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Chicken Tempura

Chicken Tempura

Crispy chicken tempura bites with a light, airy Japanese style batter
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

INGREDIENTS

Chicken

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast cut into 1 inch strips
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin or dry sherry
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup all purpose flour for dredging.

Tempura Batter

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 large egg cold
  • 1 cup ice cold water
  • 4 to 6 ice cubes.

Frying and Serving

  • 4 cups neutral oil for frying
  • lemon wedges for serving
  • tempura dipping sauce or ponzu for serving
  • sliced scallions optional.

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinate and Prep

  • pat chicken dry then toss with soy sauce mirin ginger garlic salt and pepper and marinate 10 minutes
  • heat oil in a deep pot to 350 F and set a wire rack over a sheet pan for draining
  • place dredging flour in a bowl and lightly coat chicken pieces shaking off excess.

Make Batter and Fry

  • whisk flour cornstarch and baking powder in a bowl then add cold egg and ice cold water and stir briefly until just combined and lumpy with some dry streaks
  • dip floured chicken into batter letting excess drip then fry in small batches 2 to 3 minutes per side until pale golden and crisp and cooked through to 165 F
  • return oil to 350 F between batches and drain on the rack then serve immediately with lemon and dipping sauce.

Notes

1. Keep all batter ingredients cold and mix minimally to prevent toughness. Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature and crispness. Substitute sparkling water for extra lightness. For gluten free use a gluten free all purpose flour blend and replace soy sauce with tamari

Nutrition

Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 24g