Chicken Katsu

Fried with a light and crispy crust and juicy inside, Chicken Katsu is truly irresistible. A staple at Japanese restaurants, this panko chicken is served with an addictive sweet and tangy tonkatsu sauce.

See below the recipe card for step-by-step images.

Prep Time15

Cook Time14

Total Time29

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: chicken katsu sauce, panko chicken, tori katsu

Servings: servings

Ingredients

For the Tonkatsu Sauce

¼ cup ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
½ tbsp mirin*
½ tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground ginger

For the Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs 5 oz. each**
½ tsp coarse salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
½ tbsp vegetable oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups panko Japanese breadcrumbs
3 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

For Serving

katsu sauce
cooked sticky white sushi rice
shredded cabbage salad
macaroni salad
sliced tomato

Instructions

Make the katsu sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the sauce according to your liking. Set aside.
Trim any excess skin, fat, or gristle off of each chicken thigh, then place between some plastic wrap and tenderize the meat, gently pounding until both sides are flattened and about a ½-inch even thickness.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the surface of each side of the chicken pieces.
Set up a breading station with 3 shallow bowls: one with the flour, one with the egg, and one with the panko breadcrumbs. (Beat the egg with the ½ tablespoon vegetable oil.)
Dredge the chicken with a thin coating of flour, making sure not to miss any spots, shaking off any excess. Then coat it in the beaten egg, making sure there is no dry flour left, letting any excess dip off. And finally coat the chicken in the panko fully, gently pressing the panko into the cutlet to adhere.
Add the oil to a medium-size, heavy-bottomed pot—the oil should be 1½ inches deep. (If you use a larger pot, you will need to add more oil to get it 1½ inches deep.) Start heating the oil to 340°F over medium heat.
Once oil has reached 340°F, gently lower one piece of chicken at a time into the hot oil and deep-fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until crispy and golden brown and the chicken is cooked through at 165°F. Using tongs, remove the chicken cutlet from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the grease.
Using a handheld skimmer, remove any crumbs in the oil and bring the temperature back up to 340°F (if it dropped) so it's still bubbling, before adding the next piece of chicken.
Allow the chicken to rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Cut the chicken into 1-inch wide strips.
Serve with some of the katsu sauce, and a side of shredded cabbage, sticky white rice, macaroni salad, and sliced tomato.

Video

Notes

*Rice wine will work as a substitute, though you may want to add a pinch more sugar.

**If you have one side that’s a little thicker, make a butterflied filet to even out the thickness. Make a shallow cut towards the center of the thicker area and open it up like you’re opening a book. To use chicken breast, use 2 pieces (10 oz. total.) Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally so you have two thin breast cutlets, then place the halves between plastic wrap and, using a meat mallet, gently pound out to a 1/4 to 1/2-inch even thickness.

Nutrition