I’m not gonna string you along. Trader Joe’s Chicken Karaage ($6.49 per 18.97 oz. bag) doesn’t measure up as either karaage or chicken nuggets/fingers. Before we get to the taste test, let’s take a look at Trader Joe’s version on its own. So, the bag does say it’s Japanese-inspired, leaving some room for variation. Yep, we can make room for that. But note that it says “dark chicken meat” without indicating if that’s thigh or leg. (The answer is in the ingredient list).
The bag image suggests you’re getting a pile of nice chunks of chicken. But the result of leg or thigh or both is very irregularly sized/shaped pieces. It also comes with a packet of mayo-based dipping sauce that you thaw in a bowl of cold water. It’s Kewpie-like. I didn’t use it for dipping. Not worth the calories for me.
The directions say to air fry at 390F for 16 minutes. For smaller pieces, that’s gonna be overkill. I actually did two sets of TJ’s and 16 minutes was too long for some pieces, but is needed for the bigger chunks. Partly because there’s SO MUCH breading. If you airfry it for less than 16 minutes the breading pockets end up a little gummy.
So this is one of the nicer, chunkier pieces. But overall, the breading to chicken ratio is off. There’s waaaay too much breading. While the ingredient list does include soy sauce and mirin, it also still includes garlic powder, onion powder, and rosemary, which really makes the TJ’s version taste like a standard frozen chicken nugget – not karaage. And in the cross-section below, you can see just how much breading we’re talking on some pieces.
Shirakiku brand is one of a few brands available at Uwajimaya (check your local Asian market for availability). And though it’s in the $11 range, you get what you pay for. One note about the procedure, I didn’t originally plan to do a taste test so I airfried two sets on different days, so the cross-section photos don’t match the original, but they’re all from the same bag.
So let’s look at them side-by-side. If you look at set #1 of Trader Joe’s karaage, you see that one skinny piece? This was definitely meat from the drumstick, and not much of it.
You saw the Trader Joe’s cross section, let’s see the Shirakiku. This is what you want. Identifiable chicken thigh chunks, nice thin breading and the shoyu marinade. Now, I know not everyone has access to Asian markets, but the point is, I wouldn’t want you leaving the experience thinking Trader Joe’s version is what karaage is actually like. It’s not. And it’s not even that great as standard chicken nuggets/fingers. You’re better off going with TJ’s chicken nuggets in the refrigerated section.
Would I buy Trader Joe’s Chicken Karaage again? Nope. For regular chicken nuggets, though it’s white meat, not dark, I’m an Applegate gal. And for karaage, the Shirakiku brand is preferred if I’m gonna take the shortcut to avoid dealing with deep frying. If you want to try making chicken karaage at home, Just One Cookbook’s recipe is a good place to start.