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–+ servings

The Ultimate Crispy Chicken Katsu (with homemade sauce)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients 
 

Katsu Sauce

Chicken Katsu

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

 

Instructions 

Sauce

  • Roast 2 tbsp toasted 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 Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 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 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 all-purpose 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 egg and 100 g all-purpose 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.