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Chicken Tempura Recipe

Name: Taki Japanese Steakhouses Chicken Tempura Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast; 2 tbs soy sauce; 1 tbs mirin; 1 tbs sake (or dry sherry); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tbs cornstarch; 1 cup ice cold sparkling water (or very cold club soda); 1 ea egg (large); 1 tsp baking powder; 2 ea ice cubes; 1 tsp salt; 1 liter vegetable oil (for deep frying); 0.5 cup all-purpose flour (for dusting); 1 cup dashi stock (or low-sodium chicken broth); 3 tbs soy sauce; 2 tbs mirin; 1 tsp sugar; 2 tbs grated daikon (optional); 4 ea lemon wedges; 2 tbs chopped scallions

Inspired by Taki Japanese Steakhouse

Time40m

Serves4

Strips of all-white breast meat deep-fried with our special extra-light batter and served with our own Tempura sauce.

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Ingredients

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Chicken and Marinade

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

2 tbs Aged soy sauce

1 tbs Mirin

1 tbs sake (or dry sherry)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Tempura Batter (extra-light)

1 cup 00 bread flour

1 tbs Cornstarch

1 cup ice cold sparkling water (or very cold club soda)

1 ea egg (large)

1 tsp Baking powder

2 ea ice cubes

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

Coating and Frying

4 1/4 cup (1 liter) vegetable oil (for deep frying)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dusting)

Tempura Sauce (Tentsuyu)

1 cup dashi stock (or low-sodium chicken broth)

3 tbs Aged soy sauce

2 tbs Mirin

1 tsp sugar

2 tbs grated daikon (optional)

Garnish

4 ea lemon wedges

2 tbs chopped scallions

Method

Chicken and Marinade

Prepare and Marinate

Trim fat from chicken breasts and slice into 1/2-inch thick strips, about 3–4 inches long. Place strips in a bowl and add soy sauce, mirin, sake, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes. Remove from refrigerator 10 minutes before battering to come closer to room temperature.

Tempura Batter (extra-light)

Mix Batter Just Before Frying

Place a bowl over another bowl filled with ice to keep it cold (or set bowl in a larger bowl with ice). Crack the egg into the chilled bowl and lightly beat (do not fully homogenize; small streaks are fine). Add the ice cold sparkling water. In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir quickly with chopsticks or a fork only a few times until just combined; lumps are fine. Keep batter cold — add the 2 ice cubes briefly on top of batter until ready to use. Do not overmix or let batter warm.

Coating and Frying

Heat Oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches (roughly 1 liter). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer for accuracy.

Dust and Batter

While oil heats, lightly dust each marinated chicken strip with 1/2 cup flour — shake off excess. Working in small batches (3–4 pieces at a time), dip the floured chicken into the chilled tempura batter, coating evenly but lightly. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl for 5–10 seconds.

Fry

Carefully lower battered strips into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or chopsticks. Fry in batches to avoid crowding, maintaining oil temperature at 340–360°F (170–180°C). Fry for 2.5–3.5 minutes per batch until the batter is puffed, pale golden, and the chicken registers 165°F (74°C) internal temperature. Turn pieces once if needed for even color. Remove to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain; do not stack.

If the batter thickens or warms, return the bowl to the ice bath and stir briefly. Keep batches small so oil temperature recovers quickly.

Tempura Sauce (Tentsuyu)

Prepare Sauce

Combine dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. If using, spoon grated daikon into small serving bowls and pour sauce over or serve sauce on the side for dipping.

Finish and Serve

Arrange chicken tempura strips on a platter or individual plates with lemon wedges. Sprinkle chopped scallions over the tempura and serve immediately with tentsuyu dipping sauce on the side. Tempura is best enjoyed hot and crisp; do not cover or refrigerate plated leftovers.