Tempura Chicken Bites Tenders
Crispy tempura-style chicken bites or tenders with a light airy batter and quick fry
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INGREDIENTS
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch.
Tempura Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water or ice-cold water.
Frying
- 4 cups neutral oil for frying
- extra flour for dusting.
Optional Dipping Sauce
- 1 4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp grated garlic
- sliced scallions for garnish.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep Chicken
- pat chicken dry
- toss with salt garlic powder onion powder soy sauce rice vinegar and cornstarch
- rest 10 minutes while oil heats.
Make Batter
- whisk flour cornstarch baking powder and salt
- whisk egg with ice-cold sparkling water then gently stir into dry mix until just combined with small lumps remaining
- keep batter cold.
Fry
- heat oil to 350 F in a deep pot
- lightly dust chicken with flour then dip in batter letting excess drip off
- fry in batches 3 to 4 minutes until golden and cooked through to 165 F
- drain on a wire rack and season with a pinch of salt to taste.
Serve
- whisk dipping sauce ingredients if using
- serve immediately while crisp.
Notes
1. Keep batter cold and mix minimally for the lightest texture. Use sparkling water for extra airy crunch. Maintain oil at 340 to 360 F and fry in small batches to prevent soggy coating. Swap half the flour for cake flour for a softer tempura. Air fryer is not recommended for true tempura texture but you can bake at 425 F on a rack with oil spray for a lighter version
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 20g