Chicken Nanban (Authentic Miyazaki-Style)
Chicken Nanban is one of the most popular chicken dishes in Japan. The combination of fried chicken, Nanban sauce, and tartar sauce is simply irresistible, offering a rich, slightly sweet, and tangy flavor that sets it apart from other dishes. This recipe stays true to the Miyazaki-style preparation, the birthplace of the dish, ensuring an authentic taste experience.
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Servings: 2
Ingredients
For the Japanese tartar sauce:
- 1 large egg (about 2.1 oz/60 g, including shell)
- ⅛ onion (about 0.9 oz/25 g)
- 0.44 oz pickles (gherkins)
- 2 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie Mayo, 0.53 oz/15 g per 1 Tbsp. For a homemade version, please refer to the linked article.)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
For the nanban sauce:
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ Tbsp mirin
- 1 ½ Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- pinch of ground chili pepper
For the fried chicken:
- 10.6 oz boneless, skin-on chicken thighs or breast
- pinch of salt
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1 large egg (about 2.1 oz/60 g, including shell)
- 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) or more of neutral oil in the pot (for deep-frying)
Instructions
For the Japanese tartar sauce:
- Finely chop the hard-boiled egg, onion, and pickles. After chopping the onion, wrap it in paper towels and squeeze firmly to remove any excess moisture.
- Put the egg, onion, and pickles in a bowl, then add Japanese mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly.
For the nanban sauce:
- In a pot, combine the ingredients for the nanban sauce (rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, and ground chili pepper) and heat over low heat. Once it reaches a simmer, let it cook for about 30 seconds.
For the fried chicken:
- If there are any blood spots, yellow fat, cartilage, or tough tendons on the chicken thighs or breasts, remove them. Then, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, about 1-1.5 oz (30-40 g) each.
- Sprinkle salt over the chicken pieces, then coat them evenly with flour. Crack an egg into a large bowl and beat it well.
- Heat oil in a pot until it reaches 338-356℉ (170-180℃). Once the oil is hot, thoroughly coat each chicken piece in the egg mixture, then carefully add them to the oil one at a time. Deep-fry them for about 5-7 minutes, or until the pieces float to the surface of the oil, indicating that they are done.Be careful not to add too many pieces at once, as this can cause the oil temperature to drop significantly. The chicken should occupy no more than about two-thirds of the oil’s surface area.
- Transfer the fried chicken pieces to the pot with the nanban sauce. Let them soak for a few minutes, flipping them occasionally to ensure they absorb the flavors evenly.If there are any fried bits left in the oil, skim them out with a mesh skimmer or strainer, then repeat the frying process (steps 3 and 4) until all the chicken pieces are cooked.
- Place the chicken pieces on a plate and top them with tartar sauce. Add fresh vegetables on the side as desired.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- The Nutrition Facts label assumes that the amount of oil absorbed by the chicken is approximately 8% of its weight.
- If you use chicken breast, the total calorie count will be about 550.
Nutrition
Calories: 708.03kcal Carbohydrates: 23.36g Protein: 33.23g Fat: 52.71g Saturated Fat: 10.98g Polyunsaturated Fat: 9.29g Monounsaturated Fat: 19.16g Trans Fat: 0.19g Cholesterol: 310.93mg Sodium: 1599.92mg Potassium: 450.52mg Fiber: 0.78g Sugar: 11.82g Vitamin A: 385.76IU Vitamin C: 2.05mg Calcium: 50.17mg Iron: 2.8mg
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