Chicken Katsu

A Japanese-style breaded chicken cutlet: a breast pounded thin, coated in airy panko breadcrumbs, and pan-fried until shatteringly crisp and golden. The panko is what makes it — lighter and crunchier than ordinary breadcrumbs — and the thin cutlet cooks through fast, so the crust stays crisp and the meat stays juicy. Serve it sliced with rice and shredded cabbage.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded (see Pan-Seared Chicken Breast)
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup flour
• 1 egg + 2 tbsp of water, beaten
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• Neutral oil, for frying (enough for about ½ inch in the pan)

Pan-Frying

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Method

Bread the cutlets

Butterfly and pound the chicken breasts to an even ¼–½ inch thickness (see Pan-Seared Chicken Breast) and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set up a breading station — flour in one shallow dish, beaten eggs in a second, panko in a third — then dredge each piece of chicken in flour, shaking off the excess, dip into the egg, letting excess drip off, and press into the panko, coating both sides evenly.

Fry and serve

Heat about ½ inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the chicken 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and cooked through (165°F), then drain briefly on paper towels. Slice into strips and serve, traditionally with steamed rice and shredded cabbage.