Many cuisines have a version of a breaded fried cutlet, and the Japanese version, called katsu for short, is a pretty terrific take on the theme. Tonkatsu is made with pork, and katsu is usually made with chicken. The chicken gets sliced or pounded thin, dredged in flour, then beaten egg, then rough Panko breadcrumbs and then fried. Sometimes tonkatsu is deep-fried, sometimes more reservedly sautéed in a pan. I’m pan frying all the way here.
Katsu Sauce Ingredients
- Ketchup – the sweet and tangy base of the sauce
- Worcestershire sauce – adds umami rich flavor and saltiness
- Soy sauce – more umami, more saltiness
- Mirin rice wine – this is optional but a bit of alcohol in a recipe carries and amplifies flavor
- Sugar – just a touch to balance out the flavors
- Dijon mustard – if you have access to Japanese mustard, use it here, but any mustard will add a bit of tangy heat.
How to Make Chicken Katsu
In a small bowl mix together the ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and mustard for the sauce.
Place the chicken cutlets, one at a time, into a heavy-duty zipper top bag. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to gently pound them into cutlets 1/4-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the flour, eggs, and panko in three separate shallow bowls. Dredge each cutlet one at a time in the flour, the eggs, then the panko. If you use one hand to work the meat into the dry ingredients, and one for the eggs, you will have cleaner hands. Set on a wire rack as each is coated.
Heat 1/4-inch of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place two or three cutlets into the pan, making sure there is space between each of them so they can brown well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the outer coating is nicely browned and the meat is cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate as they finish. Repeat with the remaining cutlets, adding more oil as needed and allowing it to become hot between batches. You can use 2 skillets if you want the cooking process to go more quickly.
Slice the katsu into thin strips. Serve over hot rice with the cabbage or lettuce, lemon wedges and Katsu sauce.
What to Serve with Tonkatsu-Style Pork Cutlets
It is usually served with slivered cabbage or lettuce and rice, and often a tangy/sweet/salty sauce called, appropriately enough, katsu sauce. The play of the tender meat encased in a crunchy crust is unsurprisingly good. The sauce is very distinctive. I love the way the shreds of crunchy cabbage or lettuce disperse the intensity of the sauce.
And it’s hard to go wrong when you serve this over a bed of fluffy rice. I think white rice is the only way to go here, just the classic partner.
Chicken Katsu: Crunchy, tender, sweet, salty, tangy – this dish merits no shortage of appealing adjectives.
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Interesting katsu fact: While katsu originated in Japan, and is certainly still considered a classic Japanese quick bite, versions of this cutlet are also very popular in Korea. On my bucket list now is a pan-Asian tour of katsu. I clearly am going to need a bigger bucket.
More Japanese-Inspired Recipes:
- Japanese Restaurant Salad Dressing
- Japanese Meatballs with Ponzu Glaze
- The Easiest Shortcut Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup
- Chicken Yakitori
- Yaki Udon
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Chicken Katsu
Equipment
Ingredients
Katsu Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin rice wine; optional
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Chicken Katsu
- 8 4-ounce boneless chicken cutlets
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
- Vegetable, peanut or canola oil for pan frying
To serve
- Hot cooked white rice
- Very thinly slivered green cabbage or crisp lettuce such as iceberg or romaine hearts
- Lemon wedges
Directions
- In a small bowl mix together the ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and mustard. Set aside.
- Place the chicken cutlets, one at a time, into a heavy-duty zipper top bag and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to gently pound them into cutlets 1/4-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the flour, eggs, and panko in three separate shallow bowls. Dredge each cutlet one at a time in the flour, the eggs, then the panko (if you use one hand to work the meat into the dry ingredients, and one for the eggs, you will have cleaner hands). Set on a wire rack as each is coated.
- Heat 1/4-inch of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place two or three cutlets into the pan, making sure there is space between each of them so they can brown well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the outer coating is nicely browned and the meat is cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate as they finish. Repeat with the remaining cutlets, adding more oil as needed and allowing it to become hot between batches. You can use 2 skillets if you want the cooking process to go more quickly.
- Slice the katsu into thin strips and serve over hot rice with the cabbage or lettuce, lemon wedges and Tonkatsu sauce.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
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Basically Schnitzel slices with a sauce and some rice and cabbage instead of potatoes baked or French fried. Sounds bloody delicious
I’m a huge fan of the breaded fried cutlet, especially if it’s served on a bed of rice with a sauce. This was delicious! A squeeze of lemon juice was the perfect finishing touch, taking it from “ok” to “very good.”
a little quirt of citrus makes so many things just that much better, doesn’t it?
Coincidently, my brother-in-law is in Japan now and sent a picture of this to me yesterday!! Looks delicious. Similar to Milanese.
it is! both just versions of breaded cutlets!