Not only is my baked chicken katsu recipe just as crispy as the deep fried Japanese original, it stays crispy even longer! These crispy and juicy chicken cutlets are served with a tangy and sweet tonkatsu sauce. This recipe is so delicious that it will become part of your weekly meal rotation!
I started making baked chicken katsu after realizing that I don’t like deep frying. Standing in front of a pot of boiling hot oil is a very scary thing that I prefer avoiding if I can. However, I do love fried chicken and other deep fried foods and have been experimenting with different ways to achieve the same level of crispiness without the need for deep frying.
I created a baked general Tso chicken using cornflakes that I absolutely love, so I thought why not make a chicken katsu in the oven using fried breadcrumbs. And it worked so much better than I expected! The chicken stayed juicy and the breading was crispier than if I had deep fried it. The original Japanese dish is made with pork cutlets, but different versions made with chicken and beef can also be found. Katsu dishes are usually served with shredded cabbage or a green salad, and are topped with tonkatsu sauce, which is the Japanese version of barbecue sauce. It’s fruity, tangy, a little salty, and is THE sauce to use with deep fried dishes.
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast: You’ll need about 1/2 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast to make this recipe.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Crunchier and airier than traditional breadcrumbs, using panko breadcrumbs in this recipe will leave you with a perfectly crispy exterior. Don’t be surprised if there’s a chorus of audible crunches around the table when everyone digs in! Panko is fairly easy to track down in most grocery stores these days – or grab panko breadcrumbs on Amazon.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: You’ll use this when toasting the breadcrumbs in a pan.
- All Purpose Flour and an Egg: This is the classic combination to use when applying breading to a protein (more on that in the next section).
- Salt and Pepper: Add dimension to your breading’s flavor with a little dash of salt and pepper.
Variations
- Use a different protein. Just like in Japan, you can use pork cutlets, beef, even extra firm tofu, to make this dish.
- Use lemon wedges or sriracha sauce instead of tonkatsu sauce. To give this dish an Italian flair, serve the chicken with lemon wedges. I also love squirting a little sriracha sauce over these cutlets as it adds a peppery and spicy taste.
How To Make This Chicken Katsu
Something tells me you’re going to smile when you see just how easy it is to whip up this recipe in your own kitchen!
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and prep a baking sheet by putting parchment paper over it.
- Separate the ingredients for the breading in three different bowls and set them aside.
- Fry the panko breadcrumbs in a skillet with some oil until they turn golden brown, and put them back in the bowl.
- Pound the chicken breasts to about a half-inch thickness.
- Dip the chicken in flour, then in egg – and finally in panko breadcrumbs. Lightly press both sides to ensure they are evenly coated.
- Bake for about 12-13 minutes on each side. Once the chicken cutlets reach an internal temperature of 165°F, they are ready to be served.
Expert Tips
- Let the cutlets rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This ensures that the juices are redistributed evenly, making each bite equally juicy.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before baking it. A piece of chicken that’s close to room temperature cooks more evenly and stays more moist.
Storage
Save these chicken cutlets in a storage container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
To reheat, add a little oil to a skillet and cook the chicken katsu on each side for a few minutes. This should help the breading to regain some of its crispiness.
What To Serve With This Chicken Katsu
In Japan, a crispy katsu cutlet is classically served with a mountain of shredded cabbage. While this is a great combination, there are plenty of other ways to serve this dish. If you are looking for more flavors than just plain shredded cabbage, try my japanese cabbage slaw. It’s light and has a citrusy taste.
For traditional Japanese side dishes, I suggest you try nasu dengaku (Japanese broiled eggplant with miso glaze), inari sushi, a simple iceberg salad with carrot ginger dressing, or some edamame with soy and sesame sauce.
And don’t forget about the most iconic sauce to drizzle on top of your baked chicken katsu: I have homemade tonkatsu sauce recipe you might want to check out!
Other delicious and easy Asian chicken recipes:
Plus:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can make it gluten-free but I cannot guarantee that the breading will be as crispy as my original recipe. You will need to use gluten-free flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs. It should also be noted that tonkatsu sauce also contains gluten, so you will have to use another type of barbecue sauce that’s gluten-free.
Yes you can, and I even have a tofu katsu recipe for you! But if you prefer trying this recipe, all you have to do is swap the chicken for an extra firm block of tofu, and the egg for a flaxseed egg. For the tofu: Make sure it’s drained well and I also recommend letting it on a plate for 15 minutes, to let excess water come out of the block. After that, pat it dry with a towel and slice the block into strips or squares. For the flaxseed egg: Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water and let it sit for about 10 minutes before using. You can then follow the recipe instructions, and use this tonkatsu sauce, which is vegan.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Baked Chicken Katsu
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Low Salt
Description
This baked chicken katsu recipe is just as crispy as the deep fried version and stays crispy even longer!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Tonkatsu sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. And move one of the oven racks to the upper-middle part.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prepare the ingredients for the breading. Place three shallow bowls one next to another and fill the first one with flour and the second with the egg. Leave the third one empty for now – this will be for the panko breadcrumbs.
