Who can resist the great pleasure of eating crispy, juicy, fried chicken? Not me! Not when I can easily fry them up at home in just about 30 minutes. I’m talking about Chicken Katsu (チキンカツ), a Japanese version of chicken schnitzel or chicken tenders. The crispy crust and the flavorful juicy meat bring great satisfaction to every bite. Today I’ll like to show you how to make this beloved Japanese chicken cutlet right in your kitchen!
What is Chicken Katsu?
Chicken katsu (チキンカツ) is made of chicken breast fillet breaded with flour, egg, and Japanese panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fried until golden brown. It’s the chicken counterpart of Tonkatsu or pork cutlet. With just a few simple ingredients from your pantry, chicken katsu is something you can accomplish even on a weeknight meal! If you’re curious, katsu is basically a shortened form of katsuretsu (カツレツ), meaning “cutlet” in Japanese. There are different versions of katsu depending on the type of meat you use. I’ve shared many katsu recipes on the blog which I think you’re going to enjoy.
How to Make Chicken Katsu
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken breast – You can also use chicken thighs or tenders, but the popular choice is boneless skinless chicken breast. My mom often made it with chicken tender when I was small and I did the same when my kids were younger.Salt and pepperFlourEggsPanko (Japanese breadcrumbs)Oil for deep fryingTonkatsu sauce (homemade or store-bought)
As you can see, most of the ingredients for chicken katsu are common ingredients and you can access them fairly easily wherever you are.
Overview: Cooking Steps
Butterfly chicken and season with salt and pepper.Coat the chicken with flour, egg, and panko.Deep fry until golden brown and serve with tonkatsu sauce.
Even with deep frying, it’s really an easy 3-step process! For those who are looking for oven-baked method, please scroll down for the link.
6 Important Tips for Making Chicken Katsu
Tip #1: Butterfly the chicken
The thickest part of a chicken breast can be close to 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and it is very hard to cook through. Therefore, we butterfly the chicken breast by splitting it horizontally, stopping before you cut all the way through it, and opening it like a book. When you open the breast, it has two matching sides, resembling a butterfly. For Japanese cooking, we butterfly it to the left and right sides to make it even, similar to a French door. We call this cutting technique Kannon Biraki (観音開き). If you have younger children, you can also cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Interestingly, we do not cut the pork into small pieces, but many Japanese home cooks cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. To cut into smaller pieces, we use another cutting technique called Sogigiri (そぎ切り) instead of butterflying. You would hold the knife in an angle, nearly parallel to the cutting board, and then slice the chicken. This method will flatten the piece and give the chicken more surface area so that it cooks faster and evenly. Lastly, remember that we eat chicken katsu with chopsticks. Make sure you cut into smaller pieces either before or after frying so you don’t have to cut at the table.
Tip #2: Add oil to the egg
Adding a small amount of oil to the egg mixture helps adhere the meat to both flour and panko. Some people add water or milk to loosen the thick egg mixture, but a bit of oil also loosens the egg mixture while doing the trick.
Tip #3: Get Japanese panko breadcrumbs
Regular breadcrumbs are VERY different from panko, so I won’t recommend it. Panko (パン粉) is Japanese breadcrumbs that are lighter and crispier. It is the secret to ultra-crunchy katsu and yields the kind of crust that you can actually hear when you take a bite into it. No regular breadcrumbs can beat that!
Tip #4: Remove excess flour and panko
Dust off excess flour when you coat the chicken breast with flour. The excess flour can be the reason why breading comes off easily from your meat. You may like the panko texture and want to put more onto chicken katsu. I used to think that too when I was 10 years old while helping my mom. She told me all the excess panko would end up just falling off into the oil, and I didn’t believe it (as I wasn’t the one who did the deep-frying). But, cooking is science—more doesn’t necessary work. You would end up scooping up all those additional panko crumbs from the hot oil. It’s not worth it. Gently press the panko down with your hand, and if some panko falls off, let them go. We’ll focus on deep frying tips later.
