Tebasaki-age Japanese Fried Chicken Wings with Sweet Soy Glaze

Tebasaki-age, or Japanese-style fried chicken wings, is a popular home-cooked dish and izakaya (Japanese pub) favorite. 
The wings are deep-fried until golden and crispy, then coated in a sweet soy glaze that’s perfectly balanced between savory and sweet.
Finish with a generous sprinkle of white pepper, and it becomes the perfect companion to an ice-cold beer!

Cooking time : 30min
Prep : 10min
Budget : normal
Serve : 4 persons
Level : easy
Ingredients
For the chicken:
  • 700 g  Chicken wings (whole or middle section)
  • 4 tbsp Potato starch (or cornstarch)
  • Oil for deep frying

 

Glaze:
  • 3 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp Mirin
  • 2 tbsp Sake
  • 1 tbsp Sugar

 

Garnish:
  • White pepper: to taste
  • Sesame seeds: to taste

 

Instructions

1. Prepare the glaze

Put all the glaze ingredients in a small pan. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat slightly and simmer for about 2 minutes until it thickens a little.

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2. Prepare the chicken

Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Coat each piece evenly and thoroughly with potato starch (or cornstarch).

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3. Check the oil temperature


Pour plenty of oil (such as canola or grapeseed) into a deep pan and heat to about 180°C (355°F).
To check, dip a chopstick into the oil—small bubbles should appear around it.

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4. Fry the wings

Gently place the wings (after shaking off any excess starch) into the oil.
Fry for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and fry another 3 minutes, until golden brown.
Make sure the inside is fully cooked.

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5. Drain the oil

Once golden, remove the wings and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.

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6. Coat with sauce

While still hot, toss the fried wings in the sauce until evenly coated.
Sprinkle generously with white sesame seeds and plenty of white pepper.
Enjoy while they’re hot and crispy!

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NOTE

Don’t overcrowd the pan; fry in batches if necessary. 
Adjust the frying time to ensure the chicken is cooked through. 
You can use black pepper if you like, but white pepper gives it that authentic izakaya flavor.