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Crispy Chicken Tempura: Easy Homemade Crunch You Cant Resist

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This recipe delivers impossibly light, shatteringly crispy chicken tempura with a simple, foolproof batter. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing appetizer, it’s faster than takeout and uses everyday ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch strips
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 cup ice-cold water
  • 1 tablespoon vodka or ice-cold sparkling water (optional)
  • 4–6 cups neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut), for frying
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon mirin (or honey)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken strips completely dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon white pepper. Set aside.
  2. Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk with ice-cold water (and vodka or sparkling water, if using).
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir with chopsticks or a whisk only 5-6 times until just combined; batter should be lumpy with streaks of dry flour. Do not overmix.
  5. Test oil temperature by dropping a small dollop of batter into the oil; it should sink slightly, then puff up and float. Adjust heat if needed.
  6. Working in batches, dip chicken strips into batter, letting excess drip off. Gently lay into hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until pale golden brown and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  7. Remove fried chicken with tongs or a slotted spoon and transfer to the wire rack. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F) while frying remaining batches.
  8. Let oil return to 350°F between batches.
  9. While chicken fries, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl for the dipping sauce.

Notes

Keep the batter ice-cold and do not overmix for the crispiest results. Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature at 350°F. Fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding. For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken tempura, crispy chicken, tempura, fried chicken, easy dinner, Japanese recipe, homemade tempura

Find it online: https://emacrave.com/crispy-chicken-tempura-easy-homemade-crunch-you-cant-resist/