Sunday Dip
Chicken Tatsuta (Tatsuta-Age) (チキン竜田) - Japanese konbini foodAI

Chicken Tatsuta (Tatsuta-Age)

チキン竜田

Karaage's poetic older sibling, named after autumn leaves on a river.

Chicken marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and sake, then coated in potato starch and fried to a delicate, shatteringly light crust. Similar to karaage but with a darker color, a more pronounced soy flavor, and a crispier, more fragile coating.

  • Soy Marinated
  • Light Crispy Crust
  • Poetic Name
Sweetness
1 out of 5
Spiciness
0 out of 5
Richness
4 out of 5
Adventure
3 out of 5
The Inside Scoop

Did you know?

The name comes from the Tatsuta River in Nara, famous for autumn foliage. The reddish-brown chicken with white specks of starch is said to resemble maple leaves floating on the water. There's also a theory that a cook on the Imperial Navy cruiser 'Tatsuta' ran out of wheat flour and used potato starch instead, accidentally inventing the style.

How to eat

  • 1The crust is lighter and more delicate than karaage — handle with care, it crumbles easily.
  • 2The soy marinade gives it a savory depth that karaage doesn't have. If you've tried karaage and liked it, this is the next level.