Chicken Katsu

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Here's my secret to perfect crispy chicken katsu in the oven! Serve with cabbage, rice and tonkatsu sauce for a tasty Japanese-style dinner.

Prep: 15

Cook: 15

Total: 35

Servings: servings

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Ingredients

For the Chicken Katsu:

4 chicken breast cutlets*
¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter**
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
1 large egg
Nonstick cooking spray recommended: olive oil spray

For Serving:

Tonkatsu sauce***
Finely shredded cabbage
Lemon wedges
Cooked rice white is traditional; use brown rice for a nutritional boost or cauliflower rice

Instructions

Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place an oven-safe rack on top and coat generously with nonstick spray and set aside.
Lightly pound the chicken cutlets into an even 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to coat the breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Let cook, stirring constantly, until the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted and turning golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl or dish (a pie plate works well).
In a separate shallow bowl, place the white whole wheat flour. In a third shallow bowl, beat the egg.
Set up your workstation: chicken, flour, egg, panko, baking sheet. Working one at a time, dip each chicken cutlet lightly in flour to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess.
Then, dip the chicken in the egg.
Finally, dip the chicken into the panko. Pat the panko as needed so that it adheres. Arrange on the baking sheet so the cutlets are not touching. Mist the tops with nonstick spray.
Bake the chicken katsu in the upper third of the oven, until the chicken is cooked through (it should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F; I pull mine out several degrees early and let the carryover cooking finish the rest), about 12 to 14 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.
To serve, cut the chicken katsu into thin slices (if desired). Drizzle with the tonkatsu sauce. Serve with cabbage, a small bowl of rice, and lemon wedges, with the extra tonkatsu sauce in a bowl alongside.

Notes

*Chicken breast cutlets are chicken breasts that have been split in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces of chicken. You can buy them already cut or carefully cut your own. Or, you can pound very small chicken breasts to a 1/2-inch.
**Traditional chicken katsu is deep-fried in vegetable or peanut oil; to mimic that indulgent spin, I toast the panko breadcrumbs in melted butter; if you prefer, you can toast them in canola oil or olive oil.
***Tonkatsu sauce is available at many supermarkets or at your local Asian grocery store. Or, you can make your quick version by combining 2 1/2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce. Add a pinch or two of sugar to taste (sauce adapted from Just One Cookbook).
TO STORE: Refrigerate chicken in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Freeze chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 41gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 165mgPotassium: 685mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 286IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg