Japanese Chicken Nanban with Tartar Sauce

Japanese Chicken Nanban with Tartar Sauce is fried chicken coated with nanban sauce and served with a creamy tartar sauce. This combination produces an alluring blend of flavors, making this dish a favorite among Japanese food lovers. Apart from that, this is also a classic dish from Japan that has a unique taste, combining a touch of sweet, sour, and savory.

History of Chicken Nanban

This dish originates from the Miyazaki area on the island of Kyushu and is famous as one of the local favorites there. Several sources say that Chicken Nanban was inspired by the “nanbanzuke” fish processing technique. In this technique, fry and soak the fish in a sweet and sour sauce. Over time, this dish transformed and adapted to use chicken as the main ingredient, replacing fish. In Miyazaki, Chicken Nanban developed into a signature dish with tartar sauce as a side, making it different from the traditional Nanbanzuke version.

An Overview This Dish

The main ingredient used to make Chicken Nanban is chicken meat. Boneless chicken breast or chicken thighs can be options. The chicken is coated in flour and then fried until crispy. One of the things that makes this dish special is the nanban sauce which has a sweet and sour taste. This sauce is usually made from mixing soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar, then heating it until it thickens slightly. Meanwhile, tartar sauce is used as an accompaniment to Chicken Nanban, which is a cream sauce made from mayonnaise as a base ingredient, mixed with chopped onions and other ingredients.

To make this dish there are several steps. These steps are preparing the chicken, frying the chicken, making nanban sauce and tartar sauce, and serving the dish.

Tips for Cooking This Dish

Choosing Chicken Meat: Chicken thighs are usually juicier and more tender than chicken breasts. If you want softer results, use boneless chicken thighs.

Fry Chicken in Hot Enough Oil: Hot enough oil will make the chicken crispy on the outside and still juicy on the inside.

Use Appropriate Nanban Sauce: Nanban sauce consists of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. For best results, create a balance between sweet, sour, and salty flavors.

Creamy Tartar Sauce: For tartar sauce, use Japanese mayonnaise (like the Kewpie brand) because it has a creamier taste and is less sour than regular mayonnaise. Add finely chopped boiled eggs to enrich the taste.

Don’t Fry Chicken for Too Long: Frying chicken for too long can make the texture tough and dry. Fry until the color turns golden, then remove and drain.

Characteristics and Texture

This dish offers a very interesting flavor combination. Fried chicken that is crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside provides a satisfying texture. When complemented with sweet and sour nanban sauce, the chicken tastes fresher and more appetizing. The smooth, creamy tartar sauce adds an element of richness that contrasts with the acidity of the Nanban sauce. This combination creates a culinary experience that is balanced between crunchy, sour, sweet, and savory.

To make this dish, we can get the ingredients at the supermarket. The time to make the dish is not long. The preparation time takes 15 minutes, while the cooking time is 30 minutes. It is suitable to serve at family gatherings, special celebrations, for lunch, or while enjoying the weekend.

Come on, try making Japanese Chicken Nanban with Tartar Sauce at home!

Ingredients of Japanese Chicken Nanban with Tartar Sauce

Tartar Sauce

• 1 large Hard-boiled egg: Gives a soft and creamy taste.
• 4 tbsp Kewpie Mayonnaise: It has a little added umami flavor from the rice vinegar which makes the tartar sauce more delicious and creamy.
• ½ small Onion finely diced: Gives a crunchy texture and adds fresh flavor to tartar sauce.
• 1 tsp Rice Vinegar: To provide a fresh sour taste.
• ⅛ tsp Salt: Strengthens the taste of all the ingredients in the tartar sauce.
• ⅛ tsp Ground Black Pepper: Adds a little spicy taste.

Chicken

• 500 g Chicken Breast boneless and skinless: The meat is low in fat, easy to cook, and has a soft texture.
• ¼ cup Flour: Creates a crispy coating on the outside of the chicken when fried. This coating also helps the chicken absorb the nanban sauce well without losing its crispiness.
• ⅛ tsp Salt: Strengthens the taste of all the ingredients.
• ⅛ tsp Pepper: Adds a little spicy taste.
• 1 Egg: Coating the chicken before frying.
• Vegetable Oil for frying: It has a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying chicken until crispy.

Nanban Sauce

• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce: Gives a strong umami and salty taste.
• 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar: Gives a balance of sweet, salty, and sour flavors to the Nanban sauce.
• 3 tbsp Sugar: Gives a sweet taste.

Serve

• Lettuce: Gives a fresh element.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Gives a fresh and crunchy element.
• Cucumber sliced: Adds a slightly sweet taste, balancing the savory and sour flavors of the main dish.

How to Make Japanese Chicken Nanban with Tartar Sauce

Tartar Sauce

First, finely chop the boiled egg then combine it with the rest of the tartar sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl. After that store it in the fridge until ready to use.

Chicken

First, combine flour with salt and pepper. Butterfly chicken breast then cut in half then coat it with flour mixture.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. While heating the oil, lightly beat the egg then coat the floured chicken with the egg. Fry immediately the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. Don’t overcrowd the pan.

Lastly, remove the chicken place it on the wire rack or paper towel, and let it sit to remove excess oil.

Nanban Sauce

First, remove the oil from the pan, and pour the nanban sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil and put the chicken back into the pan with sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and allow the chicken to absorb the sauce before flipping the other side.

After that, remove the chicken from the pan and cut the chicken into slices.

Place the chicken nanban into a plate then pour tartar sauce over the chicken. The last step is, to serve it with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and sliced cucumber. 

Enjoy your dish!

Specialty of Japanese Chicken Nanban with Tartar Sauce

Popular Japanese and International Dishes

Japanese Chicken Nanban has become a culinary icon in Japan, especially in the Miyazaki area, but now we can find this dish in Japanese restaurants in many countries. Its popularity is not only limited to Japan but is also well-received abroad because its taste is friendly to many people. This shows its specialty as a dish that is not only delicious but also everyone likes it.

Simple but Classy Dishes

Even though it uses simple ingredients such as chicken, soy sauce, vinegar, and mayonnaise, this dish shows how simplicity can turn into something classy and delicious. The processing is not too complicated but provides an elegant final result, making Chicken Nanban suitable for serving at special events.

Nutrient Content

Protein: Chicken is the main ingredient of this dish and is rich in protein.

Carbohydrates: It comes from the flour that coats the chicken before frying.

Serving Recommendations

Cooked White Rice: As a Japanese dish, cooked white rice is the most common main accompaniment. The neutral taste of the rice serves as a balance to the rich taste of Chicken Nanban. The white rice also helps absorb the nanban sauce and tartar sauce, making this combination even more delicious.

Fresh Salad: Serve this dish often with a simple salad consisting of sliced ​​cabbage, carrots, and lettuce. This salad provides a crunchy texture and fresh taste that contrasts with the rich flavors of the fried chicken and tartar sauce. Dressings are usually light, such as vinegar or soy sauce-based sauces, not overpowering the main flavor of the dish.

Miso Soup: A classic addition to Japanese dishes. Miso soup is light and refreshing after enjoying chicken nanban.

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