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4.4 from 57 votes

Chicken Nanban

Authentic Chicken Nanban recipe, made with fried chicken coated in a crispy egg batter that's soaked in a sweet and sour nanban sauce.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 2 serving
Calories: 818 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Tartar Sauce
  • 1 medium-boiled egg peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon celery finely chopped
  • ½ scallion minced
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise Japanese mayo works best
  • ½ teaspoon whole grain mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest from ½ lemon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper (to taste)
  • 1 pinch salt (to taste)
Nanban Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons usukuchi soy sauce light color , not low sodium
  • 2 tablespoons sake
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger grated
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Chicken
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 450 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour for dusting
  • 1 jumbo egg

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To prepare the tartar sauce, add the boiled egg, celery, scallion, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
  2. To make the nanban sauce, add the soy sauce, sake, sugar and ginger to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling for 1 minute and then turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar.
  3. Add 2-inches of oil to heavy bottomed pot and heat to 340 degrees F (170 C) and prepare a wire rack and pan.
  4. Trim any excess fat off the chicken and lightly salt and pepper.
  5. Dust the chicken with flour.
  6. Beat the egg in a bowl until uniform and then dip the chicken in the egg to thoroughly coat.
  7. Gently lower the egg coated chicken skin-side down into the hot oil and then drizzle a little of the remaining egg onto the tops of each piece of chicken. The egg will quickly "bloom" and spread out.
  8. Use tongs or chopsticks to fold the egg back over the chicken.
  9. Fry the chicken until it's golden brown and cooked through (about 6-8 minutes). You'll want to flip the chicken over a few times, but be careful not to break the crust off off the chicken.
  10. Dip the fried chicken in the sauce, flipping it over a few times to coat it evenly.
  11. Slice and serve the chicken with the tartar sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories 818kcal (41%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 48g (96%) Fat 54g (83%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Cholesterol 452mg (151%) Sodium 1387mg (58%) Potassium 580mg (17%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 525IU (11%) Vitamin C 1.6mg (2%) Calcium 50mg (5%) Iron 3.6mg (20%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 818

% Daily Value*

Calories 818kcal 41%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 48g 96%
Fat 54g 83%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Cholesterol 452mg 151%
Sodium 1387mg 58%
Potassium 580mg 12%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 525IU 11%
Vitamin C 1.6mg 2%
Calcium 50mg 5%
Iron 3.6mg 20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.