The Japanese have a deep affection for fried chicken. From karaage to chicken katsu to chicken tempura (toriten), we have a lineup of fried chicken that we just can’t get enough of. And one thing they all share in common? Crispy skin and juicy meat. Today I’d like to introduce another Japanese’s crispy fried chicken – Chicken Cheese Katsu (ささみチーズカツ). You heard it right. This one has melt-in-your-mouth, gooey cheese in it! If you’ve been following the popular Netflix® show – Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (Season 2), you’d see the spotlight on the dish referred to as “Fried Chicken Breast with Cheese” in Episode 2. Chicken Cheese Katsu may be lesser-known compared to karaage or chicken katsu, but it’s definitely a popular home-cooked dish in Japan. The combo of fried juicy chicken with cheese seems to be the winning factor. Ready to tackle this recipe? Imagine yourself being the Master of Midnight Diner!
What is Chicken Cheese Katsu?
You probably know Chicken Katsu already. If not, it’s a chicken cutlet (“Katsu” came from this word) that is very similar to Chicken Schnitzel. In Japan, we make cutlets with chicken, pork, beef, tofu, or vegetable.
Chicken Katsu (Baked Chicken Katsu) Tonkatsu (Baked Tonkatsu) Gyukatsu – our favorite restaurant in Tokyo Tofu Katsu – our favorite restaurant in Hakone
Some Tonkatsu specialty restaurants offer variations with cheese, and that’s Cheese Katsu (チーズカツ). It’s very popular among the kids and ladies that restaurants even offer the cheese katsu in “lady’s lunch set” and “children’s lunch set” menus.
This Chicken Cheese Katsu is:
Crispy and crunchy on the outside Juicy on the inside Filled with molten cheese oozing out from the chicken Delicious with flaked salt or tonkatsu sauce Your new favorite katsu that you don’t typically find at Japanese restaurants
Plus, it’s freezer-friendly, and perfect for bento or emergency dinner menu!
The cooking process is quite simple, and you can make this entire dish in less than an hour.
Butterfly the chicken tender and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the chicken with cheese. Coat the chicken with flour, egg, and panko. Deep fry till golden brown.
The video above will help you visualize the process, but you can also see my step-by-step pictures in the recipe box below.
3 Success Tips
Here are 3 important tips to remember when you make chicken cheese katsu.
Evenly pound chicken tender. It’s easier to roll up the chicken when it’s evenly flat. Also, it’s faster to cook a thinner piece of meat with even thickness. Do not expose the cheese. When cheese is exposed to the oil, it will melt right away. Therefore, it’s important to tuck the cheese in the chicken tightly and coat well with the breading. Check your oil temperature. The right oil temperature will ensure your last path to success. Check my post How to Deep Fry Food and get a cooking thermometer so you don’t have to guess your oil temperature.
Once you have these down, you’d have great success with the recipe.
Do We Really Need to Deep Fry?
I have shared oven-baked versions for my other chicken katsu recipes, but I would recommend deep-frying for this Chicken Cheese Katsu. Deep-frying could be messy, but it is the way to go for the best texture and flavor. However, if you still like to use the oven, use my Toasted Panko Method and bake the chicken.
The Processed Cheese in Japan
Growing up in Japan in the late 70s to late 90s, the cheese I ate was this creamy yellow cheese called “Process Cheese” (プロセスチーズ). In Today’s recipe, I used this exact “process cheese” the master of Midnight Diner was using. The local Japanese grocery store here in San Francisco happens to carry it. It’s basically the processed cheese made from 100% cow’s milk from Hokkaido, and the taste is specifically made for the Japanese taste (according to their website). You don’t have to use this cheese, of course. Mozzarella, fontina, gruyere, provolone, or any kind of creamy cheese would work in this Chicken Cheese Katsu recipe. Serve with a pile of shredded cabbage, some cherry tomatoes alongside with rice, and enjoy!
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories 1 Recipes
Thank you to all of you who reached out regarding the Season 2 Midnight Diner recipes! For those of you who are interested in Midnight Diner Season 1 recipes, you can click on this link to check them out.
