Chicken Katsu is a classic Japanese home-cooked dish served with tonkatsu sauce and a side of shredded cabbage salad. These tender and crispy panko-breaded cutlets are surprisingly easy to make, even on a busy weeknight! They also freeze well and make for a delicious meal-prep item.
![A white plate containing chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chicken-Katsu-3818-II.jpg)
Who can resist the great pleasure of eating crispy, juicy, fried chicken? Not me! Not when I can easily fry them up at home in just about 30 minutes. I’m talking about Chicken Katsu (チキンカツ), the Japanese version of chicken schnitzel or chicken tenders.
The crispy crust and flavorful, juicy meat deliver great satisfaction with every bite. Today, I’d like to show you how to make this beloved Japanese chicken cutlet right in your kitchen.
![A white plate containing chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chicken-Katsu-3836-I-2.jpg)
What is Chicken Katsu?
Chicken katsu (チキンカツ) is made of chicken breast fillets breaded with flour, egg, and Japanese panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fried until golden brown. It’s the chicken counterpart of Tonkatsu or pork cutlet.
With just a few simple ingredients from your pantry, you can make chicken katsu even on a weeknight!
If you’re curious, katsu is basically a shortened form of katsuretsu (カツレツ), meaning “cutlet” in Japanese. There are different versions of katsu depending on the type of meat you use. I’ve shared many katsu recipes on the blog, which I think you’ll enjoy.
![A white plate containing chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chicken-Katsu-3827-IV.jpg)
Ingredients for Chicken Katsu
Most of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe should be easily accessible.
- Chicken breast — You can also use chicken thighs or tenders, but the popular choice is boneless skinless chicken breast. My mom often made it with chicken tenders when I was small and I did the same when my kids were younger.
- Salt and pepper
- Flour
- Eggs
- Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) — Panko (パン粉) is lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs. It is the secret to ultra-crunchy katsu and yields the kind of crust that you can actually hear when you take a bite into it. No regular breadcrumbs can beat that! Choose a Japanese brand of panko instead of an American brand, as they are slightly different.
- Oil for deep frying
- Tonkatsu sauce or katsu sauce — I love this brand of Tonkatsu sauce, but here’s my homemade recipe if you like to make it yourself.
![Japanese Honey Panko Bread Crumbs | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Japanese-Honey-Panko-Bread-Crumbs-6259.jpg)
![A Bull-Dog Vegetable Fruit Sauce (Tonkatsu Sauce) and homemade tonkatsu sauce in a mason jar.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Homemade-Tonkatsu-Sauce-5281-I.jpg)
How to Make the Best Chicken Katsu
Even with deep frying, it’s really an easy 3-step process!
- Butterfly and season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Coat the chicken with flour, egg, and panko.
- Deep fry until golden brown. Serve chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce.
Can I bake chicken katsu instead?
Yes! For those of you who still prefer to keep your kitchen oil-free, you can bake your chicken katsu in the oven.
![A white plate containing Baked Chicken Katsu (Japanese Chicken Cutlets) and shredded cabbage salad.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Baked-Chicken-Katsu-9693-I.jpg)
My method for the Baked Chicken Katsu recipe is to pre-toast the panko ahead of time. This way, the panko is nicely brown and crispy to start. Your baked chicken katsu will look like a deep-fried version, and the outer layer will be light and crispy.
Many JOC readers have tried my Baked Tonkatsu, Baked Chicken Katsu, and Baked Croquette recipes, so do check them out if you prefer baking, instead of deep-frying. Both deep-fried and baked versions are equally delicious, and I use both methods often.
![A white plate containing chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chicken-Katsu-3860-V.jpg)
Cooking Tips
Tip #1: Butterfly the chicken
The thickest part of a chicken breast can be close to 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and it is very hard to cook through. Therefore, we butterfly the chicken breast by splitting it horizontally, stopping before you cut it all the way through it, and opening it like a book. When you open the breast, it has two matching sides, resembling a butterfly.
For Japanese cooking, we butterfly it to the left and right sides to make it even, similar to a French door. We call this cutting technique Kannon Biraki (観音開き).
![Kannon Biraki - Butterfly the Chicken](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Baked-Chicken-Katsu-step-by-step-5.jpg)
![Kannon Biraki - Butterfly the Chicken](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Baked-Chicken-Katsu-step-by-step-9.jpg)
If you have young children, you can also cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Interestingly, we do not cut the pork into small pieces, but many Japanese home cooks cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. To cut into smaller pieces, we use another cutting technique called Sogigiri (そぎ切り). Hold the knife at an angle, nearly parallel to the cutting board, and then slice the chicken. This method flattens the piece and gives the chicken more surface area so that it cooks faster and evenly.
