Chicken Katsu Crispy Cutlet (Printable)

Panko-crusted chicken cutlets fried until golden, served with tangy tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Breading

04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 tablespoon water
07 - 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

→ Frying

08 - 1 cup vegetable oil (for shallow frying)

→ Tonkatsu Sauce

09 - 1/4 cup ketchup
10 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon mirin (or honey as substitute)
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ To Serve

15 - Shredded cabbage (optional)
16 - Lemon wedges (optional)
17 - Steamed rice (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness (about 1/2 inch). Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Place flour in one shallow dish. In a second dish, beat eggs with water. Place panko breadcrumbs in a third dish.
03 - Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in beaten egg, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
04 - Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering (about 340°F).
05 - Add chicken to the pan (in batches if necessary) and fry for 3–4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel–lined plate to drain.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, mirin, mustard, and sugar until smooth.
07 - Slice chicken katsu and serve with tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage, lemon wedges, and steamed rice as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The panko stays impossibly crispy even as it cools, which means you can actually enjoy it without racing against sogginess.
  • Homemade tonkatsu sauce tastes nothing like the bottled stuff, with a sweet-savory balance that makes you want to cook it again just to eat the sauce.
  • The whole thing comes together faster than takeout, and your kitchen smells like you actually know what you're doing.
02 -
  • The oil temperature is everything—too low and you'll end up with a greasy, soggy cutlet that tastes more fried than crispy, which I learned the hard way on my second attempt.
  • Letting your breaded cutlets rest in the fridge for 10 minutes before frying actually seals the coating and prevents it from sliding off into the oil.
  • The panko will continue to darken slightly after you remove the cutlet from the pan, so pull it out when it's a shade lighter than you think it should be.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, pound and bread all your cutlets ahead of time, then fry them in batches and keep the finished ones warm in a low oven (around 200°F or 95°C) while you finish the rest.
  • A meat mallet with a flat side is better than the textured side for pounding chicken, since the textured side can create little tears in the meat that cause it to dry out.
  • The residual heat in the oil will continue cooking the breading after you remove the cutlet, so pull it out when the exterior looks slightly lighter than your target golden brown.
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