Go Back
–+ servings

Japanese Tempura Chicken (Toriten)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Marinating time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 450 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 450 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 and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (I also recommend measuring out the water for the batter at this point and chilling it for 30 minutes too!)
    pieces of chicken breast in marinade
  • After 30 minutes, 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 ready, take the chicken from the fridge. Lift each piece and let the excess marinade drip off before submerging it in the batter and placing it straight in the oil. Deep fry for 4 minutes, turning it halfway through. 
    toriten (chicken tempura) deep frying in oil
  • Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
    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. Place a blob of ¼ tsp Japanese mustard (karashi) on the side of the bowl if you like.
    toriten dipping sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar and kabosu juice
  • Serve and enjoy!
    Toriten (chicken tempura) piece dipped in kabosu dipping sauce

Notes

Slice chicken across the grain at a shallow angle (5-10 mm / ¼-⅜ in thick) to keep it tender and help seasoning absorb evenly.
Cut all pieces to a similar thickness so they cook at the same speed and stay juicy.
Keep batter ingredients ice-cold to slow gluten formation and ensure a light, crisp coating.
Always cool fried pieces on a wire rack, not paper towels, so steam escapes and the crust stays crisp.
Store leftovers on a wire rack inside an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze up to 1 month.
Reheat in a 180 °C (350 °F) oven or air fryer for 5-8 minutes on a rack until hot and slightly crisp.
Serving ideas: Freshly Cooked Japanese Rice, Authentic Miso Soup, Spinach Ohitashi, Pickled Napa Cabbage