Crispy Tempura Chicken Strips are my go-to when I want light, crunchy fried chicken that doesn’t feel heavy. The coating is delicate and airy, and the chicken stays tender inside.
This version has that classic tempura-style crisp with a simple seasoning that tastes clean and savory. I also like that the batter fries up craggy and crisp instead of bready.
I serve these as a quick dinner with a dipping sauce, or as a snacky platter with lemon wedges and something cold to drink. They’re especially good when you want fried chicken strips that feel a little more “restaurant-style” at home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Light, crisp coating: The tempura batter fries up airy and crunchy, not thick or doughy.
Fast dinner: Once the oil is hot, the chicken cooks quickly, so it’s a realistic weeknight option.
That sparkle-water crunch: Using very cold sparkling water keeps the batter lively and crisp.
Great for dipping: These are made for sauces—sweet chili, tonkatsu, ranch, spicy mayo, or whatever you keep around.
Easy to scale: Double the batch for a bigger group, and keep the first batches warm while you finish frying.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken
- Chicken breast tenderloins: I like tenderloins because they’re already the right shape for strips. Regular chicken breast works too—just slice it into even pieces so they fry at the same speed.
- Kosher salt: Seasoning the chicken up front helps it taste good even before the dipping sauce happens.
- Black pepper: Just enough to keep the chicken from tasting flat. Fresh ground is nice here.
- Garlic powder: This gives a simple savory flavor without fighting the tempura vibe. Onion powder also works if that’s what you have.
Dredge
- All-purpose flour: Regular flour is perfect here. It gives the batter something to cling to and helps keep the coating even.
- Cornstarch: Don’t skip it—this is part of what makes the crust lighter and crispier.
Tempura Batter
- All-purpose flour: This is the base of the batter, and it keeps things simple and classic.
- Cornstarch: Another hit of cornstarch keeps the batter delicate instead of bready.
- Baking powder: Helps the coating puff a little and stay light.
- Salt: A little salt in the batter makes a big difference, especially if you’re serving with a sweeter sauce.
- Egg: Helps bind the batter so it clings well to the chicken.
- Ice cold sparkling water: Cold is the whole point here. Sparkling water (or club soda) gives a lighter, crisper fry.
Frying and Serving
- Neutral oil: Use something like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. You want a clean oil that can handle frying at 350°F.
- Dipping sauce: I usually do sweet chili or a quick spicy mayo, but anything works—tonkatsu sauce is great too.
- Lemon wedges: A squeeze of lemon right at the end cuts through the fried coating in a really nice way.
Recipe Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken dry, then season with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan so the finished strips can drain without getting soggy.
- Mix the dredge: Whisk the flour and cornstarch together in a shallow bowl. This first coat helps the tempura batter stick.
- Mix the batter: In a second bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the egg, then gently stir in the ice-cold sparkling water until just combined—small lumps are fine.
- Heat the oil: Pour the oil into a deep pot and heat to 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a little batter—it should sizzle right away and float.
- Coat the chicken: Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Dip into the batter, let the extra drip off, and get it into the oil right away.
- Fry: Fry in batches for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and the chicken reaches 165°F inside. Don’t crowd the pot or the temperature will drop.
- Drain and season: Set the fried strips on the wire rack to drain, then lightly season with salt while they’re still hot.
- Serve: Serve right away with your dipping sauce of choice and lemon wedges on the side.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Keep the batter cold. Cold sparkling water makes a crispier coating. If your kitchen is warm, you can even chill the mixing bowl for a few minutes.
Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until you don’t see big dry pockets of flour. A few lumps are normal for tempura batter.
Watch the oil temp. Try to stay around 350°F, and let the oil come back up between batches. If the oil is too cool, the strips get greasy.
Use a rack, not paper towels. Draining on a wire rack keeps the bottom from steaming. It’s a small thing, but it helps the crunch a lot.
Thighs are a good swap. Chicken thighs cut into strips come out a little juicier. They can take an extra minute or two depending on thickness.
Keep finished batches warm. If you’re making a full batch, a 200°F oven with a rack-lined pan keeps them hot while you finish frying.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Dipping sauces: Sweet chili sauce is my easy pick, but tonkatsu sauce, spicy mayo, or soy sauce with a little lemon are all good. I’ll often put out two sauces so people can mix it up.
- Rice: Plain steamed rice or fried rice turns these into an easy dinner. A little furikake on the rice is nice if you have it.
- Simple slaw: A quick cabbage slaw with rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar is great next to fried food. Keep it light and crunchy.
- Vegetables: Steamed edamame, blistered green beans, or quick stir-fried broccoli are easy sides that don’t compete with the chicken.
- Lemon wedges: I always serve these with lemon. A quick squeeze right before eating keeps them tasting fresh.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The coating will soften as it sits, but the flavor is still good.
For reheating, I like the oven or air fryer best so the coating gets crisp again. A toaster oven works well for small amounts.
You can mix the dry batter ingredients ahead and keep them in a covered bowl. Add the egg and ice-cold sparkling water right before frying.
If you want to freeze them, freeze in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer until hot all the way through.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Why does tempura batter need to be cold?
Cold batter helps the coating fry up light and crisp. Warm batter tends to absorb more oil and can turn heavier.
Can I use club soda instead of sparkling water?
Yes. Ice-cold club soda works the same way here, and it’s an easy swap if that’s what you have.
How do I know when the chicken strips are done?
The safest way is a thermometer—look for 165°F in the thickest piece. The coating should be deep golden, and the chicken should feel firm (not squishy) when you lift it with tongs.
Can I use chicken thighs?
You can, and I actually like thighs for this when I want extra juicy strips. Cut them into similar-sized pieces, and expect the fry time to be a little longer depending on thickness.
Why is my coating not crispy?
The most common reasons are oil that’s too cool, batter that got overmixed, or batter/water that isn’t cold. Also make sure you drain on a rack so the bottoms don’t steam.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Crispy Tempura Chicken Strips
INGREDIENTS
Chicken
- 1.5 lb chicken breast tenderloins
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder.
Dredge
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch.
Tempura Batter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1.25 cups ice cold sparkling water.
Frying and Serving
- 4 cups neutral oil for frying
- dipping sauce of choice
- lemon wedges.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
- pat chicken dry
- season with salt pepper and garlic powder
- set a wire rack over a sheet pan.
Dredge and Batter
- whisk dredge ingredients in a shallow bowl
- whisk batter dry ingredients in a second bowl
- whisk in egg then gently stir in sparkling water until just combined with small lumps.
Fry
- heat oil to 350 F in a deep pot
- coat chicken in dredge and shake off excess
- dip into batter and let excess drip off
- fry in batches 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden and 165 F internal
- drain on rack and lightly season with salt while hot.
Serve
- serve immediately with dipping sauce and lemon wedges.
