How to Make Delicious Chicken Katsu at Home

Craving for something crispy, crunchy, and easy to make? Chicken katsu might be your next go-to dish! If you’re not familiar with chicken katsu, it is a popular Japanese dish that consists of breaded and fried chicken cutlets. It’s a quick and easy meal to make on a busy weeknight or a lazy weekend. Plus, it’s a crowd-pleaser for all ages!

To make chicken katsu, you will need only a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. The most important ingredient for chicken katsu is, of course, the chicken. Any part of the chicken can be used, but the most common cuts are boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Next, you’ll need panko breadcrumbs, a Japanese-style breadcrumb that is coarser and crispier than regular breadcrumbs. You can find them at any Asian grocery store or online. Lastly, you’ll need eggs, flour, salt and pepper for seasoning, oil for frying, and your choice of side dishes to complete your meal. Now, let’s get started on making this delicious and crispy chicken katsu!

The Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Chicken Katsu

Are you ready to start making delicious chicken katsu? Great! Here are the ingredients you’ll need to gather before you get started:

1. Chicken breast: This is the star of the dish. You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.

2. Flour: You’ll need all-purpose flour to coat the chicken.

3. Eggs: You’ll also need eggs to make egg wash.

4. Panko: Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb that helps create the signature crispy coating on the chicken.

5. Oil: You’ll need vegetable oil for frying.

6. Salt and pepper: You’ll need to season the chicken and flour mixture.

7. Soy sauce: This is used to make the katsu sauce.

8. Ketchup: Ketchup is also used in the katsu sauce.

9. Rice: Chicken katsu is traditionally served on a bed of steamed rice.

10. Cabbage (optional): Shredded cabbage is often served as a side dish with chicken katsu.

Preparing the Chicken

Before you start frying the chicken, you need to prepare it. Here’s how:

1. Trim the chicken: Use a sharp knife to trim off any excess fat from the chicken breasts.

2. Pound the chicken: Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch.

3. Season the chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Coating the Chicken

Now that the chicken is prepared, it’s time to coat it:

1. Coat the chicken in flour: Place the flour in a shallow dish and coat the chicken in it.

2. Make the egg wash: In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and a splash of water to make the egg wash.

3. Coat the chicken in panko: Place the panko in a third shallow dish and coat the chicken in it.

Frying the Chicken

Now it’s time to fry the chicken:

1. Heat the oil: Heat the oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350°F.

2. Fry the chicken: Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.

3. Drain the chicken: Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain.

Making the Katsu Sauce

Chicken katsu isn’t complete without katsu sauce, which is a sweet and tangy combination of soy sauce and ketchup. Here’s how to make it:

1. Mix the ingredients: Mix together 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup ketchup in a small bowl.

2. Adjust the flavor: Taste the sauce and adjust the flavor as needed by adding more soy sauce or ketchup to your taste.

Serving the Chicken

Now that your chicken katsu and sauce are ready, it’s time to plate:

1. Plate the chicken: Place the chicken on a bed of steamed rice.

2. Add the sauce: Pour the katsu sauce over the chicken.

3. Serve with shredded cabbage (optional): Add shredded cabbage as a side dish to complement the flavor of the katsu sauce.

In Conclusion

Making chicken katsu might seem intimidating, but it’s really just a matter of gathering the right ingredients and following a few simple steps. So, go ahead and give it a try! Your taste buds will thank you.

Ingredients for Chicken Katsu

The key to creating a delicious chicken katsu that will leave your taste buds dancing is getting the right ingredients. Below are the essential components that you will need to prepare before proceeding with the cooking process:

Chicken Breast

The foundation of chicken katsu is, of course, the chicken breast. When it comes to choosing the right breast, ensure that it is boneless and skinless so that it can cook evenly and tenderly. You may also opt for fillets instead of the whole breast, making it easier to control the portion sizes.

Flour

To create the perfect crispy crust, you will need flour. Any type of flour can work, but Japanese panko breadcrumbs are highly recommended to give that authentic texture.

