Chicken Tempura (Toriten)

A stack of tempura chicken tenders that are flavorful and juicy on the inside with a light and crispy tempura batter coating on the outside.

Dive into the crispy, juicy world of Japanese Chicken Tempura with this authentic Toriten recipe that brings the flavors and textures of this Oita Prefecture specialty into your home.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword deep-fried, fried chicken

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Poultry

Diet Dairy-Free, Low Sugar

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 16

Servings servings

Calories 425kcal

Author Marc Matsumoto

Equipment

Ingredients

500 grams chicken tenders
2 tablespoons sake
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated ginger
vegetable oil (for frying)
75 grams cake flour (chilled, ~½ cup)
25 gram potato starch (2 ½ tablespoons)
1 egg (3 tablespoons)
½ cup soda water (chilled)

Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

Cut the 500 grams chicken tenders into ¾-inch thick strips roughly the same thickness from end to end. If you're using large tenders, you can cut them in half diagonally. Small tenders can be used without cutting them.
500 grams chicken tenders
Add the chicken pieces to a medium bowl and marinate with 2 tablespoons sake, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon grated ginger. Ideally, you want to let this marinate in the fridge for an hour or more, but even a few minutes is better than none if you're in a rush.
2 tablespoons sake, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon grated ginger
When you're ready to fry up the Toriten, add an inch of vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot with high sides or a deep fryer and preheat it to 340°F (170°C) over medium heat. Prepare a paper towel-lined cooling rack.
vegetable oil
Use a paper towel to soak up any excess marinade from the chicken strips and dry off the surface. This helps the batter to stick to the meat.
Once your oil is up to temperature, make the airy tempura batter in a separate bowl, by beating 1 egg in a large bowl until it is uniform in color.
1 egg
Sift 75 grams cake flour and 25 gram potato starch into the egg mixture.
75 grams cake flour, 25 gram potato starch
Partially stir the flour mixture into the egg.
Add ½ cup soda water and mix until there are no dry areas, but be careful not to over-mix the batter.
½ cup soda water
To fry the tempura, dip the chicken pieces in the batter to fully coat and add it to the oil. The batter is thin, so you need to work quickly so it doesn't drip off.
Fry the chicken until the batter is crisp (about 3 minutes). It will start to brown around the edges, but it won't be golden brown. Flip the tempura over periodically to ensure even cooking.
Transfer your tempura chicken fingers to the prepared rack to drain. I recommend lining your plate with paper to absorb any excess oil. Serve your Toriten with ponzu, tempura dipping sauce, or salt and lemon juice.

Video

Nutrition