Chicken Katsu with Tonkatsu Sauce Recipe
Chicken Katsu with Tonkatsu Sauce is a delicious Japanese-inspired dish featuring crispy breaded chicken breasts fried to golden perfection. The chicken is marinated for extra flavor, coated in a seasoned flour, egg, and crunchy panko breadcrumb mixture, then fried until crispy. Served with a tangy and savory homemade Tonkatsu sauce, this meal is perfect over steamed rice and garnished with fresh green onions for a satisfying, comforting dinner.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Katsu
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons rice wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil)
Tonkatsu Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar (can use brown sugar or molasses)
- Chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Slice the chicken: Cut each chicken breast diagonally into about 3-4 pieces to create manageable cutlets for frying.
- Marinate the chicken: Place the sliced chicken pieces in a bowl. Drizzle with rice wine and soy sauce, then sprinkle with ground black pepper. Toss well to combine and let it marinate for 15 minutes to enhance flavor.
- Prepare the flour mixture: In a shallow bowl, whisk together garlic powder, onion powder, and all-purpose flour. Set aside for dredging.
- Beat the eggs: In another shallow bowl, beat the 2 large eggs until smooth for the coating process.
- Prepare the panko breadcrumbs: Place the panko breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl ready for the final breading step.
- Coat the chicken: Dip each chicken piece first into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Next, dip into the beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs to create a crunchy crust.
- Heat the oil: Pour about 1 1/2 inches of vegetable or canola oil into a cast iron skillet and heat over medium heat. Test readiness by dropping a bit of panko into the oil; if it sizzles and browns quickly, the oil is hot enough.
- Fry the chicken: Add 2-3 pieces of chicken at a time to the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry each batch for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Finish frying: Repeat the frying process with the remaining chicken pieces until all are cooked and crispy.
- Make the Tonkatsu sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar until smooth and well combined.
- Serve: Slice the fried chicken katsu if desired and serve over steamed rice. Drizzle generously with the Tonkatsu sauce and garnish with chopped green onions for a fresh finish.
Notes
- Use panko breadcrumbs for that signature light and crispy texture typical of Japanese katsu.
- Adjust the sugar in the Tonkatsu sauce to your preferred sweetness level.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying to avoid greasy chicken.
- Serve immediately for the best texture; the coating tends to soften if left to sit.
- You can substitute chicken breasts with pork cutlets to make traditional Tonkatsu.
Keywords: Chicken Katsu, Tonkatsu Sauce, Japanese Fried Chicken, Panko Chicken, Crispy Chicken, Asian Fried Chicken
