Air fryer chicken katsu recipe! If you’re looking for an easy Japanese chicken that is bursting with flavor, look no further than this chicken katsu in air fryer that ticks all the boxes that an incredible dish should. It is quick and easy to make, crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside, and the sauce has a sweet tang to it that your taste buds will thank you for.
What is Chicken Katsu
Chicken katsu is a popular Japanese comfort food. Chicken breasts are pounded thin and then coated with panko bread crumbs and fried. The panko bread crumbs are important for making tonkatsu – without them, it would just be breaded chicken! Once the chicken has been fried to crispy perfection, it is paired with the tangy and savory katsu sauce for a mouthwatering culinary experience.
Chicken katsu is a chicken dish that even the pickiest eaters would love. It is flavorful, delicious, also incredibly easy, and quick to make!
Air Fryer Chicken Katsu Recipe
This air fryer chicken katsu recipe is going to become your favorite panko chicken recipe. It is juicy and tender inside with a crispy outer that is flavorful and delicious.
The ingredients used for this chicken katsu in air fryer are things you probably already have in your fridge and pantry. If not, they are readily available in stores.
Homemade katsu chicken is the best and using an air fryer to air fry chicken katsu cuts down the cooking time and this recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes making it a perfect weeknight meal! Whether you are in the mood for something to eat while watching your favorite show, a rainy day comfort snack, or a meal to impress your dinner guests, air fried chicken katsu is the one.
Only minimal prep is required for making this air fryer Japanese chicken. Pat the chicken dry, bread it, air fry, and serve!
The tonkatsu sauce is also easy, and quick to make with only 4 ingredients needed.
This air fryer katsu recipe is nutritious, flavorful, and delicious. Let me show you how to make it.
Related air fryer chicken breast: Air fryer
Ingredients
The full ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Boneless chicken breast
Flour
Egg
Panko
Cooking Spray
Pepper
Salt
For Katsu Sauce:
Ketchup
Worcestershire Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Sugar
How To Make Chicken Katsu In Air Fryer
Make the sauce- In a bowl, combine the sugar, ketchup, oyster sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk all together until it is well combined then set aside.
Switch on the air fryer and preheat it to 400F/200F.
Pat the chicken breasts dry. If they are thick, cut them in half. If the chicken breasts aren’t thick enough to slice in half horizontally, then use a meat tenderizer and pound them out with the flat side until they are about ½ an inch thick.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Add flour to a shallow bowl, add the panko to another shallow bowl or flat plate, then add the egg into another bowl.
Whisk the egg then set aside.
First, dredge the chicken in the flour. Make sure you coat the entire surface on all sides of the chicken.
Next, dip it into the egg mixture. Make sure the egg coats the whole piece of chicken.
After this, put the chicken into the panko bread crumb mixture. Make sure to get a good coating of bread crumbs on the chicken.
Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer leaving spaces in between them. Spray with cooking spray.
Air fryer chicken katsu for 10 minutes at 400F/200C then flip the chicken, spray with cooking spray and continue to cook it for an additional 8 minutes or until it's cooked.
When the chicken is done, Let it rest for at least 5 minutes
Slice and serve with the katsu sauce.
Enjoy!
How To Make Chicken Katsu Sauce (Tonkatsu Sauce)
Measure out the ingredients into a bowl- Ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar.
Mix till they are well combined.
It's ready to serve over the chicken and also as a dip.
Here's a detailed post on How to make chicken katsu sauce.
How Long To Cook Chicken Katsu In Air Fryer
How long to cook chicken katsu in air fryer is 12-18 minutes depending on the size, and thickness of the chicken breasts. The type, and temperature of the air fryer also play an important role in determining the cooking time. For example, if air fried at 400F/200C, It will cook quicker than if done at a temperature of 380F.
Air fried chicken katsu is cooked when the inside is tender, with no blood or pinkness in the middle, and the internal temperature at the thickest part is at least 165F when checked with an instant thermometer.