Tip #5: Use Tonkatsu sauce for Japanese katsu
The sauce that comes with Chicken Katsu and Tonkatsu is called So-su (ソース; “Sauce”). When we say So-su or “sauce” in Japan, it refers to Tonkatsu Sauce (とんかつソース), which is a thicker and sweeter version of Worcestershire sauce. With a tangy and complex taste from the vegetables and fruits, Tonkatsu sauce makes it the best condiment to enjoy with Japanese deep-fried dishes. You’ll also find tonkatsu sauce being served with Korokke. It’s not common to make this sauce from scratch at home since it requires many hours of cooking fruits and vegetables. We usually buy Tonkatsu sauce from the store, and the most popular brand is Bulldog brand Tonkatsu sauce. For those of you who have no access to Tonkatsu Sauce, I tried my best to make Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce using available common condiments.
Tip #6: Prepare shredded cabbage salad
The majority of panko-breaded fried foods (Tonkatsu, Ebi Fry, Korokke, etc) in Japan are served with a side of thinly shredded cabbage. You can use a sharp knife to cut into thin slices, but my mom introduced me to this awesome cabbage slicer and it’s amazing how this mandolin slicer can create such a fluffy shredded cabbage! You can drizzle tonkatsu sauce over the cabbage or use your favorite salad dressing. I almost always use Japanese sesame dressing as it’s mild and creamy, which counterbalances the tonkatsu sauce.
3 Tips for Deep Frying
First, let me say that deep-frying is not as intimidating as it seems. Once you get the technique down, you’d be frying up more delicious katsu meals that win the hearts of every picky eater. That’s why every Japanese home cook embraces deep-frying! Here are the 3 tips you need to know about frying these crisp, juicy chicken cutlets at home.
Use a medium-size pot (that fits the chicken) instead of a large pot or pan. The key is to have at least 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of oil for frying. If you use a large pot/pan, you will need more oil to achieve 1 inch in depth. I use a 2.75-QT STAUB Cast Iron Round Cocotte (8 inches or 20 cm in diameter).Use a kitchen thermometer to check the oil temperature. I always recommend this instant-read thermometer. If you are new to deep-frying, it’s best to use a kitchen thermometer than doing the guesswork yourself which may not get an accurate result. The optimal oil temperature for chicken katsu is 340 ºF (170 ºC).Pick up crumbs frequently and I can’t stress enough how important this is. Fallen breadcrumbs in the oil will keep getting burned and turn your oil dark and dirty if you don’t pick them up.
If you want to learn more about deep-frying, such as how to throw away oil or what kind of tool is helpful, please read the How to Deep-Fry page where I explain in detail. Deep-fried food can be tricky, but if you do it right the food actually tastes light and not greasy at all. It takes practice to become comfortable with deep frying, but it’s a good skill to have for broadening your cooking options.
Great Meal Prep Menu!
You may not know this, but chicken katsu is perfect for making ahead and freezing if you like to meal prep. You can enjoy the cutlet as it is, but it is also a versatile dish that you can transfer into:
Chicken Katsu CurryKatsudonChicken Katsu Sando andwichChicken Katsu OnigirazuMake fried rice with a few leftover pieces (my childhood favorite!)Put in a bento box
How long does chicken katsu keep?
Chicken katsu will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The only way to make the breaded chicken crispy again is to put it in the oven or toaster oven to reheat. Do not use the microwave to reheat.
Can you freeze chicken katsu?
I always double the recipe and freeze the extra for kids’ lunch or another meal. After deep-frying the chicken, let cool completely before storing it in the airtight container to freeze. When you are ready to serve, reheat the frozen chicken katsu on a baking sheet at preheated 350 ºF (176 ºC) for 15-20 minutes, then serve with Tonkatsu sauce.
Can I Bake Chicken Katsu?
Yes! For those of you who still prefer to keep your kitchen oil-free, you can bake your chicken katsu in the oven. My method for Baked Chicken Katsu is to pre-toast the panko ahead of time. This way, the panko is nicely brown and crispy to start. Your baked chicken katsu will look like a deep-fried version, and the outer layer is light and crispy. Many JOC readers have tried my Baked Tonkatsu, Baked Chicken Katsu, and Baked Croquette recipes, so do check them out if you prefer baking, instead of deep-frying. Both deep-fried and baked versions are equally delicious, and I use both methods often.
Tableware from Musubi Kiln
I’ve partnered with a great ceramic online shop from Japan called Musubi Kiln. You will get 10% off with a coupon code JUSTONECOOKBOOK for your purchase. In this post, I’ve used:
White Chrysanthemum Hasami Plate 8.5in
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. Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on November 6, 2012. The post has been updated with new images, a new video, and a revised recipe in November 2021.