![Japanese Chicken Curry](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Japanese-Chicken-Curry-step-by-step-25.jpg)
![Chicken Katsu](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Chicken-Katsu-step-by-step-48.jpg)
Lastly, remember that we eat chicken katsu with chopsticks. Make sure you cut into smaller pieces either before or after frying so you don’t have to cut at the table.
Tip #2: Add oil to the egg
![Baked Chicken Katsu](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Baked-Chicken-Katsu-step-by-step-36.jpg)
![Chicken Katsu](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Chicken-Katsu-step-by-step-26.jpg)
Adding a small amount of oil to the egg mixture helps the meat adhere to both the flour and panko. Some people add water or milk to loosen the thick egg mixture, but a bit of oil also loosens the egg mixture while doing the trick.
Tip #3: Remove excess flour and panko
![](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Chicken-Katsu-step-by-step-23.jpg)
![Chicken Katsu](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Chicken-Katsu-step-by-step-27.jpg)
Dust off excess flour when you coat the chicken breast. Excess flour can cause the breading to come off easily from the meat.
You may like the light and crispy panko texture and want to add more to the chicken katsu (yes, I’ve done that, too!). However, you would end up scooping up all those additional panko crumbs from the hot oil, and trust me, it’s not worth it. Gently press the panko down with your hand, and if some panko falls off, let it go.
Deep Frying Tips
![How to Deep Fry](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/How-to-Deep-Fry.jpg)
Here are the 3 tips you need to know about frying these crisp, juicy chicken cutlets at home.
- Use a medium-size pot (that fits the chicken) instead of a large pot or frying pan. The key is to have at least 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) of oil for frying. If you use a large pot/pan, you will need more oil to achieve 1 to 1½ inches in depth. For my 2.75-quart Staub Round Cocotte (11 inches, 28 cm), that‘s 3–4 cups of oil.
- Use a kitchen thermometer to check the oil temperature. The fastest and most accurate method is with an instant-read thermometer rather than doing the guesswork yourself. The optimal oil temperature for chicken katsu is 340ºF (170ºC).
- Pick up crumbs frequently. I can’t stress enough how important this is. Fallen breadcrumbs in the oil will keep getting burned and turn your oil dark and dirty if you don’t pick them up.
If you want to learn more about deep-frying, such as how to dispose of oil or what kind of tools are helpful, please read the How to Deep-Fry post where I explain more in detail.
Deep-frying is not as intimidating as it seems once you master the technique. If you do it right, the food actually tastes light and not greasy at all. It takes practice to become comfortable with deep-frying, but it’s a good skill to have for broadening your cooking options.
![A white plate containing chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chicken-Katsu-3803-VI.jpg)
How to Serve
- Serve it with tonkatsu sauce — In Japan, so-su (ソース; “Sauce”) refers to tonkatsu sauce (とんかつソース), a thicker and sweeter version of Worcestershire sauce. It’s always served with chicken katsu and tonkatsu. Tonkatsu sauce’s tangy and complex taste, derived from vegetables and fruits, makes it the best condiment for Japanese deep-fried dishes. We usually buy tonkatsu sauce from the store, and the most popular brand is Bulldog. For those of you who have no access to tonkatsu sauce, I tried my best to make Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce using common condiments.
- Serve with shredded cabbage salad — The majority of panko-breaded fried foods (tonkatsu, ebi fry, korokke, etc.) in Japan are served with a side of thinly shredded cabbage. You can use a sharp knife to cut into thin slices, but my mom introduced me to this awesome cabbage slicer, and it’s amazing how this mandoline slicer can create such fluffy shredded cabbage! You can drizzle tonkatsu sauce over the cabbage or use your favorite salad dressing. I almost always use Japanese sesame dressing as it’s mild and creamy, which counterbalances the tonkatsu sauce.
How to Meal Prep
Did you know that chicken katsu is perfect for making ahead and freezing? Yes, that’s what I love about it. You can enjoy the cutlet as it is, but it is also a versatile dish that you can transform into:
How to Store
How long does chicken katsu keep?
Chicken katsu will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. The only way to restore the breaded chicken’s crispiness is to reheat it in the oven or toaster oven. Avoid using the microwave for reheating.
Can you freeze chicken katsu?
I always double the recipe and freeze the extraa for kids’ lunches or another meal. After deep-frying the chicken, allow it to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container for freezing. I use parchment paper to separate individual pieces to prevent them from sticking together.
