Chicken Tempura With The Best Crispy and Fluffy Tempura Batter

This chicken tempura recipe combines flavorful seasoned chicken in a crispy and fluffy tempura batter. It is such a delicious dinner, and you won't believe how easy this recipe is to make. In fact, the entire thing comes together in only 20 minutes! 

THE BEST CHICKEN TEMPURA 

If you've never made tempura chicken at home, you're in for one of the best chicken recipes there is. 

This classic Japanese chicken recipe is comparable to chicken fingers, but the breading is lighter and has more of a crunch.

And this recipe uses marinated chicken to elevate the overall flavor and take it to another new level. 

Along with being insanely tasty, the tempura that coats each flavorful piece of chicken is super easy to make. And the process used in this recipe will ensure that each piece of chicken is thoroughly coated in crispy, crunchy, tender deliciousness. 

Oh, and if you want the ultimate Japanese dish, make this instant pot sushi rice to go with the chicken.

Now, let's get into what we will be using to make this chicken tempura recipe.

INGREDIENTS 

Ok, so you will need some pretty basic ingredients to make this recipe. 

The only one you may not have on hand already is the cake flour - it makes the tempura extra crispy because it has less gluten. But you could also use all-purpose flour and the recipe will turn out - the breading just won't be as crispy.

Anyways, here is what you'll need for the chicken:

• 1 large skinless chicken breast
• ½ tsp minced ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

And for the tempura batter:

• 1 large egg 
• ⅓ cup cake flour 
• ⅓ cup potato starch or cornstarch 
• ⅓ cup cold water
• 3 cups oil for frying

By the way, you can use almost all of the chicken marinade ingredients to make this chicken stir-fry. So I highly suggest putting them to good use and making that recipe next! 

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN TEMPURA 

So, as I mentioned earlier, the process of making this recipe is pretty simple. 

All you really need to do is marinate the chicken, make the tempura batter, then combine the two and fry up your chicken tempura.

Now let's not waste any more time and get to it!

STEP 1: MARINATING THE CHICKEN 

The first thing you will do is pound your chicken breast with a meat tenderizer to thin it out. Then cut your chicken into roughly 1 inch wide and 3 inch long strips. 

Next, put your ginger, garlic, ground pepper, salt, and soy sauce in a small bowl and give them a little mix. 

Then put your chicken in a zip-loc bag or airtight container, add your marinade to it and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

While your chicken is marinating, you can make the tempura batter. 

STEP 2: MAKING THE TEMPURA BATTER

First, fill a large bowl with ice and water, and place a medium-sized bowl in it. 

Then add your egg into the medium bowl and whisk until the yolk and white are combined. 

Next, sift all of your cake flour and cornstarch into the bowl with the whisked egg. 

Then gradually add in the ⅓ cup of cold water and mix everything in the bowl until just combined and a batter has formed. Make sure you do not over mix the batter - stop mixing once a batter just forms!

STEP 3: FRYING YOUR CHICKEN 

Ok, so by now, you should have your marinated chicken and tempura batter ready to go. 

First, add all of your chicken pieces to the bowl of batter and thoroughly coat the chicken in the batter. 

Next, add your cups of oil to a medium-sized pot (or deep fryer) and heat the oil to 350°F (180°C). 

Then once your oil is heated, add 2-3 pieces of battered chicken to the pot at a time. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side until the outside is crispy. 

Serve your chicken tempura with a side of soy sauce and some shredded cabbage, and dig in!

HOW TO STORE YOUR CHICKEN TEMPURA

So, this recipe makes 2 servings - perfect for a dinner for one or two. But if you need to feed the whole family, you can easily double or triple this recipe!

Then if you have some leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

And to reheat your tempura, preheat your oven to 425°F and spread the pieces out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Then bake for 3 minutes, turn your chicken pieces over, and bake for about another 3 minutes. 

Or you could also reheat in the air fryer at 350°F. Just make sure there is space between each piece of chicken and fry for 3 minutes, then flip and fry for another 3 minutes. 

WRAPPING IT ALL UP 

That is how you make the most delicious tempura chicken right in your kitchen. 

I don't think you'll find a better one-two punch than this chicken marinade and the tempura batter for the chicken. The marinade has all the authentic Japanese chicken flavors, and the tempura is so crispy, crunchy, and fluffy.

It seriously is a combination that you just can't get with any other recipe, and everyone who tries this always loves it. 

Well, I hope you enjoy this chicken tempura as much as I do. If you make it, leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out. I'd love to hear from you! 

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES

If you liked this recipe, I have some more chicken recipes on the blog that I think you'll enjoy too.

Try out one of these recipes next:

• Empress Chicken
• Chicken Bryan
• Spicy Southwest Salad
• Chicken Tocino
• Chicken Fricassee
• Blackened Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Tenders

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