If there is one thing that screams Hawaii to me (other than the sun, the beach, the ocean, the da kine Aloha spirit…), it’s plate lunch. Give me a plate lunch and I will be sooooo happy! If I don’t order meat jun, I will order chicken katsu. Or if I’m feeling crazy, I’ll get them both. Because seriously, you’re going to go swim off all these calories anyway, right? So let me take you to Hawaii with this homemade classic chicken katsu recipe.
Katsu (of the chicken or pork variety) is insanely simple. It requires so few ingredients but it’s irresistibly delicious. The exterior gets so crispy, panko ALWAYS sticks to what it’s supposed to, and the meat is tender and juicy and succulent and perfect. Also, as long as you keep your oil at a hot enough temperature, for a pan-fried chicken dish, it really doesn’t feel very greasy! Just crispy and crunchy and meaty.
Serve this with some tonkatsu sauce (homemade or store bought), some veggie sides (try this Cucumber Salad), and a heaping pile of white rice, and you’ll feel so warm inside. The only thing you’ll be missing is the sound of waves and that ocean breeze. But you know what, this is still amazing on it’s own, anywhere, any time.
Homemade Classic Chicken Katsu
Ingredients
- 2 Large chicken breasts (about 1 lb total)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup Panko crumbs
- 3 Tbsp. High temperature oil
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half the long way, so you have four pieces about 1/3 inch thick. Alternatively, you can pound the chicken until it is that thickness.
- In a dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then in a separate dish lightly beat an egg. And panko crumbs into a third dish.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, egg and then panko crumbs, covering the whole piece of meat.
- Meanwhile in a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. When shimmery, place two of the pieces of chicken in the pan and pan fry for about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done when it reaches 165 degrees F.
- Repeat with remaining chicken. once cooked, cut into strips and serve hot over white rice with tonkatsu sauce.
