Katsu chicken is a firm favourite on many a Japanese restaurants menu. This delicious meal is marinated chicken, coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden. You then top with creamy Japanese mayonnaise and Tonkatsu sauce. No need to wait until your next restaurant outing to enjoy this delicious Katsu chicken!
When I was working in the central city, I was fortunate to have my little sister based in an office just down the road. We both have a bit of an addiction to Japanese cuisine. We had a habit of Friday lunches at a great little restaurant that served predominantly donburi dishes. The intention was to work our way through the menu. But we became so hooked on their Katsu-don that we didn’t get very far with our plan.Â
Nowadays as life takes us on our separate journeys, the littlest and I are lucky if we manage to be in the same country more than a few weeks a year. But we still maintain our shared love for all things Japanese. When she stayed with us in December I made this dish for her. She enjoyed it so much she has now added it to her regular dinner menu. Can’t say I was surprised, its pretty tasty!
It might seem a bit strange to publish a recipe that uses store-bought sauce. It is the sauces that really make this meal more than just crumbed and pan-fried chicken on rice. Discovering the tonkatsu sauce for this dish during one of my wandering sessions in my favourite Asian speciality store was a bit of a revelation. The end result is a dish so addictive its well worth sharing.
The tonkatsu sauce (described on the label as vegetable and fruit sauce!) is a beautiful balance of tangy, savoury and sweet. I’ve considered attempting to recreate it in my own kitchen but have no idea quite where to start. And really, why mess with perfection?
My now Melbourne-based sister has been able to source the same products from her local store, so I know the brands are readily available in Australasia. If you can’t find the exact brands look in the Japanese section for Tonkatsu Sauce, Toasted Sesame Dressing, and mayonnaise.
So, in honour of my little sister, who embarks on a new career this week, here is my nod to our weekly Katsu excursions.
Katsu chicken
Marinated chicken crumbed and fried, served with
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thigh fillets skinned and boned
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin optional
- oil, for shallow frying approx. 1/4 cup
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- Steamed rice
- Tonkatsu sauce see post
- Japanese mayonnaise
- Black and white sesame seeds optional
- Finely diced chives or spring onion (scallions) optional
Suggested side salad
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 lebanese cucumber, sliced into fine strips
- 1 carrot, sliced into fine strips
- toasted sesame dressing
Instructions
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Cover a chopping board with a piece of plastic wrap and lay your chicken thighs out on the wrap. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and gently pound the chicken thighs with a mallet or heavy pan until they are about 1cm thick.
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In a bowl lightly beat the egg to combine the yolk and white, then stir in the milk. Stir in the garlic powder, ground ginger and soy sauce. Soak the chicken thighs in this mixture for 30 at least minutes or up to 4 hours.
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Put the panko breadcrumbs into a shallow container. Take the chicken out of the egg mixture one at a time, allow the excess egg to drain off the chicken and place the chicken into the breadcrumbs, gently pressing down to make the crumbs stick. Crumb both sides of the chicken thigh then set aside.
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Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Carefully place the crumbed chicken thighs into the pan and season with salt and pepper.
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Fry for 4-5 minutes until golden and crisp. Turn over, season again, and fry for a further 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
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To serve, slice the chicken thighs into 1cm slices. Spoon a serving of steamed rice onto a plate and top with the sliced chicken.
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Drizzle on a generous amount of Tonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayonnaise and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chives, if using.
Recipe Notes
I like to serve this meal with a simple salad, similar to those you get in Japanese restaurants. I simply stack shredded cabbage, finely sliced carrot, cucumber and sometimes mung-bean spouts into a small side bowl, and douse them with Toasted Sesame dressing.
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