Chicken Katsu

A recipe for Chicken Katsu (チキンカツ)! Thin slices of chicken are coated in breadcrumbs, then fried until crisp and golden.

This Japanese Chicken Katsu is a comforting option for an easy lunch/dinner with only a few ingredients and a bit of prep.

Start by marinating thin chicken breast pieces in sake, sugar, salt, and pepper. This will help infuse more flavor and develop a tender texture.

Once ready to cook, lightly coat the chicken in flour, then egg, and finally panko (coarse breadcrumbs). Fry in oil on each side until lightly golden and cooked through.

Serve the Chicken Katsu immediately with Tonkatsu sauce drizzled over the top and any desired sides such as cabbage, tomatoes, and rice.

Notable Ingredients

Panko (パン粉) are coarse Japanese breadcrumbs. These larger pieces absorb less oil compared to finer breadcrumbs, creating a crisp, light coating for the Chicken Katsu. I have been able to find panko in larger grocery stores and markets with Japanese ingredients.

If not available, you can substitute by making your own with a recipe for homemade Panko by Chopstick Chronicles.

Tonkatsu Sauce (トンカツソース) has a sweet and tangy flavor perfect for pairing with the fried chicken cutlets. Exact ingredients vary based on brand, but generally this thickened sauce has a combination of fruits and vegetables (such as tomato, onion, carrot, and/or apple) along with vinegar and soy sauce.

I generally go with a store-bought tonkatsu sauce, but No Recipes has a Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce in case you cannot locate it or want to make your own.

A Few Chicken Katsu Tips

The chicken pieces should be about 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeters) thick. I usually buy already butterflied or thinly sliced chicken breasts for easy prep. If thicker, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise and gently pound until even.

I used chicken breasts in this recipe due to personal preference, but some recipes use boneless chicken thighs.

I seasoned the chicken briefly in sake, sugar, salt, and pepper. If avoiding alcohol, skip this step and simply sprinkle salt and pepper over each side of the chicken before coating.

After coating the chicken in flour, shake off as much excess as possible. Too much flour will cause the coating to separate completely from the chicken.

To create that notable golden, crispy texture, the coated chicken cutlets are fried in oil just until cooked through and golden. The temperature should be around 340˚F (171˚C) to give the chicken a chance to cook through before the coating darkens too much.

If you are trying to avoid frying in oil, Sudachi Recipes has a recipe for Oven-Baked Chicken Katsu. Mochi Mommy even has an Air-Fryer Chicken Katsu.

Take care to not overcook or the chicken may become dry. The internal temperature of the thickest part should be 165˚F (74˚C).

Between batches, remove any leftover pieces of panko in the oil. These will continue to darken and may create a burnt taste for the remaining cutlets.

I fried the cutlets one at a time to avoid overcrowding. You can also use a larger pan with more oil to fry them in batches.

Serving Ideas

Our favorite way to serve Chicken Katsu is simply with a tonkatsu sauce drizzled over the top (or on the side for dipping) and alongside salad, thinly sliced cabbage, cherry tomatoes, and/or rice.

It is also fantastic with Japanese Curry. When I first made this recipe a few years ago, I paired the Chicken Katsu with a coconut-based curry sauce from Mongolian Kitchen.

For another option, the fried chicken cutlets can be used as a sandwich filling by swapping with the pork in this Katsu Sando (Japanese Pork Cutlet Sandwich).

Looking for more fried chicken recipes?

Try my:

• Karaage Don (Japanese Fried Chicken Bowl)
• Mini Fried Chicken and Waffles
• Mochiko Chicken (Hawaiian Fried Chicken)

This recipe was originally posted in October 2013 and updated in August 2025.

Chicken Katsu Recipe

Adapted from Mongolian Kitchen

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Chicken Katsu

A recipe for Chicken Katsu (チキンカツ)! Thin slices of chicken are coated in breadcrumbs, then fried until crisp and golden.

Course Main

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword chicken, fried, Japan, Japanese, katsu, poultry

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 -4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) sake
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (62 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (100 grams) panko coarse breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil for frying

For Serving:

• Tonkatsu sauce
• Shredded cabbage
• Cherry tomatoes
• Freshly steamed Japanese rice

Instructions

• Cut each chicken breast in half or butterfly, then flatten with a meat tenderizer until evenly about 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeters) thick. If butterflied, cut the chicken into serving sizes about 5-6 inches (13-15 centimeters) long and 3-4 inches (8-10 centimeters) wide
• Place the chicken in a large bowl with the sake, sugar, salt, and pepper, turning to fully coat. Set aside for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
• Place the flour in an even layer in a shallow, wide bowl or plate.
• In another wide bowl, beat together the eggs until completely combined.
• Place the panko evenly in a third wide bowl or plate.
• In an 8 inch (20 centimeter) skillet or frying pan, pour in vegetable oil until about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) deep and place over medium low heat.
• Remove one of the chicken pieces from the marinade, allowing any excess moisture to drip off.
• Coat the marinated chicken piece in flour, shaking and brushing off any excess.
• Then, coat the chicken in the egg, allowing the excess to drip off, and finally fully cover the chicken in the panko.
• Once the oil is heated to around 340˚F (171˚C), gently place the coated chicken piece in the oil and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
• Carefully flip the chicken and cook the other side until golden and the center reaches 165˚F (74˚C), another 3 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Allow the cooked chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
• Cut the chicken into slices about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) wide and serve immediately with a Tonkatsu sauce drizzled over the top and alongside cabbage, cherry tomatoes, and rice.