Chicken Katsu

Season the chicken cutlets with sea salt and black pepper on both sides. Place three small trays or quarter sheet baking trays side by side on the counter (Really you just want something that has a rim, as the flour and panko tend to get everywhere if you just have those ingredients on plates). Place your flour in the first tray, your eggs in the second tray, and your breadcrumbs in the third tray. Get a clean plate out and set it at the end of the assembly line for your breaded cutlets. Take your first cutlet, place it in the flour, coating it on both sides. Next, dredge the cutlet in the egg mixture. And, finally, place it in the panko tray, pressing down firmly to get the panko really coated on there. Do this on both sides making sure that it is really coated in the panko and that the panko is sticking. Place the cutlet on the plate and repeat until all cutlets are coated.

Heat 1-2 inches of a neutral oil (I use Grapeseed) in a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan on high. To see if the oil is ready, drop a piece of panko into the oil. If it sizzles you are ready to go. Put 2 cutlets into the pan, making sure not to overcrowd. Fry until the chicken is golden brown on both sides, 4-6 minutes depending on the temperature of the oil and the thickness of the cutlet. Make you are standing by and watching the entire time so it doesn’t burn. If the oil seems too hot and smokey, turn down the heat a little. Once you see one side is golden brown, flip the chicken and cook until the final side is golden.

If you are going to fry a lot of cutlets, make sure to scoop out the breadcrumbs left in the oil between batches, as they will start to burn and darken the oil. Once the chicken is finished cooking, place it on a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray to remove any excess oil.

When you are ready to serve, slice each cutlet into 1/2” strips. Place the cutlet on some white rice, top it with a drizzle of Bull Dog Tonkatsu Sauce, and serve alongside my Tangy Cabbage Slaw.