Crispy on the surface, juicy inside—Rooster Katsu is the final word consolation meals you may whip up on a busy weeknight.
Rooster Katsu is a household‑pleasant Japanese cutlet of tender hen breast coated in ethereal panko breadcrumbs and fried till completely golden. Pair it with tangy tonkatsu sauce, steamed rice, and a contemporary salad for a meal everybody loves.
Should you’re craving extra katsu-style recipes, strive my Tonkatsu, Japanese Croquettes (Korokke), or Baked Rooster Katsu subsequent!
What’s Rooster Katsu?
Rooster katsu (チキンカツ) is Japan’s tackle hen schnitzel. Skinny butterflied hen breasts are seasoned, breaded with further‑mild panko breadcrumbs, and shallow‑ or deep‑fried for a shatteringly crisp crust. The dish developed from pork cutlets (tonkatsu) launched within the late 1800s, and it stays a lunch‑field and diner favourite throughout Japan.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Takes simply half-hour – The cooking course of may be very easy!
- Quick ingredient checklist – Most components are within the fridge and pantry.
- Crunchy, juicy, and flavorful – Pair it with salad, rice, or Japanese curry!
Substances for Rooster Katsu
- Rooster breasts – boneless and skinless
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- All goal flour
- Giant eggs
- Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Impartial oil
- Tonkatsu sauce
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
Substitutions
- Rooster breast: You possibly can make it with hen thighs or tenders. Darkish meat takes longer to prepare dinner, so add 1–2 minutes of frying time for thighs.
- Panko: Japanese breadcrumbs have bigger, lighter flakes and make a extra delicate breading. I extremely suggest utilizing panko over conventional floor breadcrumbs.
- Oil: Any neutral-flavored oil will do, reminiscent of canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Tonkatsu sauce: Retailer-bought does a wonderful job, although I want making straightforward Home made Tonkatsu Sauce with Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar.
The way to Make Rooster Katsu
Preparation
- Butterfly and pound the hen till ¼–½ inch thick; season either side with salt and pepper.
- Arrange a breading station with three shallow bowls or trays of flour, crushed eggs (whisked with a splash of oil), and panko.
- Dredge every hen cutlet in flour, dip in egg, and coat evenly with panko.
Cooking
- Deep fry one cutlet at a time in 340 °F (170 °C) oil for about 3 minutes, turning as soon as, till golden brown. Set on a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels.
Assemble
- Slice every cutlet into 1‑inch strips and serve sizzling with katsu sauce.
Nami’s Recipe Ideas
- Fry singly in a skillet or pot to maintain the oil sizzling and the crust mild.
- Watch the temperature—an instant-read thermometer takes out the guesswork.
- Shake off extra flour so free crumbs don’t burn and darken the oil.
Variations and Customizations
- Go gluten‑free with cornstarch and gluten‑free panko.
- Change proteins. Strive pork loin for traditional tonkatsu.
- Repurpose leftovers to make Katsu Curry.
- Use contemporary panko. To make nama panko, mist dried panko with water and relaxation quarter-hour.
What to Serve with Rooster Katsu
Whereas katsu is often served with white rice, shredded cabbage, and tonkatsu sauce, you may get artistic with my options under.
Storage and Reheating Ideas
To retailer: Cool, then refrigerate in an hermetic container for 4–5 days or freeze as much as 1 month.
To reheat: Bake at 350 °F (180 °C) for 15–20 minutes (30–40 minutes from frozen) till crisp.
Steadily Requested Questions
Sure, you may butterfly, bread, and refrigerate cutlets as much as 3 hours earlier than frying.
Sure! Cool the fried hen cutlets, separate with parchment, and freeze for fast lunches.
You should utilize common breadcrumbs in a pinch, however the texture can be denser than mild and fluffy panko with its signature crunch.
Forestall your display from going darkish
To Butterfly the Rooster
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Butterfly the hen breast so the meat is thinner and cooks sooner; learn extra about it in my weblog put up and watch how in my video. You should utilize considered one of two strategies. You possibly can cut up the breast horizontally from the aspect with a knife, stopping earlier than you narrow all over. Then, open it like a ebook. The 2 sides will mirror one another, resembling a butterfly. Alternatively, you could possibly use the Japanese slicing method Kannon biraki (観音開き) that I show right here. With a pointy knife, rating the highest of 1 piece boneless, skinless hen breast down the center about midway by way of the thickness of the breast; don’t minimize utterly by way of.
