Description
Chicken Tonkatsu (Japanese Cutlet) — a crispy, breaded and fried chicken cutlet served with tonkatsu sauce, often with shredded cabbage and rice.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb / 450 g), pounded to ~½‑inch thickness
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup (≈60 g) all‑purpose flour
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup (≈100 g) panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Oil for frying (neutral oil with high smoke point, e.g. vegetable or canola oil)
- Tonkatsu sauce, for serving
- Shredded cabbage, optional side
- Rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Trim any fat, then if needed, butterfly or pound the breasts so they are of even thickness (~½‑inch or ~1.2‑1.3 cm). Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set up a breading station with three shallow dishes: one with flour, one with beaten egg, and one with panko breadcrumbs.
- Dredge each chicken piece first in flour (shake off excess), then dip into the beaten egg, then press into the panko so it’s evenly coated on both sides.
- Heat oil in a skillet or frying pan over medium‑high heat until hot (around 170‑180 °C / 340‑360 °F). Carefully place the breaded chicken into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 3‑4 minutes per side (depending on thickness). The internal temp should reach ~74 °C (165 °F).
- Remove and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Slice the cutlet into strips. Serve drizzled with tonkatsu sauce alongside shredded cabbage and/or rice.
Notes
- Using pounded chicken of even thickness ensures even cooking and prevents raw centre.
- You can bake instead of deep‑frying: bake at ~200 °C (400 °F) on a wire rack for 25‑30 mins (pre‑toasted panko gives better crispiness). (From Just One Cookbook). :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying; maintain oil temperature so coating stays crisp.
- Tonkatsu sauce is sweet‑savory; you can use store‑bought or make your own with Worcestershire, ketchup, sugar etc.
- Let the chicken rest a few minutes after cooking before slicing so juices redistribute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (≈ chicken cutlet + coating, without rice or sides)
- Calories: 297 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 251 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: —
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 118 mg
