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5.0 from 12 votes

Japanese Chicken Nanban (with Homemade Tartar Sauce)

A simple and flavorful recipe that's sure to be a favorite.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 portions
Course: Main Course , Appetizer , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Tartar Sauce
  • 1 small pickled gherkin
  • ⅛ yellow onion
  • 1 hard-boiled egg
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp Japanese style mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
  • ¼ tsp dried parsley
Nanban Sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1½ tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Chicken
  • 300 g boneless chicken thigh boneless, skin-on preferred
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp cake flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Potato Starch or corn starch
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil flavourless, high smoke point like vegetable oil or canola
  • 1 bunch chili threads optional garnish
  • 4-6 lettuce leaves optional for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Start by finely dicing 1 small pickled gherkin, 1 hard-boiled egg and 1 hard-boiled egg and placing them in a mixing bowl. 
  2. Add ½ tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp Japanese style mayonnaise, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp tomato ketchup, ¼ tsp dried parsley and 1 pinch salt and pepper to the bowl.
  3. Mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  4. Transfer the tartar sauce to a sealable container and chill in the fridge until its time to serve.
  5. To make the nanban sauce, take a small bowl and mix 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1½ tbsp rice vinegar together. Set aside for later.
  6. Cut 300 g boneless chicken thigh into bitesize pieces and place them in a bowl. Add 1 pinch salt and pepper and 1 tbsp cake flour and mix until the chicken pieces are evenly covered.
  7. Crack 1 egg into the bowl and mix until the chicken is fully coated in the egg.
  8. Add the 2 tbsp potato starch and mix until well incorporated and lump-free.
  9. Heat a pan on medium. Once hot, add 2 tbsp cooking oil and swirl it around until evenly coated. Add the chicken and fry for 3 minutes on each side.
  10. Once the chicken is cooked through, turn the heat down to medium-low, push the chicken to one side and wipe away the excess oil with kitchen paper.
  11. Add the nanban sauce and move the chicken around the pan until each piece is fully coated.
  12. Once the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy, remove the pan from the heat.
  13. Arrange 4-6 lettuce leaves on a serving plate (optional) and make a mountain of chicken in the middle.
  14. Top with a generous amount of tartar sauce and 1 bunch chili threads for decoration.
  15. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Leftover tartar sauce can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
  • I recommend serving chicken nanban with rice.