Chicken Nanban

Sweet, slightly tangy and deeply savoury

This Japanese inspired dish is composed of a sweet and tangy fried chicken served with a creamy egg salad, a refreshing cabbage slaw and rice. Only 6 ingredients needed for the nanban sauce + fried chicken.

Recipe

Serves: 2 | Time: <1h

Ingredients

… for the chicken dressing (Nanban sauce) (picture):

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp vinegar (rice or white)
  • 2 tbsp sugar

… for the fried chicken (picture):

  • 2 chicken thighs (skinned and deboned)
  • 1 whisked egg (to coat)
  • Flour (to coat)

… for the egg salad:

  • 1 to 2 hardboiled eggs
  • Mayonnaise
  • Ketchup (dash)
  • White or rice vinegar (dash)
  • Salt (pinch)
  • Sugar (pinch)

… for the cabbage slaw:

  • Shredded cabbage
  • White or rice vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Salt

Method

  1. Make the rice to packet instructions.
  2. Make the cabbage salad: mix vinegar, sugar and salt till dissolved, and add to shredded cabbage. Set aside for later.
  3. Make the nanban sauce / chicken dressing: mix the ingredients until sugar dissolves (you can zap it in the microwave 15sc). Set aside for later.
  4. Make the egg salad: thin dice hardboiled egg or mash with a fork, mix in the egg salad ingredients to taste. Set aside for later.
  5. Make the chicken:
    • Prepare your coating station: place each coating ingredients (flour and whisked eggs) in a separate deep plate or bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
    • Flatten chicken thighs to even out width and get a more even cook. It is going to be coated, don’t worry if it is not the most aesthetically pleasing.
    • Coat chicken in egg then flour then egg again. Make sure to lightly shake off excess coating.
    • Pan fry the chicken on medium heat until golden and cooked through.
  6. Assemble:
    • Toss chicken in dressing.
    • Plate all elements.
    • ENJOY!

Substitutions

We highlight here the core that makes the soul of the dish and suggest some possible substitutions.

Core: Nanban sauce.

Substitutions:

Recipe componentsPossible substitutions*
Fried chicken• Grilled or breaded chicken
• Grilled or fried pork
• Breaded aubergine
• Omelette
Egg salad • Tartar sauce
• Adjust egg salad ingredients to tast
e
• Skip all-together
Cabbage salad• Cucumber (salad or plain)
• Coleslaw

• Fried or sauteed leeks
• Skip all-together
RiceAny other grain (bulgur, quinoa, sushi rice, brown rice, udon noodles, soba noodles, etc.) or even mashed potatoes.
ToppingsI used toasted sesame seeds and spring onions but you can add any topping you like or non at all.
(*) Substitutions are only suggestions, adapt to your taste, diet, and ingredients available to you.

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