Can’t get enough of crispy fried chicken? Then you might want to try chicken katsu, the Japanese version of fried chicken. Juicy chicken cutlets are pounded thin, coated in panko crumbs, and fried to golden perfection. Cook up a batch of these crispy cutlets to feast on at home—then grab a pair of chopsticks and reward yourself with strips of chicken dunked in sweet-and-savory tonkatsu sauce. 

Chicken Katsu Recipe: How to Make Crispy Japanese Chicken Katsu

Chicken katsu is a popular Japanese dish of fried chicken where the meat is seasoned, dredged in flour, then dipped in egg and panko breadcrumbs—a flaky breadcrumb made with white bread. Chicken katsu is usually served with tonkatsu sauce, a side of shredded cabbage, and steamed white rice. 

Chicken katsu is always served with tangy tonkatsu sauce—a thick, brown Japanese barbecue sauce made with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings. Other components of the dish are a side of rice and finely shredded raw cabbage that pairs with deep fried foods. 

Try the following twists on the traditional recipe for added flavor and texture. 

1. __Chicken katsu curry__: Chicken katsu is topped with Japanese-style curry sauce instead of tonkatsu sauce.
2. __Chicken katsu tenders__: Chicken tenders that are breaded and fried katsu style and served as an appetizer.
3. __Chicken katsu don__: Crispy chicken katsu served with an egg and onion mixture seasoned with black pepper over rice.
4. __Tonkatsu (pork katsu)__: Katsu made with pork cutlets instead of chicken. The highest quality pork katsu in Japaneses cuisine is made from Berkshire pork, known for its tenderness.
5. __Menchi katsu__: A thin patty of minced ground beef or pork that is breaded in panko crumbs and deep fried.
6. __Gyukatsu__: The Japanese version of chicken fried steak, made with steak that has been breaded in panko and fried. 
7. __Salmon katsu__: Fillet of skinless salmon, breaded in panko and fried katsu-style. [Learn more about  cooking salmon in our guide here](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-cook-salmon-8-different-ways-plus-20-salmon-recipe-ideas). 
8. __Ham katsu__: A deep fried cutlet made with thin slices of ham coated in panko.
9. __Katsu sando__: Chicken or pork katsu that is served as a sandwich in between two slices of white bread with the crusts removed.
Can’t get enough of crispy fried chicken? Then you might want to try chicken katsu, the Japanese version of fried chicken. Juicy chicken cutlets are pounded thin, coated in panko crumbs, and fried to golden perfection. Cook up a batch of these crispy cutlets to feast on at home—then grab a pair of chopsticks and reward yourself with strips of chicken dunked in sweet-and-savory tonkatsu sauce. 

Chicken katsu is a popular Japanese dish of fried chicken where the meat is seasoned, dredged in flour, then dipped in egg and panko breadcrumbs—a flaky breadcrumb made with white bread. Chicken katsu is usually served with tonkatsu sauce, a side of shredded cabbage, and steamed white rice.

What Is Chicken Katsu?

Chicken katsu is always served with tangy tonkatsu sauce—a thick, brown Japanese barbecue sauce made with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings. Other components of the dish are a side of rice and finely shredded raw cabbage that pairs with deep fried foods.

How Is Chicken Katsu Typically Served?

Try the following twists on the traditional recipe for added flavor and texture. <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Chicken katsu curry: Chicken katsu is topped with Japanese-style curry sauce instead of tonkatsu sauce. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Chicken katsu tenders: Chicken tenders that are breaded and fried katsu style and served as an appetizer. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Chicken katsu don: Crispy chicken katsu served with an egg and onion mixture seasoned with black pepper over rice. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Tonkatsu (pork katsu): Katsu made with pork cutlets instead of chicken. The highest quality pork katsu in Japaneses cuisine is made from Berkshire pork, known for its tenderness. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Menchi katsu: A thin patty of minced ground beef or pork that is breaded in panko crumbs and deep fried. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Gyukatsu: The Japanese version of chicken fried steak, made with steak that has been breaded in panko and fried. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Salmon katsu: Fillet of skinless salmon, breaded in panko and fried katsu-style. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-cook-salmon-8-different-ways-plus-20-salmon-recipe-ideas' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-cook-salmon-8-different-ways-plus-20-salmon-recipe-ideas","linkCopy":"Learn more about cooking salmon in our guide here","category":null}'>Learn more about cooking salmon in our guide here</a>. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 8. Ham katsu: A deep fried cutlet made with thin slices of ham coated in panko. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 9. Katsu sando: Chicken or pork katsu that is served as a sandwich in between two slices of white bread with the crusts removed. </li></ol>

9 Variations on Chicken Katsu

Crispy Chicken Katsu Recipe

Can’t get enough of crispy fried chicken? Then you might want to try chicken katsu, the Japanese version of fried chicken. Juicy chicken cutlets are pounded thin, coated in panko crumbs, and fried to golden perfection. Cook up a batch of these crispy cutlets to feast on at home—then grab a pair of chopsticks and reward yourself with strips of chicken dunked in sweet-and-savory tonkatsu sauce.

Can’t get enough of crispy fried chicken? Then you might want to try chicken katsu, the Japanese version of fried chicken. Juicy chicken cutlets are pounded thin, coated in panko crumbs, and fried to golden perfection. Cook up a batch of these crispy cutlets to feast on at home—then grab a pair of chopsticks and reward yourself with strips of chicken dunked in sweet-and-savory tonkatsu sauce. 
