Chicken Nanban - Japanese Fried Chicken with Tartar Sauce チキン南蛮

By Just One Cookbook · 30 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Make the tartar sauce first and refrigerate it. Hard-boil 1 large egg (50 g without shell) in water covered by 1 inch (2.5 cm) for 12 minutes after bringing to a boil over medium heat, then cool it in an iced bath and peel.
2. Soak the finely minced ¼ onion in cold water for 5–10 minutes, then drain and squeeze out the moisture.
3. Halve ½ Japanese or Persian cucumber lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, cut into thin strips, then mince into ⅛-inch (3 mm) pieces.
4. In a bowl, combine the cucumber, onion and finely minced egg with 3 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, 1 tsp rice vinegar, ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper. Mix until smooth, then cover and refrigerate.
5. Make the nanban sauce by combining 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp mirin and 2 Tbsp sugar in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat to a gentle simmer, stir until the sugar fully dissolves, then take off the heat.
6. Butterfly the chicken breast by cutting horizontally, stopping ½ inch short of cutting through, and open it flat. Let it sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature if it is cold from the fridge.
7. Cut the opened breast in half down the middle to make two cutlets and pound both to an even thickness.
8. Season both sides with ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper, coat with 1 Tbsp flour, and shake off the excess.
9. Heat 2 cups neutral oil in a medium pot over medium heat to 340°F (170°C). Beat 1 large egg (50 g without shell) in a shallow tray, then dip a floured cutlet to coat both sides.
10. First fry: lower one cutlet into the oil, leave it undisturbed for 1 minute, then fry 4 minutes total, flipping halfway. Drain on a wire rack, skimming out crumbs between batches. Keep the oil at or below 340°F (170°C) and fry one cutlet at a time.
11. Second fry: raise the oil to 350°F (180°C). Fry each cutlet 30 seconds per side until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack or paper towel. The internal temperature should reach at least 165°F (74°C).
12. Set aside 2 Tbsp of the nanban sauce in a small bowl. Put the rest in a tray, add the hot cutlets and spoon sauce over both sides until coated.
13. Slice each cutlet crosswise into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces, top with a generous spoonful of tartar sauce, and drizzle with the reserved nanban sauce.

Summarized from Just One Cookbook's video. Watch it for the details.

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