Chicken Tempura (Printable)
Light, crispy battered chicken strips fried to golden perfection, served with tangy dipping sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Tempura Batter
04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 3/4 cup ice-cold sparkling water
08 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
→ Frying
09 - 4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
→ Dipping Sauce
10 - 1/4 cup soy sauce
11 - 1/4 cup mirin
12 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
13 - 1 tbsp sugar
14 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
# How To Make It:
01 - Slice chicken breasts into thin strips measuring 1/2 x 2 inches. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and pepper.
02 - Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a mixing bowl until fully combined.
03 - Lightly beat the egg in a separate bowl, then incorporate the ice-cold sparkling water.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir briefly with chopsticks or fork, leaving batter slightly lumpy—avoid overmixing to maintain crispiness.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in deep pan or fryer to 350°F.
06 - Dip seasoned chicken strips into batter, allowing excess to drip off, then carefully place into hot oil.
07 - Fry in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning once mid-cooking. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
08 - Transfer cooked chicken to wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil.
09 - Combine soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, and ginger in small saucepan. Heat gently until sugar dissolves, then cool to room temperature.
10 - Plate chicken tempura immediately while hot, accompanied by dipping sauce on the side.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sparkling water in the batter creates those restaurant style bubbles that stay impossibly light
- Everything comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent hours perfecting it
02 -
- Overworking the batter is the number one mistake people make with tempura
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes everything soggy
03 -
- Use chopsticks to mix the batter instead of a whisk to prevent overmixing
- The batter is best used within 15 minutes of mixing, so plan accordingly