This chicken tempura roll recipe is like sushi for people who don’t like sushi.
I cannot relate to people who don’t like sushi – it’s my favorite! But even if you can’t get on board with raw fish or even cooked fish, you’ll still love these crispy chicken tenders, rolled up in sticky rice with crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado and spicy mayo.
Sushi fans and foes alike will love this at-home version of a sushi restaurant favorite!
What is a Chicken Tempura Roll?
Let’s tackle the tempura question first. Chicken tempura is chicken that is battered and fried in tempura batter.
Tempura is a Japanese batter known for its mild flavor, lightness and crispiness. Tempura batter is traditionally made simply with flour and eggs. It’s smooth rather than textured like a panko or other breadcrumb batter would be.
Chicken tempura rolls are similar to shrimp tempura rolls, but I’d argue that they’re even more friendly to the sushi-wary crowd.
Chicken tempura rolls typically include cucumber and/or avocado and are drizzled with spicy mayo.
What’s in this Chicken Tempura Roll Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make this tempura chicken roll:
- Boneless chicken breast
- Tempura batter. Some recipes call for making your own batter from scratch, but it’s not necessary. It’s easier to buy a mix, add cold water and you’ll have a quick batter.
- Sushi rice. Short grain rice is a must for at-home sushi making. It has to be sticky or the rolls will fall apart!
- Nori seaweed
- Avocado
- Cucumber
- Mayonnaise
- Sriracha
- Eel sauce. Don’t worry, it’s not made of actual eels! Eel sauce is a simple condiment used in Japanese cuisine that’s made with mirin, sake and soy sauce.
- Sesame seeds for garnish
How to Make a Chicken Tempura Roll
Make the Sushi Rice
Start by preparing your sushi rice. Using a rice cooker is the easiest way, but I’ve also provided stove top instructions in the recipe card below.
While the sushi rice cools, make the tempura chicken.
Make the Chicken Tempura
Tempura batter mix is very easy to use. Simply combine it with very cold water – like ice water.
Slice the chicken into strips and dredge them in the tempura batter. Then, fry the chicken strips in vegetable oil.
Since the strips will be thin, they will cook pretty quickly. Once they are golden brown, remove them onto a separate plate lined with paper towels.
Prep the Fillings
Slice the cucumber and avocado into thin strips. Now you’re ready to roll!
Assemble the Sushi Roll
You’ll need two important tools for making this chicken tempura roll: a bamboo sushi mat and a small bowl of cold water. The mat will help you make the perfect rolled sushi, and the bowl of cold water is to wet your hands during the rolling process. Rice won’t stick to wet hands!
A bamboo sushi mat can be purchased for about $5 at most grocery stores and on Amazon. If you don’t have one, you can use a small dish towel instead.
Lay the bamboo mat on your work surface and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap.
Then, press the sushi rice down onto the plastic wrap. Cover the rice with another piece of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to roll it smooth and flat.
Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and put a sheet of nori down over the rice, rough side up.
Now, arrange a few strips of tempura chicken, cucumber and avocado in the center of the nori sheet.
Starting from the bottom, fold the rice up and over the fillings, and press to tuck it in.
Do the same with the other side – fold it up and over the fillings. Then, unwrap the plastic.
To slice the chicken tempura roll, use a sharp knife and run it under water whenever you need to. Keeping the knife wet will help you get cleaner cuts.
How to Serve this Chicken Tempura Roll
To give your chicken tempura roll the perfect finishing touch, drizzle it with spicy mayo and eel sauce. Make the spicy mayo by combining mayonnaise and a little bit of sriracha.
Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for a pretty garnish.
Enjoy your chicken tempura roll with a side of pickled ginger and wasabi, and dip it in your favorite soy sauce.
For a complete sushi restaurant experience, enjoy your tempura chicken roll with a small salad and bowl of miso soup.
How to Store this Chicken Tempura Roll
Because there is no raw fish, this chicken tempura roll will last longer in the refrigerator than a typical sushi roll would.
Store it in an airtight container and consume it within 3-5 days. For the best taste and texture, allow your roll to come to room temperature before enjoying it again.
When you make this chicken tempura roll recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more sushi recipes, try these:
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How to Make a Chicken Tempura Roll (Sushi at Home)
Ingredients
- 8 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup tempura batter mix
- 3 cups cooked sushi rice instructions below
- 3 sheets nori
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. sriracha
- vegetable oil for frying
- sesame seeds garnish
- eel sauce garnish
Instructions
Chicken Tempura Instructions
- Heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium heat in a nonstick pan.
- Whisk the tempura batter with 3/4 cup of ice water in a shallow bowl. Slice the chicken into strips. Dredge the chicken strips in the batter and place into the hot oil. Fry the chicken until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove onto a paper towel-lined plate.
Rice Cooker Instructions
- Place 1 cups of uncooked sushi rice into the rice cooker. Pour in 2 cups of water. Turn on the rice cooker.
- Once the rice cooker turns itself off, let the rice steam for 10-20 minutes.
Stovetop Instructions for Rice
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in 1 cup of sushi rice using a rice paddle or wooden spoon. Cover and reduce heat to low.
- Cook rice, covered, 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed.
Sushi Roll Instructions
- Peel the cucumber and avocado. Slice into long, thin strips. Set aside.
- Make the spicy mayo: combine mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Lay the bamboo mat on a flat surface. Cover the bamboo mat with a layer of plastic wrap. Press 1 cup of rice down into a rectangular shape, leaving a perimeter of bamboo mat showing.
- Cover the rice with another piece of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to smooth and flatten the rice. Remove the plastic wrap and lay a piece of nori on top of the rice (shiny side down).
- Arrange strips of cucumber, avocado and chicken tempura in a line across the center of the nori sheet.
- Starting from the bottom, holding on to the bamboo roller, fold the roll up and over the fillings. Press it down firmly. Rotate the roll 90 degrees and repeat the same action, folding the roll up and over the fillings. Press firmly.
- Slowly release the bamboo map and unwrap the sushi roll from the plastic wrap. Using a wet knife, gently slice the roll into 8 pieces.
- Drizzle with eel sauce and spicy mayo. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds or furikake, if desired.
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