AD | Some of the items in this post for the easy & quick chicken tempura roll recipe were gifted to us by Kelly Loves. All the views included in this post are our own. Please refer to our privacy policy here.

Another day, another hot day. I feel like I’m becoming more of a broken record than ever before, but live and learn – it’s so hot! To try and minimise any activity including cooking, we have opted to make as much prep as humanly possible on cooler days and have stuff ready for a very hot day. And how apt was it to receive this brilliant box from Kelly Loves!

We have had the luck to be able to deep fry a couple of bits including chicken, and do we love anything more than a tempura chicken roll around here? This recipe is pretty easy to make, quick and extremely delicious too. Crispy, surrounded by delicious sushi rice and some nori seaweed you can find in any of the boxes you can get from Kelly Loves.

And who are we to stop you from enjoying this beautiful Asian-inspired Chicken Tempura Roll recipe? Get ready, grab that sushi rice and sushi mat and start rolling, we’re ready when you are! The beauty of this chicken tempura roll recipe is that you can actually put anything you like in it, and if you dislike avocado or anything else, you can change it for any other bit you might love instead.

Let’s get rolling the most delicious chicken tempura roll recipe now.

I am sure you understand how important the art of sushi is. And we do as well, of course, that’s why we are not really calling this a chicken tempura sushi roll. Crispy tempura chicken, chewy sushi rice, soft nori seaweed and plenty of bits and bobs to please your inspired-Asian cravings.

Who’s Kelly Loves and what do they do?

Kelly Loves is a Japanese snacks and drinks brand. It provides an Ultimate Sushi Kit, typical to the Far East, which contains everything you need to create a whole range of exciting and flavour-packed sushi rolls and maki, including toppings such as fried onions, ginger and wasabi. Kelly Loves provides authentic, delicious cuisine for recipes that can be made in the comfort of your home.

The sushi kit is the perfect option for both families looking to change up their weekly menu options or to gift to someone you love. It’s the best time to get creative in the kitchen and bond over sushi. Together with this box, we got to try some samples of Kelly Loves ramune drinks, soy sauce and kimchi, and they were all so great! The ramune in particular is something we had never even heard of and it’s oh-so worth it! It goes so well with this chicken tempura roll, trust me.

What is sushi?

I am not sure this is something we all don’t know already, but just in case sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that typically consists of vinegared rice, raw or cooked seafood and various other ingredients like vegetables, seaweed and condiments. It is often served with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce. Sushi is known for its artistic presentation, fresh flavours and balance of textures.

There are several popular types of sushi, including but not limited to:

1. Nigiri: A simple form of sushi consisting of a small ball of rice topped with a slice of raw fish or other seafood.
2. Maki: Sushi rolls that consist of seaweed (nori) wrapped around a filling of rice, raw fish, vegetables, and other ingredients. Maki rolls are then sliced into bite-sized pieces.
3. Sashimi: While not technically sushi, sashimi is often served alongside sushi. It refers to thinly sliced, fresh raw fish or seafood served without rice.
4. Temaki: Hand rolls that are made by rolling the ingredients in a sheet of nori into a cone shape.
5. Uramaki: Inside-out rolls, where the rice is on the outside, and the nori wraps around the filling.

HOW DO I PREPARE THE SUSHI RICE FOR THE chicken tempura roll recipe?

Since we’re in the talk for this preparation of the chicken tempura roll recipe, you know we have made sushi rice before in the Onigirazu recipe and in the crispy rice with spicy salmon. So this preparation is definitely not new if you’ve been around for a while. It does depend on what method of cooking you are going to choose. Let’s see a few of them:

• in a rice cooker: because if the Asians do it, it’s definitely the best way;
• in a pressure cooker like a Ninja Foodi or InstantPot;
• on the stovetop: as long as you have a non-stick saucepan with a fitting lid, you are good to go;
• in the microwave with a microwave rice cooker.

