Chicken Nanban

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- Salt and pepper, to taste

- All-purpose flour, for dredging

- 2 eggs, beaten

- Panko breadcrumbs, for coating

- Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Nanban sauce:

- 4 tablespoons soy sauce

- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar

- 4 tablespoons sugar

- 2 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine)

- 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 teaspoon grated ginger

- 1 green chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)

- 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water (for thickening)

For serving:

- Tartar sauce

- Finely chopped scallions or green onions (optional)

- Lemon wedges (optional)

Instructions:

1. Slice the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Season them with salt and pepper.

2. Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls: one with all-purpose flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko breadcrumbs.

3. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, then dip it into the beaten eggs, and finally coat it thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.

4. Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or pot over medium-high heat. Fry the breaded chicken pieces until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the fried chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

5. In a separate saucepan, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sake, mirin, minced garlic, grated ginger, and chopped chili pepper (if using). Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

6. Once the sauce is simmering, add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens slightly, then remove it from the heat.

7. Place the fried chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the Nanban sauce over them. Toss the chicken gently to coat each piece evenly with the sauce.

8. Serve the Chicken Nanban hot, with tartar sauce on the side for dipping. Garnish with chopped scallions or green onions and lemon wedges, if desired.

Enjoy your homemade Chicken Nanban!