Chicken & Vegetable Tempura Recipe
Make Chicken & Vegetable Tempura Recipe in just 50m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Tempura Batter & Frying
Chicken
Vegetables & Garnish
Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu)
Method
Prep
- 1
Chicken preparation
Trim any excess fat from the chicken. Cut into 1/2-inch wide strips or bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. Put the chicken in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon mirin (if using), and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Let sit while you prepare vegetables (10–15 minutes).
- 2
Vegetable preparation
Peel the sweet potato and slice into 1/8- to 1/4-inch rounds (thin slices crispen best) or into matchsticks if preferred. Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and leave whole if small or halved if large. Trim green beans and blanch in boiling water 30 seconds then plunge into ice water to preserve color (optional). Chop broccoli into small florets (about 1-inch). Slice scallions on a bias into 1–2 inch pieces for frying or reserve thin rings for garnish.
- 3
Dipping sauce
Combine 1 cup dashi (or substitute), 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp mirin, and 1/2 tsp sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer for 1 minute to dissolve sugar and meld flavors, then remove from heat. Cool slightly and transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup grated daikon if using. Keep warm or at room temperature.
Batter & Frying
- 4
Make the batter
Place 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp baking powder (if using) in a mixing bowl and whisk briefly to combine. In a separate chilled bowl, lightly beat 1 large egg. Add the egg to the bowl and pour in 1 cup very cold sparkling water over the egg. Add 2–3 small ice cubes to keep mixture cold. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir once or twice with chopsticks or a fork—batter should be lumpy and slightly thick but still loose. Do not overmix; a few lumps are desirable for light tempura.
- 5
Heat the oil
Pour about 1.5 cups vegetable oil into a medium saucepan or deep skillet (enough to reach about 2 inches deep). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of batter—if it sizzles and rises steadily, it's ready.
- 6
Coat and fry chicken
Pat marinated chicken pieces dry with paper towels to remove excess marinade (this helps batter adhere). Lightly dust chicken pieces with a tablespoon of all-purpose flour (this helps the batter cling). Dip each piece into the tempura batter to coat, allowing excess to drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry chicken until golden and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes depending on piece size. Remove with a slotted spoon or wire skimmer and drain on a rack or paper towel-lined tray.
- 7
Coat and fry vegetables
Work in batches. Dust thicker vegetables (sweet potato rounds, broccoli florets) very lightly with flour before dipping in batter. For delicate items like green beans and scallions, dip gently and fry for 1–2 minutes until crisp and pale golden. Fry sweet potato and broccoli 2.5–3.5 minutes until tender inside and light golden. For shiitake mushrooms fry 2–3 minutes. Keep fried items warm on a wire rack in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while you finish remaining batches.
- 8
Serve
Arrange chicken and vegetables on a platter with lemon wedges and sliced scallions. Serve immediately with tentsuyu dipping sauce alongside. For extra crispness, provide salt or flavored salts on the side (matcha or sea salt) and a small bowl of grated daikon to mix into the sauce.