Sometimes only real fried chicken—not the baked kind—will do. And that’s totally cool, especially when you have a special twist on it, like this Japanese recipe. It’s super easy and still full of flavor thanks to a four-ingredient marinade. Fry the chicken in coconut oil since it has a high smoke point.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup hoyu (reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce)
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4-5 cups coconut oil

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together shoyu, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds until well combined. Place chicken in a small airtight container and marinade over chicken. Seal container and marinate chicken for about 30 minutes in refrigerator, turning chicken halfway through.
  2. Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off any excess liquid, and transfer to a plate.
  3. Place flour on a small baking sheet and coat each piece of chicken, shaking off any excess.
  4. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat until oil begins to simmer. Reduce heat to medium; do not let oil smoke. Cover a second small sheet pan with three layers of paper towels. Place next to the stove.
  5. Carefully place chicken into hot oil. (Don’t put too much chicken in at once, as it will cause the oil temperature to drop sharply.) Cook both sides of chicken in oil until a beautiful brown color develops and chicken is cooked through. Carefully remove chicken with tongs or a large slotted spoon, and transfer to the paper towel-lined sheet to drain excess oil.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Clean Green Eats by Candice Kumai.