Chicken Katsu

With just a few tips and tricks, you can easily make perfectly crispy, tender chicken katsu at home! Serve it with Japanese curry or a drizzle of katsu sauce.

Is there anything better than a thin, crispy chicken cutlet? This is not a rhetorical question, and the answer is a resounding “No.” There is nothing better. This chicken katsu is one of my all-time favorite things to eat.

The Japanese word “katsu” translates to “cutlet” in English. Often, you’ll see pork katsu (tonkatsu, とんかつ) on restaurant menus, but chicken katsu (torikatsu, チキンカツ) is also a staple. It’s delightfully crunchy, universally delicious, and shockingly easy to make at home.

A Note on Frying at Home

I was intimidated by frying things at home for a long time. A pan full of sizzling, popping, molten-lava-hot oil just seemed entirely too scary. Plus, whenever I tried to fry things, they always ended up either burnt or soggy.

But with a few tips and tricks (and some confidence!) I realized frying is actually far simpler than seems. Here are some tips to help you fry with ease:

• Use a deep pot or high-sided skillet with a heavy bottom. Heavy-bottomed cookware, like cast iron, conducts heat more evenly and is therefore better for frying. You want to make sure the oil is a uniform temperature throughout. And choose a frying vessel with high sides — it’s important to put a barrier between yourself and the oil, because sometimes, it pops!
• Heat your oil properly. If you add your ingredients to too-cold oil, you run the risk of a soggy, oil-logged crust. On the other side of the coin, too-hot oil can burn the outside of your food before it’s cooked through, and it can be more dangerous. I’ve found that placing my fry pan over a nice, medium heat results in the best and most uniform oil temperature. This will vary stove to stove, though, so experiment and see what works best for you.
• Use the right oil. It might seem like a no-brainer, but remember that not all oils are created equal. Neutral oils like canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil or peanut oil are best for frying because of their high smoke points. If you try to fry in an oil with a lower smoke point (like olive oil) you’ll end up with a smoky kitchen and potentially a burnt final product.
• Be mindful of how you add your ingredients. Always lay your ingredients into the hot oil slowly, gently, and away from your body. If you don’t want to get your hands close to the oil, use tongs.

What you’ll need to make this chicken katsu:

• Chicken (duh). You’ll want a boneless cut for this. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they can tolerate a bit more cooking without drying out — much more forgiving, especially for a beginner at-home fryer. Plus, I find them significantly more delicious. You can, however, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe as well.
• All-purpose flour. This forms the base of our beautiful, golden-brown breadcrumb crust.
• Eggs. I use two or three large eggs each time I make this recipe. Dipping the flour-dredged chicken in beaten egg gives the breadcrumbs something to stick to.
• Panko breadcrumbs. Always use Japanese-style Panko breadcrumbs for katsu! They’re bigger and crispier crumbs than Italian-style breadcrumbs. Without these, you’ll be missing out on that classic katsu crunch.
• Rice and/or katsu sauce, for serving. This chicken katsu is fabulous with a drizzle of tonkatsu sauce, otherwise known as Japanese barbecue sauce. I prefer Bull-Dog brand. You can also serve this katsu over a bowl of Japanese curry!

Did you make this recipe? If you loved it, please leave a ⭐5-star rating⭐ and/or leave a comment below the recipe card! And don’t forget to share a photo and tag me on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok — I love seeing you recreate my recipes.

Chicken Katsu

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With just a few tips and tricks, you can easily make perfectly crispy, tender chicken katsu at home! Serve with Japanese curry or a drizzle of katsu sauce.

• Author: Emily Hanka
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• Neutral frying oil, like canola, vegetable or peanut oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper

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Instructions

1. Pound the chicken: Using a meat mallet or other heavy object (a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet work well), pound the chicken to about ½ inch thick. Cut the larger thighs into two pieces to make them more manageable if needed. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Flour-egg-breadcrumbs: Set up a workstation with three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs, along with a plate to hold the dredged chicken. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, coat the chicken in flour, then shake off the excess flour and dip in the egg. Allow the excess egg to drip off before adding the chicken to the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Coat the chicken in breadcrumbs and place it on the plate. Repeat until all the chicken is coated.
3. Fry: Heat 2 inches of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or high-sided skillet until the oil reaches 350°F*. Carefully add a few pieces of chicken to the hot oil, working in batches to ensure you’re not overcrowding the pan. Cook each piece of chicken for about 2 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden brown. Carefully remove and place on a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
4. Serve with rice and a drizzle of katsu sauce or atop a bowl of Japanese curry.

Notes

• If you don’t own a deep-fry thermometer or simply don’t feel like monitoring the temperature of your oil, you can test if the oil is ready by dropping a small amount of flour into the pan. If it sizzles, the oil is ready.