Karaage Fried Chicken Wonton Cup

Karaage, Japan’s beloved soy-ginger fried chicken, has long been a staple of izakaya menus and home cooking alike. In a fancier version, David Chang seals two dumpling wrappers together with an egg and cornstarch glue, then fries them into a puffed-up, rounded orb. In this home cook–friendly version, David reimagines the dish as a hors d’oeuvre built on a crisp dumpling-wrapper cup. 

Hong Kong–style wrappers, chosen for their thinness and even browning, bake into lightweight vessels that hold up beautifully to richer elements without feeling heavy. The karaage itself leans classic, using juicy thigh meat marinated with soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and garlic before being dredged in rice flour and fried until deeply golden and craggy. What sets this version apart is the layer of sweet, silky onion puree. Slowly cooked with butter until completely soft but not browned, the puree adds surprising depth though the onions are faintly caramelized without any actual color. It anchors the bite with richness that melts into the chicken.

A slightly jammy egg, quartered and perched on top, completes the textural contrast. Fresh herbs brighten everything, and a finishing dollop of caviar offers an optional pop of salinity. These cups are visually striking, easy to pick up, and engineered to stay crisp from the first guest to the last. Whether served alongside cold beer or sparkling sake, they deliver all the pleasure of karaage in a polished format.

Hong Kong–style versus Shanghai-style dumpling wrappers

Hong Kong–style dumpling wrappers are thinner, more delicate, and designed to crisp quickly, which makes them ideal for applications like these baked cups. Their fine texture produces an even, glassy crunch without becoming tough. Shanghai-style wrappers, by contrast, are slightly thicker and more elastic, built to hold juicy fillings in boiled or pan-fried dumplings. While they’re sturdy and resilient, they don’t crisp as evenly, and their added thickness can make the finished cup denser and less refined.

Can you substitute all-purpose flour to fry the chicken?

Rice flour and potato starch create a lighter, crispier crust than all-purpose flour, making them ideal for frying karaage. Both starches form a delicate, craggy exterior that stays crunchy longer and absorbs less oil. Rice flour fries up especially airy, while potato starch delivers those signature crackles and a glassy, golden finish. All-purpose flour, by contrast, browns more quickly, can turn heavy, and doesn’t achieve the same shattering texture that defines great Japanese-style fried chicken.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen 

• Hong Kong–style wrappers bake more evenly and create lighter cups than Shanghai-style wrappers.
• Assemble these just before serving as the onion puree can soften the cups.
• Cooking the egg for eight minutes allows for the ideal jammy center that can still slice and hold their shape.

This recipe was developed by David Chang; the text was written by Breana Killeen.