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The Ultimate Crispy Chicken Katsu (with homemade sauce)

5 from 7 votes
By Yuto Omura
https://sudachirecipes.com
Chicken katsu is a versatile dish that you can make into pretty much anything! Enjoy it with rice, on donburi, in a sandwich, with curry... the list goes on! Tender chicken thigh coated in a thick and crunchy layer of panko breadcrumbs and fried to perfection, then drizzled with a delicious homemade katsu sauce. Every crunch is gonna have you dancing in your seat!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course Bento, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Sides
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Bento, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Sides
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

Katsu Sauce

  • 15 g white sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 4 tsp water

Chicken Katsu

  • 600 g boneless chicken thigh(s) skin-on, boneless (or chicken breast)
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
  • 45 g cake flour or all-purpose flour, for coating
  • 100 g panko breadcrumbs
  • 100 ml water
  • 2 medium egg(s)
  • 100 g cake flour or all-purpose flour, for the batter
  • cooking oil for deep frying

 

    Instructions 

    Sauce

    • Roast 15 g white sesame seeds in a dry frying pan on a medium-high heat for a few minutes until fragrant. 
      toasting sesame seeds in a dry pan
    • Grind the roasted sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle. 
      ground toasted sesame seeds in Japanese ceramic mortar with wooden pestle
    • Transfer the ground sesame to a bowl and add 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tsp sugar and 4 tsp water. Mix until well incorporated and set aside for later.
      sesame seed based katsu sauce mixed in a small glass bowl

    Chicken Katsu

    • Start heating the oil to 170 °C (338 °F). While you wait, cut each 600 g boneless chicken thigh(s) into quarters or sixths depending on your preference. (If using chicken breast, refer to my chicken katsu curry recipe for how to cut.)
      chicken thigh cut into pieces in a steel mixing bowl
    • Prepare two plates, add the 45 g cake flour to one and 100 g panko breadcrumbs to the other.
      panko breadcrumbs and flour in steel trays
    • In a bowl, mix 100 ml water, 2 medium egg(s) and 100 g cake flour to form a thick batter.
      egg batter whisked in a steel bowl
    • Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 pinch salt and pepper on both sides and coat the surface with a thin layer of cake flour.
      chicken thigh rolled in flour
    • Once the oil has finished heating, dip your chicken into the batter.
      floured chicken thigh dipped in egg batter
    • Roll in the panko and coat thoroughly before placing them straight into the oil.
      chicken thigh coated in panko breadcrumbs
    • Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy and golden.
      frying chicken katsu in oil
    • Transfer to a wire rack and allow any excess oil to drip off.
      chicken katsu resting on a wire rack
    • Serve the chicken katsu and drizzle with homemade sauce.
      chicken katsu on a brown rectangular plate with a drizzle of homemade sesame katsu sauce
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    If you want to use chicken breast, I recommend doing a butterfly cut (see my chicken katsu curry recipe for pictures and video) and then pounding the meat until 1cm or 1/2 inch thick. 
    I recommend making a large batch and then storing leftovers in the freezer for up to one month. You can enjoy this chicken katsu in a sandwich, burger, curry or lunchbox. It has so many uses! 
    Defrost and then warm up in the oven or under the grill to ensure the panko gets crispy again.
    I don't recommend microwaving.
    For traditional katsu sauce, see my tonkatsu recipe.