This Tofu Popcorn Chicken, also known as Karrage in Japan, is a health(ier) version of traditional popcorn chicken. Chicken-like tofu bits are hand-tossed in an airy crust and come out shatteringly crispy perfect for dipping in a creamy, tangy dip.
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Move Over, Colonel Sanders
Tofu Popcorn Chicken - yes please! These need to be made and gobbled up ASAP. Alright, this isn't "chicken"...it's tofu. But it's flavoured so perfectly and juicy that it doesn't matter. This is the beauty of plant-based eating - it doesn't have to taste exactly like meat to be delicious. It's tasty in it's own way 🙂
Making this tofu popcorn chicken ("chicken") at home lets you control the amount of salt and oil that goes into it, which is a lot healthier.
What does Karaage mean in Japanese?
Karaage is a Japanese cooking method involving meat (in this case, tofu) and the traditional technique of deep frying it.
Ubiquitously, Karaage is used to describe the famous Japanese Popcorn Chicken. Popcorn chicken is a morsel of juicy, tender chicken with a crispy, golden coating. It's super tasty and crunchy on the outside, but juicy and flavorful on the inside.
It's a popular snack or side dish in Japan and it's seriously delicious!
How to Make Japanese Tofu Popcorn Chicken
Here's what you need to make the famous Karaage:
Tofu Popcorn Chicken:
- Brick of medium - firm tofu (frozen, thawed, and pressed)
- Corn starch
- Neutral cooking oil (like canola oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil)
Marinade:
- Soy sauce
- Mirin
- Sesame Oil
Healthier Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Dipping Sauce):
- Plain yogurt (use real mayo if you want)
- Squeeze lemon
- Salt
How To Get The Crispiest and Juiciest Karaage
- Freeze, thaw, and press dry the medium-firm tofu (see photo below of thawed tofu). By freezing the tofu, pockets of ice are created in the tofu's texture. When it thaws, these pockets create a meaty-layred texture that's chickeny. If you don't have time for this, just use firm tofu and press dry.
- Finish off the popcorn chicken in an air fryer or broiler. This last steps gives the ULTIMATE final crisp to your chicken.
- Don't skip frying the popcorn chicken. The oil flavour makes this snack taste like how it's supposed to be. If you need to reduce oil as much as possible, a low oil workaround is offered in recipe notes(below).
- Don't fry the popcorn chicken at low temperatures. Frying too low will cause the coating to soak up oil, making it soggy and oily. Maintain a constant temperature.
- Tip: the oil is at the right temperature if you stick a dry chopstick in it and bubbles rapidly come off it.
What's the Best Way To Reheat Popcorn Chicken?
Reheat with an airfryer set to 350°F/180°C for about 10 minutes, or until it's fully warm and crispy again.
