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
- Make the rice to packet instructions.
- Make the cabbage salad: mix vinegar, sugar and salt till dissolved, and add to shredded cabbage. Set aside for later.
- Make the nanban sauce / chicken dressing: mix the ingredients until sugar dissolves (you can zap it in the microwave 15sc). Set aside for later.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 components | Possible substitutions* |
| Fried chicken | • Grilled or breaded chicken • Grilled or fried pork • Breaded aubergine • Omelette |
| Egg salad | • Tartar sauce • Adjust egg salad ingredients to taste • Skip all-together |
| Cabbage salad | • Cucumber (salad or plain) • Coleslaw • Fried or sauteed leeks • Skip all-together |
| Rice | Any other grain (bulgur, quinoa, sushi rice, brown rice, udon noodles, soba noodles, etc.) or even mashed potatoes. |
| Toppings | I used toasted sesame seeds and spring onions but you can add any topping you like or non at all. |
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