When you are ready to serve, reheat the frozen chicken katsu on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350ºF (180ºC) for 15–20 minutes, then serve with tonkatsu sauce.
![A white plate containing chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chicken-Katsu-3848-I-1.jpg)
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![A white plate containing chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing.](https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chicken-Katsu-3836-I-2-500x500.jpg)
Chicken Katsu
Chicken Katsu is a classic Japanese home-cooked dish served with tonkatsu sauce and a side of shredded cabbage salad. These tender and crispy panko-breaded cutlets are surprisingly easy to make, even on a busy weeknight! They also freeze well and make for a delicious meal-prep item.
Ingredients
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
To Butterfly the Chicken
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Butterfly the chicken breast so the meat is thinner and cooks faster; read more details in my blog post. To butterfly the chicken breast, split it horizontally from the side (stopping before you cut all the way through it) and open it like a book. When you open the breast, the two sides will mirror each other, resembling a butterfly (see how in my video). Here, I‘d also like to demonstrate the Japanese cutting technique Kannon biraki (観音開き) to butterfly the chicken breast. With a sharp knife, score the middle of 1 piece boneless, skinless chicken breast from the top about halfway through the thickness of the breast; do not cut completely through.
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Then, turn the knife parallel to the cutting board and slice the chicken from the center toward the left side (or the right side, if you‘re left-handed) to make it evenly thin. Stop before you cut all the way through it, and open it like a book. Imagine we‘re creating a French door here.
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Turn the chicken 180 degrees and butterfly the second side from the center toward the left, creating another “door.“
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Cut the chicken in half down the center. Now you have two pieces.
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With a meat mallet or the back of the knife, pound the chicken to an even thickness, about ¼ to ½ inch (6 mm to 1.3 cm).
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Season both sides of the chicken with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
To Heat the Oil and Bread the Chicken
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Add 3 cups neutral oil to a medium-size, heavy-bottomed pot (I use a Staub 2.75 QT Dutch oven, 11 inches in diameter). Add enough oil so it is 1½ inches (3.8 cm) deep in the pot; dip a chopstick in the oil to measure. If you use a large pot, you will need to add more oil to get it 1½ inches deep. Start heating the oil to 340ºF (170ºC) over medium-low heat (or low heat, if you need more time to bread the chicken). For the breading, prepare three bowls or trays: One with 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour), one with 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), and one with 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell).
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Add ½ Tbsp neutral oil to the egg and whisk it together. Tip: By adding oil, the meat and breading won’t detach from each other while cooking and the juice and flavor from the meat will not escape easily.
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Coat the chicken with the flour and shake off any excess. Then, coat it with the beaten egg.
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Finally, coat the chicken with the panko, pressing the panko into the cutlet so that it adheres well. Remove any excess. Repeat with the remaining chicken piece.
To Deep-Fry
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If you are new to deep-frying, read my How to Deep Fry Food page and get an instant-read thermometer to check the oil temperature. Heat the oil to 340ºF (170ºC). I use medium heat throughout deep-frying, but please increase or decrease the heat to maintain the target oil temperature.
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When, the oil is at the correct temperature, add one piece of breaded chicken. Fry one piece at a time. Deep-fry for a total of 3 minutes, turning the chicken once at the halfway point. Tip: Do not overcrowd the pot. Remember, your ingredients should take up no more than about half of the oil surface area at any one time. If you add too much food at once, the temperature of the oil will drop quickly and the chicken will absorb too much oil.
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Deep-fry until both sides are golden brown. Remove the cutlet from the oil and hold it vertically over the pot for a few seconds to drain the excess oil. Then, transfer it to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray. If possible, keep it on its side to drain the excess oil.
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Collect all the crumbs in the oil with a fine-mesh skimmer before you add the next piece of chicken. If you don’t clean up these crumbs, they will burn and the oil will get darker. Make sure to keep the oil clean throughout deep-frying.
To Serve
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Cut the chicken into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and serve it with tonkatsu sauce. Typically, I serve Chicken Katsu with a side of shredded green cabbage and my Japanese Sesame Dressing. I also add a few wedges of tomato for color.
To Store
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You can store the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to a month. To reheat, bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 15–20 minutes for chicken katsu that was thawed in the refrigerator overnight, or for 30 minutes if heating directly from frozen. Check that the inside is warm before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Katsu
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on November 6, 2012. It was updated with new images, a new video, and a revised recipe on November 3, 2021, and republished with more helpful information on May 21, 2024.