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Meat, East Asian

Chicken nanban with tartar sauce and rice

Chicken nanban is a Japanese dish of fried, breaded chicken breasts dipped in a tangy vinegar marinade and topped with homemade tartar sauce, served with rice and raw cabbage. For 4 people, it takes 45 minutes, medium difficulty, and costs €3.20 per serving. The key is dipping the chicken while it's still hot so it absorbs the marinade without softening.

Tonight, a dish everyone loves, chicken nanban from southern Japan, fried then dipped in a tangy marinade under its tartar sauce.

Chicken nanban with tartar sauce and rice
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
750 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Chicken nanban plays on the contrast between the crunchy coating and the sharp tang of the vinegar and soy sauce marinade. The homemade tartar sauce, creamy and lifted by pickles and mustard, softens the whole dish and adds richness to every bite. The thinly sliced raw cabbage stays crisp and cuts through the richness.

This is a dish kids and adults both enjoy, simple enough for a weeknight dinner but with enough technique to impress guests on a Sunday evening. Mon Chou designed this recipe so you can recreate that Japanese fried chicken taste at home without chasing down hard to find ingredients.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken breasts 4

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Rice vinegar or cider vinegaroften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Pickles 4
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 3
  • Mayonnaise 5 tbsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • White cabbage 200 g

Allergens Eggs, Gluten, Soy, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Hard boil 2 eggs for 9 minutes, peel them and mash them with the mayonnaise, chopped pickles and mustard to make the tartar sauce. 9 min

    Chop the pickles very fine, the sauce coats better.

  2. Heat the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves, pour into a shallow dish. 3 min

    It should be well balanced between sweet and tangy.

  3. Cook the rice in salted water, and thinly slice the cabbage. 11 min

    Keep the cabbage raw for freshness.

  4. Coat the chicken breasts in flour then in beaten egg, and fry them 4 minutes on each side. 8 min

    No breadcrumbs here, the batter is lighter and a bit puffed up.

  5. Dip the chicken breasts in the marinade, slice them and top with tartar sauce.

    Leave them in for just 1 minute, too long a soak softens the coating.

Our tips to get it right

  • Take the chicken breasts out of the fridge 15 minutes before breading them, they'll cook more evenly.
  • Drain the fried chicken well on paper towels before dipping it in the marinade, it will keep its crunch better.
  • Make the tartar sauce first, it gets better while you handle the chicken and rice.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for breaded firm tofu for a vegetarian version that's just as crispy.
  • For kids, serve the tartar sauce on the side as a dip instead of spooning it over the chicken.
  • For a faster version, use chicken breasts already cut into strips, frying will only take 5 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Plain steamed rice
  • Crunchy cabbage salad
  • Iced green tea

Storage

Chicken nanban keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, though it loses its crunch. Reheat the chicken in the oven for a few minutes to firm it back up, and keep the tartar sauce separate. Freezing isn't recommended, the coating turns soggy once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace the rice vinegar with something else?

Yes, the cider vinegar listed in the recipe works great and gives a similar result. Avoid plain white vinegar, it's too harsh for this marinade.

Can you make the tartar sauce ahead of time?

Yes, make the tartar sauce up to a day ahead and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. The pickle and mustard flavors actually come through even better after resting.

Why dip the chicken while it's still hot?

Hot chicken absorbs the tangy marinade better without its coating turning completely soft. Cooled chicken won't soak up as much, and the texture contrast will be less noticeable.

Is chicken nanban good for kids?

Yes, kids tend to love it for the crunch and the mild tartar sauce. You can cut back slightly on the vinegar in the marinade if your kids prefer less tang.

How long does it take to make a chicken nanban with tartar sauce and rice?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a chicken nanban with tartar sauce and rice?

About 750 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken nanban with tartar sauce and rice cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, gluten, soy, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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