Chicken Katsu

Crispy fried chicken katsu made in only 35 minutes! Our version of this classic Japanese dish uses chicken breast that’s dredged and breaded in crunchy panko breadcrumbs.

Why this recipe works

Chicken katsu is a popular Japanese dish of panko-coated chicken that’s fried until golden and crisp. It’s often served with Katsu sauce (also known as tonkatsu sauce), which we’ve included in the recipe below. The sauce is slightly sweet and savory, and makes the best drizzle or dip to dunk the fried chicken into!

Our take on this classic uses chicken breast, but you can easily swap it with chicken cutlets. I absolutely love serving chicken katsu with a big scoop of steamy rice and shredded cabbage. It’s a restaurant-worthy dish, that’s for sure!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CHICKEN – As mentioned above, we’re using chicken breasts. You can substitute with chicken cutlets, but because these are thinner you’ll want to keep an eye on them for doneness as they’ll cook quicker than chicken breasts would. You can also substitute with pork cutlets to make good ole Tonkatsu.

BREADING – I highly recommend sticking to panko breadcrumbs for this recipe as it’s flakier than regular breadcrumbs and adds tons of texture and crispiness to the fried chicken.

How to Make Chicken Katsu

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Trim chicken breasts to an even thickness. Pat dry with paper towels.
   
   CHEF TIP – We like to save the extra meat in the freeze for future stir fries!
   
   
2. We suggest making the sauce first for two reasons. It will allow the flavor to mingle together while you are cooking the chicken, and it will be ready as soon as your chicken comes out of the skillet.
3. Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
4. To prepare the chicken, line up 3 breading trays next to each other. To the first tray add cornstarch and flour and stir to combine.
5. In the second tray, whisk together the egg and water.
6. To the third tray add the panko bread crumbs, garlic salt, pepper, and ginger.
7. Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture.
8. Dip dredged chicken into the egg wash, coating all sides.
9. Allow excess egg to drip off then place in breadcrumb mixture. Gently press to adhere crumbs to both sides. Place chicken breasts on a plate or tray.
10. To the skillet, add enough cooking oil to come about an inch up the sides of the pan. Heat oil over medium-high until it reaches a temperature of 350 F registered on a cooking thermometer.
11. Carefully place breaded chicken into the hot oil. Allow to cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Turn chicken over to brown the other side, about 4 more minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 F.
12. Remove chicken to paper towels (if serving immediately) to drain, or if chicken will not be served right away, place on a wire rack.
    
    CHEF TIP – We suggest the wire rack because if the chicken sits on the paper towel for too long it can lose some of its crispiness.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Tonkatsu is simply a breaded and fried pork cutlet whereas katsu is a much broader term for fried cutlets referring to a variety of different meats, often times chicken.

Store leftover chicken katsu in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350F oven for around 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. It’s best to reheat this dish in the oven, air fryer, or toaster oven as opposed to the microwave to help keep the breading crisp.

Serving Suggestions

Serve chicken katsu with a heaping scoop of white rice, steamed or roasted vegetables, or shredded cabbage and carrots. You can drizzle the sauce on top of the chicken or serve it on the side for dunking – it’s up to you!

More Japenese Inspired Recipes

• Miso Salmon
• Shrimp Tempura
• Hibachi Shrimp
• Yum Yum Sauce

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