It might look like Chicken schnitzel, but it’s not—it’s a Japanese fried chicken made with chicken breast and panko bread crumbs. It’s usually served with Tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage, and steamed white rice. We start by pounding the chicken breast(or thigh) into a thin cutlet. Yes, this meal is not only delicious but also a stress buster! Lol. Then you “bread” or dredge the chicken and finally Air fry it. In less than 20 minutes, you can have this crispy, restaurant-worthy fried chicken on your table. And all with a fraction of the oil because we will Air fry it instead of deep frying it! I promise no one will know the difference! Oh, such an easy meal! It’s loved by everyone—kids and adults alike! I mean, who can resist a crispy fried chicken?! And that katsu (tonkatsu) sauce on top is just heaven! However, even though air-fried katsu chicken is crispy, the color is slightly dull compared to the full-spectrum golden brown that you get by deep frying. If you just got into the air fryer game.Then you have to add these to your lineup: air fryer BBQ chicken wings , air fryer buffalo shrimp & our latest obsession - air fryer grilled corn.
Ingredients
Chicken - You can make the chicken katsu with chicken breast and thighs. The chicken breast gives it a more katsu-like shape, though I have to say the chicken thighs would be a lot more juicy. For this batter, you can crumb coat about two whole chicken breasts. If you can, get the orange ones. They have a better color and look as compared to the white panko crumbs. But the taste and texture remains absolutely the same. If you can’t find panko breadcrumbs, you can easily substitute it with regular breadcrumbs. Oil—Use any neutral oil—olive oil, avocado oil, or canola oil. If you can, get an oil spray. It is super helpful, especially for air fryer recipes. Flour - I have used all purpose flour or white flour. You can also use tapioca or potato starch. Garlic Powder - This is a life savior, especially if you love the taste of garlic but do not want to peel it! For this recipe, you can use minced fresh garlic too.
How to make Chicken Katsu in an Air fryer
Usually, katsu is made with pork chops and deep-fried. This is a far simpler, faster, and fuss-free version of the same. While I love my deep-fried chicken, this version is made with minimal oil and, thanks to the air fryer, with maximum crunch!
Step 1: Pounding the Chicken
For this recipe, you need to pound the chicken to about ½-inch thin cutlets. This helps in a) uniform crumb coating and b) uniform cooking. I always line the cutting board with plastic wrap or zip lock bag while doing this. It helps keeping the chicken together and doesn’t dirty my chopping board. You can pound the chicken with anything heavy at home - A rolling pin or a meat tenderizer.
Step 2: Dry Brine
Once the chicken has been pounded, season it with salt and black pepper. This step is called dry brining, and it helps season the chicken from the inside.I mean, who likes under-seasoned chicken?!
Step 3: Wet Batter
You will need two shallow bowls or plates big enough for your chicken cutlets. Make the wet batter in one and the panko crumbs in the second. To make the wet batter, whisk the egg. Add all the dry ingredients and mix it up. Finally, add the water two tablespoons at a time till you get a thin batter(Check the video to see the consistency)
Step 4: Panko Crumbs Coating
The final step is crumb coating. If you cannot get panko bread crumbs, you can use regular bread crumbs, too. Dunk the pounded chicken cutlet in the wet egg mixture. Flip it once or twice. Gently wring the excess batter off. I like to use tongs while doing this. Now, press the chicken into a bowl of panko crumbs. Flip it and press it into the crumbs. I do this 3 to 4 times so that the bread crumbs are in every nook and cranny of the chicken.
Step 6: Air fry Chicken Katsu
Preheat your air fryer to 200 C or 400 F for 5-8 minutes. Preheating makes sure there is minimal sticking to the bottom of the air fryer. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with a cooking spray. You can also use a brush or use a tissue paper wet in a bit of oil. Place the chicken cutlet inside the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry for 12 minutes at 180C/350F.My air fryer is quite old(One of the OGs) so its quite small. Though If you have a large air fryer, you can possibly air fry 2-3 chicken cutlets at the same time. Now flip the chicken, brush or spray oil on both sides of the chicken. Air fry for 5 minutes at 200 C/400F.Why do we change the temperature? Because the chicken has cooked inside but we want a crunchy panko coating on the outside.
Making Homemade Katsu Sauce
This is the jelly to the peanut butter that is the Katsu. Really! and you can make it at home! The ingredients are quite simple - ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. You can also use any store-bought version! If you make it at home, add a bit of salt and pepper as per taste.
Serving Chicken Katsu
You can serve Katsu chicken as an appetizer and a main course.Chicken Katsu can be served with steamed rice, a generous drizzle of Homemade tonkatsu sauce, spring onions & shredded Cabbage. Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to finely shred the cabbage. If you like, you can add Japanese mayonnaise to the shredded cabbage too. Another sauce is the mayonnaise based, spicy lime sriracha aioli or a fresh chimichurri aioli. You can also add a salad or Japanese Katsu curry on the side. The other option we have been love this summer is serving the katsu on a bed of a easy salad. Or if you want to really add a punch to the katsu, serve it along this Asian spicy cucumber salad or add a grain and make something like quinoa arugula avocado Salad.
Storing & Leftovers
Okay first, you wont have any leftovers! But if you do, then you can turn any leftover chicken katsu into a katsu sando- meaning a katsu sandwich with lettuce etc. Though if you do have some left, you can freeze the whole thing for another day! Yes..Just pop it in a freezer bag and shove it in. Come random 4 o clock hunger, you can just quickly air fry it to crispy perfection again! Frozen katsu chicken should last for about 2-3 months in the freezer. If you know you are going to eat it in the next few days, you can refrigerate it instead. Again, refresh it quickly by air frying for a couple of minutes and you are good to go!
