Crispy Tempura Chicken Sandwiches with Sweet Soy Glaze and Japanese-Style Tartar Sauce

These crispy tempura chicken sandwiches bring together the best of Japanese-inspired flavors in a fun, handheld meal. Juicy chicken cutlets are coated in a light tempura batter, fried until golden, then glazed with a sweet and tangy soy sauce. Nestled in buttery toasted brioche buns with cool cucumber slices and a zippy homemade tartar sauce, every bite is a perfect balance of crunch, sweetness and tang.

On the side, golden potato wedges get a drizzle of katsu sauce and mayonnaise, then are topped with quick-pickled ginger and sliced scallions-a nod to the flavors of okonomiyaki. This recipe is sure to become a weeknight favorite that feels special enough for the weekend.

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Ingredients

4 tablespoon Katsu SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Rice Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Mini CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sweet Soy GlazeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit KetchupView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

82 g Tempura Batter MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Brioche BunsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 thumb GingerView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce. Cut potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Peel ginger and slice lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick planks; stack planks and slice lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick matchsticks. Thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Trim and grate half the cucumber on the largest holes of a box grater; thinly slice remaining half.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place in a medium bowl with half the sweet soy glaze and turn to coat. Set aside to marinate until ready to use in Step 4. Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
3. Place ginger, half the vinegar, ¼ tsp sugar and ¼ tsp salt in a small microwave-safe bowl (½ tsp sugar and ½ tsp salt for 4 servings); cover with plastic wrap. Microwave until ginger is tender, 30-60 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve. In a separate small bowl, mix together scallion whites, grated cucumber, half the ketchup, three packets of mayonnaise, remaining vinegar, salt and pepper (all the ketchup and six packets of mayonnaise for 4). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Heat a ⅓-inch layer of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. In a second medium bowl (large bowl for 4 servings), combine tempura batter mix, salt and pepper. Remove chicken from marinade; allow excess to drip off (discard remaining marinade). Add chicken to bowl with batter mixture; toss until thoroughly coated, pressing to adhere in a thick layer. Wash and dry bowl used for marinade; line with paper towels.
5. Once oil is hot enough that a pinch of batter mixture sizzles when added to pan, add coated chicken in a single layer. Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. TIP: Work in batches if necessary; lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly. Transfer chicken to prepared bowl; season with salt.
6. While chicken cooks, toast buns. Remove paper towels from bowl with chicken. Add remaining sweet soy glaze to bowl and toss until evenly coated.
7. Divide buns between plates. Fill with fried chicken and as much sliced cucumber and tartar sauce as you like. Divide potato wedges between plates and drizzle with katsu sauce and remaining mayonnaise. Top with pickled ginger (draining first) and scallion greens; serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use regular flour instead of tempura batter mix?

Tempura batter mix gives a lighter, crispier coating. If you substitute all-purpose flour, the texture will be denser. For best results, use tempura batter mix.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover chicken and potato wedges separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in an oven or air fryer to restore crispiness.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, use gluten-free tempura batter mix and gluten-free buns. Check that the sweet soy glaze and katsu sauce are also gluten-free.