Baked Hen Katsu (揚げないチキンカツ) is my go-to wholesome spin on the Japanese traditional. By toasting panko first and baking on a wire rack, you get the identical crunchy outdoors and succulent inside with out the oil splatters.
For those who love Japanese panko-breaded meals, attempt my Tonkatsu, Japanese Croquettes, and traditional Hen Katsu recipes subsequent!
What’s Katsu?
Brief for katsuretsu or cutlet, katsu (カツ) is Japan’s reply to schnitzel. Conventional cutlets are deep-fried, however on this baked rooster katsu recipe, we butterfly rooster breasts, coat them in pan-toasted panko Japanese breadcrumbs, and bake till crispy. The result’s lighter and simply as satisfying because the deep-fried model.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Pan-toasted golden crust that’s tremendous crispy
- Tender and juicy inside
- A lighter, more healthy possibility than the deep-fried model
- Simple cleanup and no deep fry mess!
Elements for Baked Hen Katsu
- Hen breasts – boneless, skinless
- Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Massive egg
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper
- Impartial oil
- Tonkatsu sauce
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
Substitutions
- Panko: I exploit flaky panko breadcrumbs for his or her mild, tremendous, and supercrisp crunch. Please use a Japanese model, as non-Japanese panko shouldn’t be the identical.
- Hen breast: Please don’t substitute rooster thighs, which have extra fats and take longer to cook dinner.
- Tonkatsu sauce: We use this thick, sweet-savory sauce for all katsu dishes. Essentially the most well-known model is Bulldog, however I desire to make Selfmade Tonkatsu Sauce with Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and ketchup as a result of it’s straightforward and simply as scrumptious.
How one can Make Baked Hen Katsu
Preparation
- Toast the panko in a dry frying pan till golden brown; cool.
- Butterfly every rooster breast or use the Japanese Kannon biraki methodology. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bread the cutlets. Arrange prep trays with flour, overwhelmed egg with oil, and toasted panko. Coat the rooster.
Baking
- Bake. Place cutlets on a wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan. Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 25–half-hour, or to an inside temperature of 165ºF (74ºC).
Assemble
- Lower and serve. Slice the cutlets into ¾-inch (2-cm) items and serve drizzled with tonkatsu sauce.
Nami’s Recipe Ideas
- Toast the panko first so it bakes up evenly brown and further crispy.
- Butterfly for juiciness – Skinny, even cutlets cook dinner quick and keep moist.
- Add a teaspoon of oil to the egg to assist the crumbs stick higher.
- Use a wire rack so sizzling air reaches each floor—no soggy bottoms.
- Test doneness with an instant-read thermometer like Thermapen ONE from ThermoWorks; overbaked breast dries out shortly.
Variations and Customizations
- Make it with pork with my Baked Tonkatsu recipe.
- Grind toasted sesame seeds and stir into tonkatsu sauce for a nutty dip.
- Use it in curry rice. Lay leftover cutlets over rice with Japanese curry for Hen Katsu Curry.
- Make rooster katsu sando. Tuck the rooster cutlets between fluffy Japanese milk bread (shokupan) for a rooster Katsu Sando.
- Serve it in a rice bowl – Simmer katsu with onions and egg to make my favourite donburi, Katsudon.
What to Serve with Baked Hen Katsu
Storage and Reheating Ideas
To retailer: Cool, then refrigerate in an hermetic container as much as 3 days or freeze as much as 1 month.
To reheat: Bake at 350 °F (180 °C) for 15–20 minutes if thawed, or half-hour from frozen, till heated via and crispy.
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To Toast the Panko
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Mix 1¼ cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and 1 Tbsp impartial oil in a frying pan.
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Toast the panko over medium warmth, stirring ceaselessly, till golden brown.
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Switch the toasted panko to a prep tray or shallow dish and funky.
To Butterfly the Hen
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We‘ll butterfly 2 boneless, skinless rooster breasts utilizing the Japanese chopping approach Kannon biraki (観音開き). With a pointy knife, rating the rooster breast lengthwise alongside the highest heart line, chopping about midway via the thickness of the breast; don’t reduce utterly via.
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Then, flip the knife parallel to the chopping board and slice the rooster breast from the middle towards the left aspect (or the correct aspect, should you‘re left-handed) to make it evenly skinny. Cease earlier than you narrow all over the sting; then, open it like a ebook. Think about we‘re making a French door right here.
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Rotate the breast 180 levels and butterfly the second aspect in the identical method from the middle towards the left (should you maintain the knife in your proper hand), creating one other “door.“
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Lower the butterflied breast in half down the middle. Now, you have got two items. Butterfly the remaining rooster breast in the identical method. Subsequent, utilizing a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the rooster cutlets to a good thickness, about ¼–½ inch (6 mm–1.3 cm).
To Bread the Hen
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Season either side of the cutlets with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper.
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Arrange the breading station. In a prep tray or shallow dish, whisk collectively 1 massive egg (50 g every w/o shell) and ½ Tbsp impartial oil. In a second tray, place ¼ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour). Line up the toasted panko because the third tray. Tip: By including oil to the egg, the breading will not detach from the meat whereas cooking. It can additionally assist seal within the rooster’s juices and taste.
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First, dredge a rooster cutlet within the flour and shake off any extra. Subsequent, dip the floured rooster into the egg combination and coat properly on either side.
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Lastly, coat the rooster with the toasted panko, urgent firmly to make sure that it adheres properly. Put aside. Bread the remaining cutlets.
To Bake
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Put the breaded rooster cutlets on a wire rack positioned on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for about 25–half-hour.
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When the inner temperature of the rooster reaches 165ºF (74ºC), it‘s performed. Take away from the oven and reduce into ¾-inch (2-cm) slices.
To Serve
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Serve with a shredded cabbage salad (I like to make use of a useful cabbage slicer; you will discover it on Amazon and JOC Items), tomato wedges, and cucumber slices with a aspect of my Wafu Dressing or Japanese Sesame Dressing. Drizzle tonkatsu sauce over the Hen Katsu to get pleasure from!
To Retailer
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You possibly can hold the leftovers in an hermetic container and retailer within the fridge for as much as 3 days or within the freezer for a month. To reheat, bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 15–20 minutes for baked katsu that was thawed within the fridge in a single day, or for half-hour if heating immediately from frozen. Test that the within is heat earlier than serving.
Energy: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 28g, Fats: 7g, Saturated Fats: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 3g, Trans Fats: 1g, Ldl cholesterol: 119mg, Sodium: 240mg, Potassium: 463mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 102IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @justonecookbook on Instagram so we will see your scrumptious creation!
Editor’s Observe: This put up was initially revealed on October 27, 2013. It was up to date with new pictures on September 26, 2022, and republished with extra useful info on July 23, 2025.
