• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Christie at Home
  • Asian Recipes
    • By Region
      • Chinese
      • Filipino
      • Indonesian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Malaysian
      • Taiwanese
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • By Course
      • Mains
      • Breakfast
      • Dessert
      • Appetizers/Sides
      • Beverages
      • Snacks
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • ABOUT
    • Work with Me
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Asian Recipes
  • Shop
  • About
  • Newsletter Subscription
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Japanese Chicken Katsu

    Last Modified: December 15, 2021 - Published by: christieathome

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Japanese Chicken Katsu. Deep fried crispy, crunchy panko breaded chicken. A popular Japanese main with a crunchy texture and tender inside.  

    My tasty chicken katsu wonderfully pairs with homemade or store-bought katsu sauce, which I’ve shared a recipe for below.

    It's quite easy to make at home and ready in just 15 minutes! I love having this deep fried chicken katsu with rice and cabbage slaw and tomatoes. It’s my favourite way to eat this popular Japanese dish.

    What is Japanese chicken katsu?

    It’s a popular Japanese chicken dish. The chicken breast or thigh is tenderized and seasoned with salt and pepper. Then coated in a flour, beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs. Lastly it is deep fried in hot oil until golden and crispy brown.

    Many Japanese restaurants serve chicken katsu but is very simple to make at home!

    What does chicken katsu taste like?

    Chicken Katsu tastes like a crispy piece of deep fried chicken. The inside is tender due to the tenderization process. It pairs deliciously with a sweet tangy sauce called Katsu sauce.

    Do you own an air fryer?

    If you own an air fryer, I also share a healthier way of making Chicken Katsu if you click here.

    Easy Katsu Recipe!

    My chicken katsu recipe is quite easy to make at home and most of the ingredients are very accessible, including the panko breadcrumbs that most Western grocers will sell. Frying time only takes 5-6 minutes per breast and that’s it!

    What is chicken katsu made of?

    These are the follow chicken katsu ingredients you will need to make this dish:

    • Chicken breast
    • Eggs
    • Panko breadcrumbs
    • Vegetable oil or any neutral-tasting oil like avocado oil
    • All-purpose flour
    • Black Pepper
    • Salt

    What is katsu sauce made of?

    Chicken Katsu Sauce consists of the below ingredients. This recipe is from Just One Cookbook:

    • Ketchup
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Oyster sauce
    • Sugar

    How to make Chicken Katsu

    These the following steps in how to make my katsu chicken recipe:

    1. Start by "butterflying" your chicken breasts by vertically slicing one side, only until you can open halfway - spreading the “wings” apart. Do not slice all the way.
    2. Lay a piece of plastic wrap to cover the butterflied chicken breast.
    3. Using the back and side of your knife, tenderize the chicken breasts until it’s 1-25-1.5 cm thick. This is important.
    4. Remove the plastic wrap.
    5. Season each breast on both sides with salt and black pepper.
    6. Dredge each seasoned breast in all-purpose flour until it is well coated. Then generously dredge in beaten egg and lastly panko breadcrumbs
    7. In a pan or wok, heat your oil on medium heat. Tip: To test if the oil is hot, place the tip end of the chopstick into the oil and if the oil is bubbling around it, your oil is ready
    8. Fry each breast one at a time. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not move chicken around you to allow for an even fry.
    9. Transfer fried chicken katsu to a cooling rack or paper towel lined plate. Allow this to cool a bit for a few minutes before enjoying with homemade Katsu sauce.

    How to make chicken katsu sauce:

    Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl using a whisk. It is now ready to serve with chicken katsu.

    Tips  

    Below are tips on making the best crispy chicken katsu:

    • Make sure to butterfly the chicken breast first and spread the “wings” apart
    • Apply plastic wrap over the chicken breast and using the side and back of your knife, tenderize it until it’s about 1.25 -1.5 cm thick. This is crucial to a delicious tender chicken katsu as it allows for the chicken breast to fry and cook evenly in the hot oil
    • Generously coat the chicken breast in flour, egg and panko prior to frying.
    • Make sure your oil is hot enough before frying chicken. To check for this, place a wooden chopstick into the hot oil and look for bubbles.
    • When lowering your breaded chicken, lower it away from you so the oil splashes away from you.
    • Fry on each side until golden crispy brown on each side or when the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
    • Place fried chicken on a cooling rack or plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil. This excess oil causes the breast to become soggy.