Egg

Egg acts as the binding agent for the flour and the breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken breast. You will need to beat the eggs thoroughly before dipping the chicken.

Panko Breadcrumbs

As mentioned earlier, the ideal breadcrumbs for chicken katsu are Japanese panko breadcrumbs. These breadcrumbs are coarser and crunchier than regular breadcrumbs and will hold up better when fried.

Salt and Pepper

To add some flavor, make sure to season both sides of the chicken breast lightly with salt and pepper before coating them with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.

Oil

You need to have enough oil to fully submerge the chicken when frying. Any neutral oil is fine, but vegetable or canola oil is recommended.

Tonkatsu Sauce

Tonkatsu sauce is a sweet and savory sauce that is a common condiment in Japanese cuisine. It is made of mirin, sake, soy sauce, and sugar. Typically, you can find it already made at most Asian grocery stores.

Cabbage

A side of shredded cabbage is the perfect complement to chicken katsu. This refreshing ingredient helps cut through the savory flavors of the dish.

Lemon

A spritz of lemon juice over the chicken adds a zesty element to the dish. Serve a small lemon wedge on the side to allow your guests to choose their own amount.

Rice

You can serve chicken katsu with rice as a full meal or as a filling for sandwiches, salads, and bento boxes. Any rice variety will do, but short-grain Japanese rice is the perfect pairing for this dish.

Now that you know the essential ingredients for chicken katsu, let’s move on to the next section to learn how to prepare them before cooking.

Ingredients for Chicken Katsu

Making chicken katsu is relatively easy and requires a few ingredients that are easily available in grocery stores. Here are a few ingredients you need to make crispy chicken katsu that your family and friends will love.

Preparing the Chicken

Before you get into the actual cooking process, you need to prepare the chicken breast. Here is how you do it;

Cutting Chicken Breast

Start by removing any fat or skin on the chicken breast using a sharp knife. Cut the chicken breast horizontally through the middle, so you have two even pieces of chicken breast. This makes the chicken thinner, which is perfect for even cooking and fast frying.

Tenderizing the Chicken

To obtain juicy and tender chicken breast, you need to tenderize it. You can do this in two ways. First, you can use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breast to an even thickness. Alternatively, you can score the meat with a sharp knife.

Seasoning the Chicken

Add salt and black pepper to the chicken breast and rub to distribute the seasoning. Leave the chicken for 5 to 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.

Breading the Chicken

Now that you have prepared the chicken breast let’s move on to breading the chicken. Here is how you do it;

Coating the Chicken in Flour

Coat the chicken breast in flour ensuring that every part of the chicken is well covered.

Dipping the Chicken in Egg

Next, dip the chicken in the egg mixture, making sure every part is well-coated. This step binds the flour to the chicken and adds flavor and moisture.

Coating the Chicken in Panko Bread Crumbs

Coat the chicken in panko bread crumbs ensuring that they cover the chicken entirely. It is best to press gently to make sure the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken breast.

Frying the Chicken

Now that we have successfully breaded our chicken, let’s move on to frying it. Here is how you do it;

Heating the Oil

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. You need enough oil in the pan to cover the chicken entirely to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

Frying the Chicken

Once the oil reaches the correct temperature, add the chicken to the pan and let it cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides until it turns golden brown. You need to turn the chicken occasionally to prevent burning, and the chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.

Draining the Chicken

Once the chicken is cooked, use tongs to remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack or paper towel to drain the excess oil.

In conclusion, Chicken Katsu is a classic Japanese fried chicken dish that is easy to make and contains a few simple ingredients. You can diversify the recipe by serving it with rice, vegetables, and adding sauces such as ketchup, coated with sugar, and soy sauce. With this recipe, you can create a restaurant-quality meal at home.

That’s How to Make Chicken Katsu in Just a Few Easy Steps

Yay! You made it to the end! I hope you had fun following this easy recipe for Chicken Katsu. Now that you know how to make it, you can treat yourself and your loved ones to this delicious dish anytime you want. Give it a try and let us know how it turned out for you. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you again with more exciting recipes. Happy cooking, everyone!