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Drink · Japan
Nihonshu
Japanese sake, a fermented beverage made from rice, koji and water. It is an official geographical indication of Japan and is served chilled, at room temperature, or warm, in small cups.
Flavors · Miyazaki
Chikin nanban
Breaded and fried chicken, dipped in a sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce and topped with tartar sauce. A Miyazaki dish, originating in Nobeoka in the 1950s and 1960s.
Traditional dish from Miyazaki
Also known as: Chicken nanban, チキン南蛮
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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Chikin nanban — Miyazaki, Japan
Chikin nanban is made with pieces of chicken dredged in flour and then in beaten egg, fried, and while still hot dipped in a sweet-and-sour sauce of vinegar, sugar, and shoyu. Tartar sauce, creamy, is poured on top, and a salad is served on the side. The eggshell coating soaks up the sweet-and-sour sauce and becomes tender.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, the dish originated in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, in the 1950s and 1960s as a meal for staff at a Western-style restaurant. At first it was called fried chicken marinated in sweet-and-sour; later it gained tartar sauce and salad and became popular. In the 1960s and 1970s it became a family staple starter, and later made its way into school lunches, homes, and restaurants across the prefecture.
Nanban was the word used for the Portuguese who arrived in Japan in the 16th century and for things that came from them. Among dishes influenced by them is nanban-zuke, a vinegar-based marinade with chili; chicken prepared in this way gave the dish its name. The Japan National Tourism Organization also links the origin to Portuguese influence that arrived via Nagasaki.
There are two styles: the most common one with tartar sauce, and one with only the sweet-and-sour sauce. From Miyazaki the dish spread throughout Japan, but Nobeoka still celebrates it with local events.
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Where it comes from
Miyazaki
A Miyazaki dish, originating in Nobeoka.
Ingredients
Chicken (breast or thigh), wheat flour, egg, oil; vinegar, sugar, and shoyu sauce; tartar sauce; salad.
How it is eaten
Sliced, with tartar sauce on top, served with rice and salad as a main dish.
When it is eaten
Year-round, at home, in restaurants, and in school lunches.
Your questions
Questions about Chikin nanban
What does nanban mean?
It was the word used in Japan for the Portuguese who arrived in the 16th century and for things that came from them. One dish from this influence is nanban-zuke, a vinegar marinade, which gave chikin nanban its name.
Does chikin nanban always include tartar sauce?
The more common version does, but there is also a version with only the sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce.
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Beyond the guide
