly spray or drizzle with oil. Air fry for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and crispy.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add Thai red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken stock and coconut milk, stirring well to combine. Add kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and fish sauce. Stir and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes to meld the flavours.
- Add the capsicum and snow peas to the sauce. Continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
- Serve the karaage chicken with the red curry sauce over rice.
Helpful Tips
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Substitutions
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