What do they all have in common? Given enough preparation and following some easy tips like washing your rice and working out rice-to-water ratios, you will be absolutely fine. The mixture of rice vinegar, sugar and salt will help you achieve that stickiness so characteristic of sushi rice.

What is nori seaweed?

Nori is a type of seaweed that is dried in sheets. It comes from red algae, which turns its distinctive dark green colour once dried. One of the most common uses sheets of nori is in sushi, or actually also as a snack, in soups and salads. But also smoothies and supplements!

But is nori any good for you? Oh yes! Actually, nori seaweed is a good source of omega-3 fats and vitamin B12. Nori seaweed contains iodine and tyrosine, which support thyroid function. And it also contains a variety of antioxidants and provides fibres that can support your gut health.

Any other good aspect of Nori? If you ask! Eating nori might reduce heart disease risk. And also help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by improving your blood sugar control. If you ask me, not too shabby right? You can find nori sheets at any Asian grocery store or your local stores too nowadays.

One thing we would like to try is to sprinkle nori on our savoury dishes and ramen. Sometimes all you can see is sesame seeds used as a garnish, but I am pretty sure this would work equally and it tastes amazing with soy sauce too. If not better! Imagine being able to add a little saltiness to every mouthful. Yum. Moving on to the chicken tempura roll recipe right now!

What Is a chicken tempura roll made of?

While this chicken tempura roll is absolutely delicious, and also quite quick to make, there are a bunch of ingredients you will need for it. Let’s start with what you need for the sushi rice: sushi rice, of course, then it’s water and sushi rice vinegar.

Then it’s time for the tempura chicken of the tempura chicken roll recipe, and all you will need is chicken thighs – boneless! – or chicken breast. We tend to prefer thighs anyway because they stay juicy and I hate how dry chicken breast can get! You will be marinating the chicken in soy sauce, then it’s time for the tempura batter. This will need to include both plain flour and cornflour, icy cold sparkling water, an egg and the usual salt and pepper. Lastly, you will need frying oil, and we have opted for sunflower seed oil, but the choice is all yours.

And at last, it’s time to talk about the filling and garnish of this chicken tempura roll, and for that, we have used nori sheets to roll the sushi rolls which we have filled with fresh avocado and fried onions to keep it simple with the fried tempura chicken. And let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious! Of course, the garnish was all about a drizzle of spicy mayo, extra fried onions and some black & white sesame seeds.

How do I make this chicken tempura roll recipe?

It takes a few steps to get this chicken tempura roll recipe going, so we better get prepping.

First off, start by cooking the sushi rice: rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then place it into a saucepan with the water. Bring it to a boil, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook it until all the water is absorbed, roughly 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes. Add the rice vinegar and mix it, then let it cool down completely before using it.

Time to prepare the star of the show for the chicken tempura roll: cut the chicken into strips, then place it in a bowl with soy sauce, cover it with cling film or plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.

And now, it’s the tempura batter for the tempura chicken roll: mix the plain flour, cornflour, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Add the egg and sparkling water, then stir in gently. Put a pan on the heat and fill it with frying oil, then turn it on to medium heat and get the oil hot. Dip each strip of chicken in the tempura batter, then fry it until golden on low-medium heat. Continue with all the chicken and let it drip on a plate covered with paper towels.

Off to build your sushi roll, or even the chicken tempura roll. Grab the sushi bamboo mat, place your nori seaweed sheet on it, then cover it 3/4s full with sushi rice. It gets easier to spread the rice with wet hands, I have learned! Fill the roll with chicken, sliced avocado and fried onions, then roll it with the help of the sushi mat. Cover the roll with cling film to hold it tight, then place each chicken tempura roll in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

When you are ready to serve the chicken tempura roll, cut off the endings and then cut the roll in half, and then halve each half again to get the perfect mouth-sized bite. Place the chicken tempura roll on a plate, drizzle with some spicy mayo and sprinkle with fried onions and sesame seeds. Serve the chicken tempura roll with some extra soy sauce on the side.