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–+ servings
A close-up view of several pieces of golden-brown Tempura Chicken resting on a wire rack, perfect for takeout or enjoying fresh and crispy at home.

Tempura Chicken (Just Like Takeout!)

Make crispy, tender tempura chicken at home with a light club soda batter and flavorful marinade. Perfect for dipping, snacking, or serving with rice!

Ingredients 

For the Marinade

  • 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

For the Dredge (Batter)

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sparkling water ice cold, a club soda or seltzer works great here
  • frying oil

Instructions

Heat the Oil

  1. In a wok or deep pot, add frying oil. I find that I use about a 1/2 gallon of frying oil in my wok. Just add enough frying oil so that the chicken wont touch the bottom of the pan when added.
    frying oil
  2. Turn on the heat to about medium. We are looking for a temperature between 315℉-335℉. Check the temperate of the oil with a thermometer. I like to use an infrared thermometer. If you don't have one, these are the thermometers I recommend.

Marinate the Chicken

  1. Place the bite-sized chicken pieces in a medium bowl.
    2 chicken breasts
    A glass bowl filled with raw, diced Tempura Chicken sits on a wooden cutting board, ready to be transformed into a delicious takeout-inspired Tempura Chicken recipe.
  2. Add the chicken bouillon powder and a little soy sauce (optional) for extra flavor.
    2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
    A glass bowl containing raw, cubed chicken is placed on a wooden cutting board. The chicken pieces, perfect for Tempura Chicken, are topped with various seasonings and a dark liquid marinade.
  3. Toss gently to coat all the chicken pieces evenly.
    A glass bowl filled with marinated, cubed raw Tempura Chicken sits on a wooden cutting board. A metal spoon is partially submerged in the mixture, ready for your next homemade tempura recipe.
  4. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15–20 minutes. This helps to tenderize the meat and infuse flavor.

Prepare the Batter

  1. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Whisk until combined.
    ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ tsp baking soda
  2. In a glass, add ice cubes and sparkling water. Mix until the sparkling water is ice cold. If your water is already cold, you can skip this step.
    1 cup sparkling water
  3. Add egg and half of cold sparkling water to the dry ingredients. Use the whisk to hold back the ice cubes if you add the sparkling water to a glass with ice. Whisk until combined. It will be lumpy at this point.
    1 egg
    A glass bowl with flour, milk, and vanilla sits on a wooden surface—perfect for whipping up takeout classics like Tempura Chicken. Nearby are a metal whisk, cracked eggshells, and an empty egg carton. The ingredients appear ready to be mixed.
  4. Begin whisking again and slowly add the remaining cold sparkling water to the batter until it is the thickness is a little thinner than pancake batter and runs off the whisk about the thickness of a rat's tail. This usually takes most of the liquid but not all.
    A metal spoon holds up thick, pale yellow tempura chicken batter that drips back into a glass bowl below, perfect for your favorite Tempura Chicken recipe, all set against a plain black background.
  5. Check the temperature of the frying oil to make sure it is between 315℉-335℉. If it's above, decrease the heat to low. If it's below, increase the heat to medium high.
    6. If you don't have a thermometer, take a kitchen spoon and dip it in the batter and then drizzle the batter into the frying oil. If the batter sinks and then immediately rises to the top, the oil is hot enough. If it sinks and slowly rises, the oil needs to be hotter. Time how long it takes for the batter to reach a light yellow. If it takes 2-3 minutes, you're ready to fry. If it takes less, the oil is too hot. Decrease the heat to low and wait about 5 minutes and repeat until the time is right.

Fry the Chicken

  1. Add 1/3 of the chicken pieces to the batter. Using a kitchen spoon, stir until coated.
    A glass bowl filled with raw Tempura Chicken pieces marinating in a creamy, beige-colored sauce sits on a wooden cutting board, perfect for your next homemade Tempura Chicken Recipe.
  2. Use the spoon to scoop out each piece and place them in the hot frying oil.
    A spoon holds a piece of dough coated in batter above a pan of hot oil, with several pieces of Tempura Chicken frying and bubbling below—perfect for recreating your favorite takeout tempura at home.
  3. Fry the chicken for about 3–4 minutes per batch. Turn the pieces halfway through frying to ensure even browning and crispiness.
  4. Once the chicken is golden and the batter has become crisp, remove it from the oil and transfer to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat until all chicken is fried.
    Several pieces of golden-brown, crispy Tempura Chicken are resting on a cooling rack. With their rough, uneven surface and just-cooked look, they’re perfect for anyone craving takeout or keen to try a delicious Tempura Chicken Recipe at home.

Second Fry

    Flash frying for a second time will push out the excess moisture from the batter and give it a very satisfying crispy texture.
  1. Crank up the heat and get the oil to 350℉-375℉.
  2. Flash fry in batches (45-60 seconds) until golden brown and crispy. Don't go longer than 90 seconds or the chicken will start to dry out.
    Close-up of several pieces of golden brown, crispy tempura chicken on a cooling rack. The irregularly shaped pieces have a textured surface, perfect for takeout lovers craving a crunchy treat.

Serve Immediately

  1. Enjoy your tempura chicken while it’s hot and crispy.
  2. Serve it as an appetizer or a main dish with your favorite dipping sauce, such as a spicy mayo, sweet chili sauce, or a light soy-based dip.
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