Chicken Katsu is crispy fried chicken made with Panko breadcrumbs and dipped into a sweet ginger garlic curry sauce, ready in under 45 minutes!
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CHICKEN KATSU
Chicken Katsu is one of my favorite Japanese recipes, and is basically fried chicken pounded thin and breaded with Panko breadcrumbs, then served with a sweet curry and Worcestershire-ketchup sauce. I like to serve this with Chinese Steamed Rice on the side, and some chopped green onions, or with my Perfect Brown Rice and a side salad.
HOW LONG DOES CHICKEN KATSU KEEP?
Chicken Katsu will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Keep in mind that the breading will no longer be crispy after refrigerating the chicken, so it is best when eaten the same day.
CAN YOU FREEZE CHICKEN KATSU?
Chicken Katsu is perfect for making ahead and freezing. After frying the chicken, let it cool and place it in an airtight plastic bag to freeze. Reheat on a baking sheet at 425 degrees F for 5-10 minutes, then serve with curry and ketchup sauce. I recommend freezing sauce in a separate container from the chicken.
HOW TO MAKE BAKED CHICKEN KATSU
Follow the recipe to bread the chicken, then instead of frying, lay the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and spray the chicken with cooking oil on both sides.
Bake for about 10 minutes on one side, then turn over and bake an additional 10-15 minutes on the other side, or until the chicken is cooked through and crispy. For extra crispy chicken, turn on the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
Follow the directions to make the Katsu curry and sauce.
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HOW TO MAKE KATSU CURRY SAUCE
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon curry
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
Add the vegetable oil to a skillet with the onions and carrots on medium heat and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring well, then whisk in the flour and curry until well combined.
Whisk the broth in slowly until smooth along with the soy sauce and honey and simmer for 20 minutes until thickened before using and immersion blender to puree until smooth.
HOW TO MAKE KATSU SAUCE
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
Whisk together and let sit for at least an hour before serving.
MORE TAKEOUT RECIPES
TIPS FOR MAKING CHICKEN KATSU
- Because this is fried, I also like to serve it with a fresh side salad or shredded cabbage to lighten up the dish.
- Katsu is made with chicken, but you can also make tonkatsu which is made with pork cutlets.
- Make sure you pound the chicken evenly so it all finishes cooking at the same time.
- Chicken Katsu is a popular dish in Japan and Hawaii, but it originally started in a Japanese restaurant.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Using a mallet pound the chicken to an even thickness, about 1/2" thick then season with the salt and pepper and coat with the flour before dredging in the egg yolks then pressing into the panko and letting rest on a baking sheet for ten minutes before frying.
- Fry in a large skillet with at least 2 inches of oil on medium heat until cooked through and golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side and serve with katsu sauce or katsu curry sauce (recipes above).
Notes
Nutrition
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What kind of curry is needed for the sauce? Curry powder?
Yes, I used curry powder. Enjoy!
Really, really good! The sauces were perfect.
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I made this with the katsu sauce (regular, not curry). It was amazing!!! Thank you so much for the recipe!
So happy to hear that you liked it!! If you try it with the curry, I’d love to hear how it comes out.
We LOVE katsudon in our house! A chicken katsu is a great alternative for those who don’t eat pork, so I’m pinning it and putting it in my meal plan for next week. Yum!
Thanks for the pin, Eden!
Absolutely mouth watering! And so easy to convert to a gluten free recipe that I will give this a try. The chicken looks so crispy!
I’m so glad you can adapt it to fit into your dietary needs. Enjoy!
looking delicious, I forwarded this chicken katsu recipe to my friends. Lovely platter, being vegetarian even I am so tempted with the photos.
Thanks, Bhawana!
Your katsu chicken looks like perfection — and that dipping sauce is out of bounds yummy!
It’s so good, Lisa! Enjoy!
My husband always orders this when we go to our fav Hawaiian restaurant. I love that I can make this at home for him now, thanks!
Perfect!
Yum! love chicken katsu, but have never made it at home. This looks perfectly golden and crisp. Can’t wait to try it this weekend!
I hope you enjoy it!