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Authentic Chicken Nanban with Japanese Tartar Sauce

  • Author: madison
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Japanese
  • Diet: Non-Vegetarian

Description

A delightful combination of crispy chicken and zesty Japanese tartar sauce, capturing the essence of comfort food.


Ingredients

  • 450g chicken breast (skin on) or boneless chicken thigh
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 eggs
  • Cooking oil, for frying
  • 1 small pickled gherkin or fresh cucumber
  • ¼ onion, rinsed after mincing
  • 1 hard-boiled egg
  • 4 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp ketchup
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
  • Parsley, for garnish
  • 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 dried red chili pepper, split and deseeded


Instructions

  1. Butterfly cut the chicken breast to ensure even thickness.
  2. Cut into large pieces and pierce with a fork.
  3. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Toss the chicken pieces in a mixture of flour and cornstarch.
  5. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until combined.
  6. Submerge the chicken in the egg mixture.
  7. Refrigerate while preparing the sauce.
  8. Mix finely minced gherkin, rinsed onion, hard-boiled egg, Japanese mayonnaise, lemon juice, whole milk, sugar, ketchup, and a pinch of salt and pepper to make the tartar sauce. Whisk until smooth and adjust seasoning as needed.
  9. Prepare the Nanbanzu sauce by combining soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, mirin, and chili pepper in a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
  10. Fry the chicken in hot oil over medium heat until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  11. Toss the crispy chicken in the Nanbanzu sauce, then serve hot, garnished with tartar sauce and a sprinkle of parsley over the top.

Notes

For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce and vinegar before coating. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.