    FAQ

    Below are frequently asked questions about this Japanese chicken katsu recipe:

    Is Chicken Katsu Spicy?

    No. However if you have Chicken Katsu Curry, then yes it could potentially be spicy due to the curry.

    Where can I buy Panko Breadcrumbs?

    Most grocers (Western and Asian) will sell panko breadcrumbs.

    What to serve with chicken katsu?

    In Japan, restaurants will serve chicken katsu with cabbage slaw and steamed rice or with curry sauce.

    Chicken Katsu Don is another dish that serves katsu over steamed rice with a dashi-onion egg broth poured over.

    However, this dish is very versatile and you can pair it with any foods you enjoy such as:

    • Steamed rice
    • Cabbage slaw
    • Fresh tomatoes
    • Leafy greens
    • Noodles like ramen
    • Between fluffy milk bread in a sandwich – aka Chicken Katsu Sando
    • Onigirazu - katsu served in between a sushi sandwich
    • On kimchi stew (aka Kimchi Nabe and it’s popular in Korea)

    What is the difference between katsu and teriyaki?

    Katsu is prepared with panko breadcrumbs and deep fried. However, Teriyaki is not deep fried. It’s seasoned with a teriyaki sauce made of sake, sugar, soy sauce and mirin and then grilled or pan fried.

    What is the difference between chicken katsu vs chicken cutlet?

    The main difference is the kind of breadcrumbs used. Katsu uses a special breadcrumb called Panko. Panko is usually longer and flakier. Whereas chicken cutlet uses ordinary breadcrumbs that are shorter and rounder. The panko is what makes chicken katsu so crunchy in texture.

    Can you freeze chicken katsu?

    Yes, you can freeze in an airtight container. Then when you’re ready to have it, thaw and reheat it. I would recommend re-deep frying or reheating in the oven. If you have an air fryer, that would work well too.

    Is chicken katsu dairy free?

    Yes, chicken katsu is usually dairy-free. There are no dairy products in this recipe usually unless you soak your chicken in milk (to remove any gamey odor from the meat) prior to dredging in flour.  

    Other Japanese recipes you may like!

    If you enjoyed my chicken katsu sauce recipe, you may enjoy these other Japanese recipes:

    AIR FRYER JAPANESE KATSUDON
    PORK KATSU ONIGIRAZU
    AIR FRYER CHICKEN KATSU
    KATSU SANDO
    AIR FRYER TONKATSU SAUCE CHICKEN
    TOFU KATSU SANDO
    CREAMY ROSE BACON UDON
    JAPANESE EBI MAYO
    SPICY TUNA ONIGIRI
    CREAMY BLACK GARLIC MUSHROOM UDON

    Try it!

    Well, I hope you give my Japanese Chicken Katsu a try! It always excites me when you make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.

    Thanks for visiting my blog! If you enjoyed my chicken katsu easy recipe, please share it with your family and friends or on social media!

    Take a picture if you've made my recipe of chicken katsu and tag me on Instagram @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories so I can share your creation in my stories with credits to you!

    Made this recipe and loved it?

    If you could leave a star rating for my Easy Chicken Katsu, I would greatly appreciate it 🙂 Thanks so much!

    Take care,
    Christie

    *This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn from qualifying purchases through additional affiliate programs

    Easy 20-min. Chicken Katsu

    christieathome
    Japanese Chicken Katsu. Deep fried crispy, crunchy panko breaded chicken. A popular Japanese main with a crunchy texture and tender inside. Ready in just 20 minutes!
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine Japanese
    Servings 2 large pieces
    Calories per serving 338 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 chicken breast skinless boneless
    • 5 tablespoon all purpose flour
    • 2 large eggs beaten
    • 1 ½ -2 cups panko breadcrumbs
    • 1 cup vegetable oil or any neutral smelling oil that can withstand a high smoke point
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper

    Chicken Katsu Sauce:

    • 3 tbsp Oyster Sauce
    • 2 tbsp ketchup
    • 5 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 ¼ tsp white granulated sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Start by "butterflying" your chicken breasts by vertically slicing one side, only until you can open halfway - spreading the “wings” apart. Do not slice all the way.
    • Lay a piece of plastic wrap to cover the butterflied chicken breast.
    • Using the back and side of your knife, tenderize the chicken breasts until it’s 1-25-1.5 cm thick. This is important for an evenly cooked chicken.
    • Remove the plastic wrap.
    • Season each breast on both sides with salt and black pepper.
    • Dredge each seasoned breast in all-purpose flour until it is well coated. Then generously dredge in beaten egg and lastly panko breadcrumbs
    • In a pan or wok, heat your oil on medium heat. Tip: To test if the oil is hot, place the tip end of the chopstick into the oil and if the oil is bubbling around it, your oil is ready
    • Fry each breast one at a time. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not move chicken around you to allow for an even fry.
    • Transfer fried chicken katsu to a cooling rack or paper towel lined plate. Allow this to cool a bit for a few minutes before enjoying with homemade Katsu sauce.

    Chicken Katsu Sauce

    • In a small bowl add your sauce ingredient and whisk together until well combined. It is now ready to serve with your chicken katsu.

    Notes

    The Katsu Sauce recipe is not mine and it belongs to Just One Cookbook. Nami has many wonderful Japanese recipes on her blog to check out!
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
    Copyright PolicyPlease do not copy and paste my recipes or use my photos in your own site/blog or social media. If you use my recipe for adaptation, please provide a link back to my recipe and re-write in your own words. Thank you.

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Measuring Set
    Mixing bowl
    Santoku Knife
    Cutting Board
    Wok
    Nutrition
    Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 331mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 896mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: -1g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 2mg
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine Japanese
    Keyword chicken and katsu, chicken katsu, chicken katsu dinner, chicken katsu how to make, chicken katsu ingredients, chicken katsu japanese recipe, chicken katsu recipe, chicken katsu sauce

    More Mains

    • Pad See Ew
    • mongolian chicken
      Mongolian Chicken
    • Spam Kimbap
    • chinese beef and broccoli
      Chinese Beef and Broccoli

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you enjoy my recipe? Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Alexandra

      March 19, 2020 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      SO delicious - what a lovely recipe. Simple, but so tasty.

      Reply
    2. Devyn Derksen

      March 30, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious! Easy to make, not a lot to prep and both the chicken and the sauce turned out perfectly 🙂

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 30, 2020 at 4:28 pm

        Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and I'm so happy to hear it turned out well!!

        Reply
    3. Marius Podaru

      May 12, 2020 at 9:27 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for the family, surprised myself how easy it was to follow the recipe and surprised my family with how good it turned out. Now they ask for it as part of dad's rotation.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        May 13, 2020 at 11:15 am

        Thank you so much Marius! So glad you and the family enjoyed the recipe. Even happier that it's become a part of dad's meal rotation!

        Reply
    4. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      March 22, 2021 at 5:18 pm

      5 stars
      With just 4 ingredients, your homemade katsu sauce really adds so much fun flavor to this dish!

      Reply
    5. Myra

      June 07, 2022 at 9:37 pm

      5 stars
      It came out delicious! Thank you

      Reply
      • christieathome

        June 08, 2022 at 2:00 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe Myra! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    6. Agnes K

      August 06, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      So easy to make and was a big hit with my family! Served this on rice with side of green beans. For the sauce, I only had ketchup, worcestershire, and added a bit of hoisin sauce - so good. Just one question, what’s the green herb that you sprinkled on the Katsu at the end? (It looks like oregano)

      Reply
      • christieathome

        August 08, 2022 at 12:55 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe Agnes! I'm so glad you and the family enjoyed it with some green beans! I sprinkled some dried parsley at the end but it's more so for aesthetic 🙂

        Reply
    7. Annie

      October 12, 2022 at 2:28 pm

      5 stars
      This katsu sauce is delicious. My kids liked it better than the katsu recipe I made from the NYT. Very simple to make, lots of flavor.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        October 12, 2022 at 3:34 pm

        I'm so happy to read this Annie! Thanks very much for making my recipe and glad the kids liked it too!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Christie

    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger sharing delicious recipes that you can make at home! Her goal is to make Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. With a social media following of over 500k, she has been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more! Christie's recipes have been made over and over again by her loyal readers.

    More about me →

    Footer

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Home

    • Home
    • Asian Recipes
    • Shop
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • About
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Christie at Home