Recipe from Relle Lum
Adapted by Elyse Inamine
Updated Oct. 11, 2023
- 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(1,100)
- Notes
- Read community notes
“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
Learn: How to Make Fried Chicken
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ¼cup/40 grams potato starch
- ¼cup/40 grams mochiko (sweet rice flour)
- ¼cup soy sauce
- ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar
- ¼cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2 scallions), plus more for serving
- 2large eggs, beaten
- 1tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1teaspoon minced garlic (from about 2 cloves)
- 1teaspoon minced ginger
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- Neutral oil (such as canola), for frying (about 1½ cups)
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
484 calories; 33 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 564 milligrams sodium
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
Step
1
Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Step
2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the potato starch, mochiko, soy sauce, sugar, scallions, eggs, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and salt.
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.
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.
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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1,100
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Cooking Notes
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!
kate
Wondering if this would work in an air fryer.
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.
Barbara
A nice Gluten free recipe, if you use the correct soy sauce (regular soy sauce is brewed on wheat). Haven't tried it yet, but I just might. Sweet rice flour is also known as Glutinous Rice Flour and is sold in all Asian foods aisles. Wheat flour is too heavy as a substitute.
JH
Chicken was delicious! Subbed regular flour instead of mochiko, and quadrupled the amount of potato starch. The crunch was divine.
Edith
Would this work somehow in an oven please? We don’t deep fry at home.
wvfgolden
For a vegetarian approach, I use Quorn Meatless Diced ChiQin Pieces. Marinated overnight and grilled on a large cookie sheet rather than fried (I was grilling pineapple, anyway).MAJOR Hit! Turned out perfect - crispy on the outside, soft/chewy inside. (and people couldn't believe it wasn't chicken)
Gina Corsun
Made this last night. Used tapioca starch and corn starch because I couldn’t get potato starch or sweet rice flour. Found regular rice flour, but Internet search said it is not interchangeable with sweet rice flour. In any event, chicken turned out great! Nice crunch. Next time I will add a little heat with cayenne or Asian pepper spices. Served with rice and sautéd bok choy with sh*taki mushrooms.
Vivian
Can corn starch be substituted for the potato starch?
Aaron
I loved this recipe! I could see myself prepping it in the morning and coming home from work to fry it up. We saw the pieces of chicken as luxury chicken nuggets and dipped them in whatever Asian sauces we had in the fridge. 10/10, so easy, so good!
Roxane
Could one prepare this using less oil? Could chicken be sprayed with oil and baked?
dream66
Has anyone tried modifying this recipe so it can be baked? Trying to keep fat grams down. Thanks
Olivia
This is a new favorite in my family. First of all, it is SO easy, you literally just whisk everything up in a bowl, add the chicken and marinate it in the fridge then fry it. I have celiac disease so simply subbed soy sauce for kikkoman GF soy sauce (I think flavor is better than tamari), and it was great! Huge hit with my children too. I paired it with sweet thai chili sauce on the side which worked beautifully.
Connie in Silver Spring, MD
I wonder if it couldn't be roasted to avoid using so much fat.
dianeland
Perfect as is and EZ for Gluten Free!
Imani W.H.
@Ruth in Queens, MSG is a great way of reducing your sodium intake and is safe to use despite what many think!
Name Ann
Made a simpler version of this for ono in Hilo. Recommended by the worker at Suisan. Used Mochiko rice flower, corn starch, egg, soy sauce and garlic
Michael Trombetta
Followed the recipe exactly, and it was super delicious. Next time I may add pineapple chunks, following another suggestion.
Kat
This was pretty easy to pull together on a weeknight. The chicken only marinated for 1 hour but was plenty flavorful, and it passed the first taste test for a rather picky 3-year-old. Will make again!
Ims
This was so flavourful and I was pleasantly surprised that my whole picky family actually ate it! Told the kids it was Hawaiin chicken nuggets ;)
johnnytinmaui
A wonderful dish from an awesome local legend. Thanks Relle!I use a similar recipe for frying fish (opah my preferred) but I use less sugar but always a couple tablespoons of minced ginger. The plump and juicy style of ginger is best if can find.Finding mochiko flour in mainland grocery store probably not easy, but it’s really not substitutable (order online if needed) and dish should definitely be fried.
Babster165
thanks for answering the can this be baked/roasted question!!
James
Really disappointing. It was really flavorless. I *think* my marinade technique was flawed, because all the chicken pieces stuck - like a blob. As a result, the marinade never really penetrated the interior.
ed
This is great. Crispy. Flavorful. Made it several times. Over rice. In a salad. Leftovers keep well. Do it.
will
A favorite dish in my household. I used arrowroot as I couldn't find mochiko and it was still perfect.
momofthree
excellent and works with chicken breast which is actually easier to trim because lacks all the fat on the thighs which are disgusting to trim
John
What are the eggs for?
Becca Lynn
Ultimately the chicken was delicious. However, when I make this again, I will make the marinade minus the flours, dredge right before frying. My flours sunk to the bottom of the marinade and gummed up. I served this with bell peppers red onion and pineapple and Hawaiian Fried Rice. Everyone loved it and it reminds us of our time spent in Hawaii.
waz
Have now made this recipe with pressed tofu twice. Both times it was fantastic!
SFCACP
I will double the ginger next time!
Ikebana50
This was quick and easy to put together. I followed the recipe as written. It was good, not spectacular, but good. The chicken could be served in a salad or over rice, etc. If I make it again I will up the seasonings.
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