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Then, flip the knife parallel to the slicing board and slice from the middle towards the left aspect (or the fitting aspect, for those who‘re left-handed) to make it evenly skinny. Cease earlier than you narrow all over, and open it like a ebook. Think about we‘re making a French door.
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Flip the hen 180 levels and butterfly the second aspect, creating one other “door.“
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Lower the hen in half down the middle. Now, you’ve gotten two items.
To Pound and Season
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With a meat mallet or the again of the knife, pound the hen items to a good thickness of about ¼–½ inch (6 mm–1.3 cm).
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Season either side with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly floor black pepper.
To Preheat the Oil and Bread the Rooster
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Add 3 cups impartial oil to a medium-size, heavy-bottomed pot (I take advantage of a Staub 2.75 QT Dutch oven, 11 inches in diameter). Add sufficient so the oil is 1½ inches (3.8 cm) deep; dip a chopstick in it to measure. Begin preheating it to 340ºF (170ºC) over medium-low warmth (or low warmth, for those who want extra time to bread the hen). For the breading, put together three bowls or trays: One with 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour), one with 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), and one with 1 giant egg (50 g every w/o shell).
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Add ½ Tbsp impartial oil to the egg and whisk it collectively. Tip: By including oil, the breading received’t detach from the hen whereas deep-frying and this can assist seal within the hen’s juices and taste.
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Dredge the hen in flour and shake off the surplus. Then, coat it with the egg combination.
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Lastly, coat the hen with panko and gently press it to stick to the cutlet. Gently shake off any extra, then place the breaded cutlet onto a tray or plate. Repeat with the opposite piece.
To Deep-Fry
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If the oil is not sizzling sufficient (340ºF or 170ºC), enhance the warmth to medium. As soon as it reached the fitting temperature, fastidiously add one breaded cutlet to the oil. I like to recommend frying one by one, as including too many will decrease the oil temperature too quick. Preserve the warmth on medium and alter as wanted to take care of the fitting temperature. Nami’s tip: If you’re new to deep-frying, study extra recommendations on my The way to Deep Fry Meals web page. I like to recommend utilizing an instant-read thermometer to watch the oil temperature.
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Deep-fry for a complete of 3 minutes, flipping it over on the midway level. Tip: Don’t overcrowd the pot. Your components ought to take up not more than about half of the oil floor space. Should you add an excessive amount of meals, the temperature will drop shortly and the hen will soak up an excessive amount of oil.
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Prepare dinner till either side are golden brown. Take away the hen and let the oil drip off by holding the cutlet vertically over the pot for just a few seconds. Then, switch it to a wire rack or tray lined with paper towels. If attainable, maintain it on its aspect to empty extra oil.
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Scoop up and discard any fried crumbs within the oil with a fine-mesh strainer. Then, prepare dinner the opposite cutlet. Tip: All through cooking, maintain the oil clear of crumbs, which might burn and make the oil darkish and soiled.
To Serve
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Lower the hen katsu into 1-inch (2.5 cm) items and serve it with tonkatsu sauce. Sometimes, I serve it with a aspect of shredded inexperienced cabbage and my Japanese Sesame Dressing. I additionally add just a few wedges of tomato for coloration.
To Retailer
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Switch the leftovers to an hermetic container and retailer them within the fridge for as much as 2 days or within the freezer for as much as a month. To reheat, bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 15–20 minutes if defrosted (within the fridge in a single day) or for half-hour from frozen. Test that the within is heat earlier than serving.
Energy: 474 kcal · Carbohydrates: 21 g · Protein: 19 g · Fats: 35 g · Saturated Fats: 6 g · Polyunsaturated Fats: 18 g · Monounsaturated Fats: 8 g · Trans Fats: 1 g · Ldl cholesterol: 129 mg · Sodium: 535 mg · Potassium: 295 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 153 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 57 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Editor’s Notice: This put up was initially printed on November 6, 2012. It was up to date with new photographs, a video, and a revised recipe on November 3, 2021, and republished with extra suggestions and useful data on July 3, 2025.
