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–+ servings

Japanese Chicken Tempura (Oita Style Toriten)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Marinating time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 400 g chicken breast preferable skin-on, or boneless thigh meat
  • cooking oil for deep-frying, vegetable, canola, or rice bran

Marinade

  • 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 1 tsp grated ginger root fresh, not from tube for best enzyme action
  • 1 tsp grated garlic
  • 1 tsp sake or dry white wine
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Toriten batter

  • 1 egg cold, straight from refrigerator
  • 50 ml water ice-cold for crispiest results
  • 4 tbsp cake flour or all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) or cornstarch

Toriten dipping sauce

  • 1 tbsp kabosu juice or yuzu, lime, or lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • ¼ tsp Japanese mustard (karashi) optional, for authentic Oita style

Instructions 

  • Cut 400 g chicken breast into large bitesize pieces.
    chicken breast cut into bitesize pieces on wooden chopping board
  • Add 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tsp grated ginger root, 1 tsp grated garlic, 1 tsp sake and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil to a mixing bowl, mix well and add the chicken pieces. Mix until the chicken is fully coated, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (I also recommend measuring out the water for the batter at this point and chilling for 30 minutes too!)
    pieces of chicken breast in marinade
  • Start heating your oil to 170 °C (338 °F). While you wait, gently whisk 1 egg with 50 ml water straight from the fridge, being careful not to let it become too foamy.
    whisked egg in a steel mixing bowl
  • Sift 4 tbsp cake flour and 3 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) into the bowl and mix gently, it's okay if there are small lumps in the batter. 
    tempura style batter for making toriten
  • Once the oil is preheated, dip the chicken in the batter and deep fry for 4 minutes, turning it halfway through. 
    toriten (chicken tempura) deep frying in oil
  • Transfer the cooked toriten to a wire rack to allow the excess oil to drain off.
    deep fried toriten on a wire rack
  • Mix the 1 tbsp kabosu juice (or citrus of your choice), 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and 1 tbsp rice vinegar in a small bowl.
    toriten dipping sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar and kabosu juice
  • Dish up and enjoy!
    Toriten (chicken tempura) piece dipped in kabosu dipping sauce

Notes

  • Slice chicken against the grain at a 45° angle for more tender results.
  • Don't marinate longer than 30 minutes.
  • Keep batter cold at all times by either keeping it in the fridge or adding a few ice cubes to prevent gluten formation.
  • Leftover Toriten can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days - reheat in oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5-8 minutes (never microwave).
  • Serving ideas: Cooked Japanese rice, Authentic miso soup, Spinach ohitashi, Pickled Napa cabbage.