Air Fryer Chicken Katsu is all about that crispy crust and juicy chicken without the need to pan-fry. That's what we love about the air fryer! You can put together a satisfyingly crispy dish quickly and with minimal oil.
What is Katsu?
Simply put, katsu is a Japanese dish featuring protein (chicken or pork cutlets) or vegetables coated in Panko breadcrumbs and fried to a crispy golden brown. It's then sliced, topped with a sauce (often tonkatsu, something of a Japanese barbeque sauce) and eaten with chopsticks. It may be served with green cabbage, cucumbers and lemon wedges. But the important part comes from that crispy exterior and juicy interior. Katsu is, in essence, the Japanese equivalent of schnitzel, though katsu is often thicker than schnitzel.
The trick with making katsu, whether pan-fried or air-fried, is to start with evenly thick pieces of chicken. That's done by cutting two boneless skinless chicken breasts in half crosswise. Then place the chicken between pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound (with a meat mallet, rolling pin, small skillet or even your hand) to an even half inch thickness. Set up a standard three-stage breading station (three shallow dishes or shallow bowls with flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs separately in each). Then let the air fryer do the rest of the work!
Ingredients that Matter
Air Fryer Chicken Katsu has only a few ingredients, and homemade tonkatsu is also mostly pantry staples:
- Chicken. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are perfect for katsu as they are quite easy to flatten evenly. Aim for two split breasts, each about 8 oz. Simply cut both in half crosswise so you have four 4 oz. thin chicken breasts. From there, gently pound them to an even ½-inch thickness.
- Panko Breadcrumbs. This Japanese breadcrumb is larger and crispier than western dried breadcrumbs. Panko is made by processing dried bread into flakes, giving it that distinctive larger, airier breadcrumb. When fried, air fried, or baked, Panko stays relatively light and airy and doesn't absorb much of the cooking oil.
- All-Purpose Flour. The first step in the three-stage breading process is to dip the chicken cutlets into flour. The flour sticks to the natural moisture from the chicken and gives the egg something to stick to.
- Eggs. A couple eggs whisked with water (to thin out the mixture) is the next step in the three-stage breading process. The egg coats the flour, which then gives something for the panko breadcrumbs to stick to. Without the flour, or the egg, the breadcrumbs will fall off easily after the chicken is cooked.
- Tonkatsu Sauce. You can find tonkatsu sauce at a well-stocked grocery store, specialty markets and Asian markets. But you can also make your own! The key flavors of tonkatsu sauce are ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. We like a two to one ratio of ketchup to Worcestershire sauce. Plus, we add a touch of soy sauce and brown sugar. You can also add garlic powder, fresh grated ginger and mirin, if you'd like.
How to Make Chicken Katsu in an Air Fryer
The benefit of making chicken katsu in an air fryer is there's no deep frying required. You only need a little bit of oil to get a crispy exterior. For best results, air fry the chicken cutlets until golden brown to ensure the chicken stays juicy. Here's how it comes together.
Start by cutting the chicken breasts in half crosswise. Gently pound between plastic wrap or parchment paper to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Bread the chicken through a three-stage breading process. First dip both sides in flour then add to the eggs. Coat well and allow excess egg to drip off before adding to the panko breadcrumbs. Coat both sides with the breadcrumbs, flipping and gently pressing the chicken into the breadcrumbs.
Add the chicken to the air fryer basket in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the basket (we can fit two cutlets in our basket). Spray both sides of the cutlets with a neutral oil cooking spray (we like avocado or olive oil). Then air fry at 375°F for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Carefully flip and cook until the other side is golden brown, another 2-4 minutes. Be sure the internal temperature reaches at least 165°. Let the chicken cool for about 5-10 minutes on a wire rack before serving.
How to Serve Chicken Katsu
After the chicken rests for about 5 minutes, sprinkle with more salt and pepper, as desired, then it's time to eat! Katsu is intended to be eaten with chopsticks, so be sure to cut the crispy chicken into thin strips. Serve with shredded green cabbage, thinly sliced cucumbers, a squeeze of lemon and, of course, tonkatsu sauce. You can also add some fluffy white rice, sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions.
What about leftovers? Katsu is great cold or reheated! Simply store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and eat cold right from the fridge. Or, to reheat, cook in the air fryer at 350° for a couple minutes, just until hot and the outside is crispy.
Can you freeze katsu? Yes, of course. We recommend placing in a freezer-safe zip-top bag with a piece of parchment between each piece of katsu. Then label and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 4-6 minutes.
Want More Air Fryer Recipes?
If you are looking for more air fryer recipes, try our Air Fryer Steak Fries. Or our Air Fryer Smashed Parmesan Potatoes.
Looking for a new air fryer? We LOVE both of these.
Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer Oven
Cuisinart Air Fryer + Convection Toaster Oven
PrintRecipe
Air Fryer Chicken Katsu with Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
- Total Time: 30 min.
- Yield: 4 katsu, 6 Tbsp. sauce 1x
Description
Air Fryer Chicken Katsu is all about that crispy crust and juicy chicken without the need to pan fry. That's what we love about the air fryer! You can put together a satisfyingly crispy dish quickly and with minimal oil.
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz.) bonelss skinless chicken breasts
- ½ tsp. table salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Cooking Spray
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- shredded green cabbage, sliced cucumbers, lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound to an even ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides evenly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Add flour to a shallow dish, eggs and water to another shallow dish, and panko breadcrumbs to a third separate dish. Whisk eggs and water until smooth. Dip a chicken cutlet in the flour, coating both sides and tapping off excess flour. Transfer to egg mixture and coat both sides of the cutlet with the eggs, allowing excess to drip off before adding to the panko. Coat the cutlet evenly in the breadcrumbs, flipping and pressing into the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Preheat an air fryer to 375°F. Add breaded chicken in a single layer, likely two cutlets per batch. Spray both sides of the cutlets with cooking spray. Air fry until golden brown, 6-8 minutes, flip and cook until the other side is golden brown and crispy, another 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and repeat cooking method with remaining chicken cutlets.
- While the chicken cooks, stir together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar until smooth. When ready to serve, thinly slice chicken and serve with cabbage, cucumbers and lemon wedges. Drizzle about 1 ½ tablespoons of the sauce on the chicken.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze leftovers by placing in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Place a piece of parchment between each piece of katsu. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To pound chicken, use a meat mallet, rolling pin, small skillet or your fist.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 20 min.
- Category: Main
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Japanese
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