- Fry the breadcrumbs. In a small pan over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs and olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper and cook until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Turn the heat off and add breadcrumbs to the last shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken with breading. Pound the chicken to about 1/2-inch thickness and dip each piece in flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs. Press gently to coat the chicken evenly on each side.
- Bake the chicken. Place chicken pieces on parchment paper and bake in the oven for 12-13 minutes on each side, until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165° Fahrenheit (75° Celsius).
- Serve chicken katsu. Serve it with tonkatsu sauce or ketchup.
Notes
Keep the leftovers in a storage container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cutlet
- Calories: 298
- Sugar: 0.6g
- Sodium: 129mg
- Fat: 12.8g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13.4g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 30.6g
- Cholesterol: 175.7mg
This is my go-to recipe for chicken katsu. I’ve made this using thighs and it’s so good. I love the tip about toasting the crumbs in oil first. It definitely ensures a crispy crust on the outside. And I like that this is baked, so a healthy alternative to deep-frying the chicken. I combined two Asian cuisines tonight and made Korean vegetable pancakes as an accompaniment to this delicious chicken katsu. I should have invited friends to share because it was an impressive dinner if I do say so myself. Thanks for this winning recipe!
There are lots of food blogger like this But the best food recipe “Baked Chicken Katsu Recipe” is yours. Thanks for giving me this wonderful blog. I will try to make it like you.
Made this for my book club and it turned out delicious. I also made to homemade tonkatsu sauce…surprisingly spicy! Loved it and so easy. Only change I made was some spicy salt in the panko and salt and pepper on the chicken breasts.
Best recipe using chicken breast that I’ve tried in a long time. My family loved it!
First time making this. It was a big hit, but the panko breading didn’t stay
crunchy for me. Could it have been because the panko wasn’t fresh (we’ve had that box for a while now)? Also, is there a reason for toasting the panko in a SMALL pan as opposed to a big one? It would seem that a larger pan would help with a more even toasting.
Hi Kay! I’m so sorry you had trouble with the recipe. I think the fact that the panko was old might be the reason why it didn’t stay crunchy, or maybe it wasn’t toasted long enough? It’s hard for me to tell without a picture (feel free to email any time and I can help you 🙂 ) As far as toasting in a small pan, there is no particular reason other than I find that it helps with preventing the panko from burning too quickly.
I used boneless chicken thighs. Pounded them thinner and they were crispy on the outside and moist inside. I also made the tonkatsu sauce, which was delicious
Thank you Lorna! 🙂
First time making this – made it for 11 people and they ALL loved it. Got distracted with the first batch of panko and burned it afterwards, went well and DEFINITELY gave it the crunch people love!
Thank you so much Amanda!
Hi! Can I make this ahead? How long will it keep in the fridge, and can I reheat in the oven?
Hi Alison! I wouldn’t recommend making this ahead of time since the texture of the breading is best when fresh out of the oven (super crispy – so yummy!) It will keep in the fridge for about 2 days and yes you can reheat it in oven at a low temperature so the chicken doesn’t dry out. 🙂
We make this recipe at least once a month, it’s one of our toddler’s favourite meals 🙂 Highly recommend!
Absolutely loved this recipe! I added curry sauce on top.
Just made this with boneless skinless chicken thighs and it’s fantastic! Juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside… great tip on toasting the panko first it made all the difference! Thanks.
Amazing!!! Toasting the panko is a gamechanger! All I had were chicken thighs so I pounded them out, cut them in half and they were delicious. I had those in the oven a few extra minutes. Soooo crispy with barely any oil used! I served over rice with tonkatsu sauce and a daikon slaw
Hi in your instructions, did you mean 1/2 inch instead of 2 inches for the chicken thickness?
Yes Anne, that’s correct and thank you for spotting that mistake! I’ve made the changes to 1/2-inch 🙂
Can you substitute beef, pork, fish or any seafood? Thanks for the tip about the Panko bread crumbs becoming crunchy longer while baking the katsu.
Hi Jade, I tried substituting chicken for shrimp and it wasn’t good so I’m not sure if this would work well for fish. I think beef and pork is good though 🙂
This looks delicious Caroline. I have tried this at home a few times, but the crumb crust is never crisp so thanks a lot for the toasting tip!! Will definitely try this very soon 🙂
Jenny, you won’t believe how crispy it is!