What To Serve With
Rice
Shredded cabbage
Noodles
Salad
Potatoes
Coleslaw
Storage and Reheating
The best way to keep leftovers is to keep the chicken fillet whole, in order to retain moisture better. Allow the chicken to cool completely, then add it to an airtight container or a Ziploc.
Store it in the fridge or the freezer! It will stay good for 3 days in the fridge or up to 4 weeks in the freezer.
To reheat, simply preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place the chicken inside until heated through. For refrigerated leftovers, this should take around 5-6 minutes, and around 7-8 minutes for frozen ones. Remember that air fryer varies by brand and makes, so the actual time may vary slightly.
You can also reheat leftover chicken katsu in the oven. Reheating in the air fryer makes sure it crisps back and no soggy chicken!
Tips
- Keep the chicken pieces in one single layer in the air fryer. Do not layer them on top of each other. This might mean that you have to cook the chicken in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer and how much chicken you are cooking.
- Place a layer of plastic wrap on top of the chicken breast before pounding it out with the meat tenderizer. This will help prevent the chicken breast from tearing or making a mess.
- If you want your chicken to be thicker or thinner than ½ an inch, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Chicken katsu can pair with almost any side or be a great meal all by itself. Serve with sides of your choice.
- It's best eaten when hot and crispy.
FAQs
Chicken katsu uses Japanese panko for it's breading while regular breaded chicken uses breadcrumbs.
Authentic chicken katsu is made with panko instead of regular bread crumbs. However, if you only have regular bread crumbs on hand, you can substitute those for the panko.
Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs to make chicken it. Follow the step by steps above but adjust cooking time accordingly.
If you can’t find any oyster sauce you can use soy sauce as a replacement. This will alter the taste slightly.
Tools
Meat Mallet- To flatten the chicken
Bowls
Tongs- To gently flip the chicken
Meat thermometer- To check the internal temperature of the chicken for doneness.
More Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipes
Air fryer lemon chicken breast
Air fryer boneless chicken breast
Frozen chicken breast in air fryer
Air fryer chicken and vegetables
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Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Tong
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breast fillets
- ½ cup Panko
- 1 medium Egg
- ¼ cup Flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Make the sauce- In a bowl, combine the sugar, ketchup, oyster sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk all together until it is well combined then set aside.
- Switch on the air fryer and preheat it to 400F/200F.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. If they are thick, cut them in half. If the chicken breasts aren’t thick enough to slice in half horizontally, then use a meat tenderizer and pound them out with the flat side until they are about ½ an inch thick. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add flour, black pepper and salt to a shallow bowl and mix, add the panko to another shallow bowl or flat plate, then add the egg into another bowl.Whisk the egg then set aside.
- First, dredge the chicken in the flour. Make sure you coat the entire surface on all sides of the chicken. Next, dip it into the egg mixture. Make sure the egg coats the whole piece of chicken. After this, put the chicken into the panko bread crumb mixture. Make sure to get a good coating of bread crumbs on the chicken.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer leaving spaces in between them.
- Spray with cooking spray.Air fryer chicken katsu for 10 minutes at 400F/200C then flip the chicken, spray with cooking spray and continue to cook it for an additional 8 minutes or until it's cooked.
- When the chicken is done, Let it rest for at least 5 minutes.Slice and serve with the katsu sauce.
Notes
- Keep the chicken pieces in one single layer in the air fryer. Do not layer them on top of each other. This might mean that you have to cook the chicken in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer and how much chicken you are cooking.
- Place a layer of plastic wrap on top of the chicken breast before pounding it out with the meat tenderizer. This will help prevent the chicken breast from tearing or making a mess.
- If you want your chicken to be thicker or thinner than ½ an inch, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Chicken katsu can pair with almost any side or be a great meal all by itself. Serve with sides of your choice.
- It's best eaten when hot and crispy.
Nutrition
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