Chicken Nanban

This chicken nanban recipe brings the iconic sweet-and-sour fried chicken of my hometown right to your kitchen. With tender, juicy chicken thighs wrapped in a crisp, delicate crust, and finished off with a zesty nanban glaze, this Miyazaki favorite makes for a mouthwatering weeknight meal.

Course Entree

Cuisine Best, Japanese

Keyword bento, fried chicken

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Poultry

Diet Dairy-Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings serving

Calories 812kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Tartar Sauce

1 medium-boiled egg peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon celery finely chopped
½ scallion minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise Japanese mayo works best
½ teaspoon whole grain mustard
¼ teaspoon lemon zest from ½ lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper (to taste)
1 pinch salt (to taste)

Nanban Sauce

2 tablespoons usukuchi soy sauce light color , not low sodium
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fresh ginger grated
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Chicken

vegetable oil for frying
450 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour for dusting
1 jumbo egg

Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

To prepare the tartar sauce, add 1 medium-boiled egg, 1 tablespoon celery, ½ scallion, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon whole grain mustard, ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to a bowl and stir to combine. Add 1 pinch salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper to taste.
1 medium-boiled egg, 1 tablespoon celery, ½ scallion, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon whole grain mustard, ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 pinch salt
To make the nanban sauce, add 2 tablespoons usukuchi soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sake, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon fresh ginger to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling for 1 minute and then turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons rice vinegar.
2 tablespoons usukuchi soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sake, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Add 2-inches of vegetable oil to heavy bottomed pot and heat to 340 degrees F (170 C) and prepare a wire rack and pan.
vegetable oil
Trim any excess fat off of 450 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs and season lightly with salt and black pepper.
450 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs, salt, black pepper
Dust the chicken with ¼ cup all-purpose flour.
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Beat 1 jumbo egg in a bowl until uniform and then dip the chicken in the egg to thoroughly coat.
1 jumbo egg
Gently lower the egg coated chicken skin-side down into the hot oil and then drizzle a little of the remaining egg onto the tops of each piece of chicken. The egg will quickly "bloom" and spread out.
Use tongs or chopsticks to fold the egg back over the chicken.
Fry the chicken until it's golden brown and cooked through (about 6-8 minutes). You'll want to flip the chicken over a few times, but be careful not to break the crust off off the chicken.
Dip the fried chicken in the sauce, flipping it over a few times to coat it evenly.
Slice and serve the chicken with the tartar sauce.

Video

Nutrition