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    Home » Recipes » Chicken & Poultry

    Published: Mar 23, 2023 by Kelly Bloom · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

    Jump to Recipe
    slicked chicken Katsu in a bento box.

    Air Fryer Chicken Katsu is a delicious twist on the classic Japanese dish – and with our easy-to-follow recipe, you’ll be able to recreate it in no time! Perfectly golden and crunchy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.

    slicked chicken Katsu in a bento box.

    Why You Will Love This Recipe

    Chicken Katsu air fryer style combines crunchy fried chicken cutlets with a crispy Panko crumb coating. Perfect for adding to a homemade Bento box, chicken Katsu is super easy to make, ready in about 25 minutes, and there's not oil frying splatters to clean up!

    I've included a recipe for Katsu sauce also, but out Chick Fil A Sauce and Big Mac Sauce recipe are also similar to the seasoned Japanese mayonnaise that it very popular for dipping chicken Katsu in!

    What Is Chicken Katsu?

    Chicken Katsu is a Japanese breaded chicken breast cutlet. Kind of like a Japanese version of Shake n Bake! You will also see the term Tonkatsu, which is Japanese breaded, boneless pork cutlets. Katsu is the breaded cutlet designator.

    When you make air fryer chicken Katsu or pork Tonkatsu, you can achieve that same crisp and juicy cutlet without even a drop of oil!

    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love This Recipe
    • What Is Chicken Katsu?
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
    • How To Serve Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
    • Related Recipes
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tips for Success
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Food Safety
    • Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Connect with Smells Like Delish!

    Ingredients

    With just a few simple ingredients you too can take pleasure in this special treat from Eastern culture anytime at all. Read on for easy instructions to make air fryer chicken katsu.

    For the Chicken Katsu

    • Chicken breasts - Sliced horizontally to make thinner. Or smaller raw chicken tenderloins, pounded flat.
    • Flour - Or cornstarch, spread out in a shallow dish or plate.
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • Egg - beaten and set in a shallow dish.
    • Panko bread crumbs - Spread out in a shallow dish or plate.

    Katsu Sauce Ingredients

    • Catsup
    • Soy Sauce - or Teriyaki sauce.
    • Brown sugar
    • Mirin - or dry white wine.
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Garlic - minced.

    cutting board with thin sliced chicken breast, panko bread crumbs, egg, and seasoning.

    Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

    1. Prepare the Katsu sauce by whisking together the catsup, soy sauce, brown sugar, Mirin, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic together in a small bowl until sugar has dissolved. Set katsu sauce aside.

    2. Slice thick chicken breasts in half horizontally so you get thinner chicken cutlets. You can also use chicken tenders and pound them thinner.

    Flour The Chicken

    1. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together, and place on a plate or shallow dish. Coat each piece of flattened or thin sliced chicken breast with the flour.

    chicken dredged in seasoned flour.

    Dip Chicken In Egg

    1. Dip the flour coated chicken breast into a shallow dish of beaten egg, coating on both sides.

    floured chicken in bowl of beaten egg.

    Coat Chicken In Panko Crumbs

    1. Next, coat each piece of egg dipped chicken breast in a shallow bowl of Panko bread crumbs.

    chicken covered in panko bread crumbs.

    Air Fry Chicken Katsu

    1. Set pieces of Panko coated chicken inside your air fryer basket with just enough room to not touch.

    2. Set the air fryer temperature to 400 F, and the timer to 14 minutes.

    Panko covered raw chicken in an air fryer basket.

    Check For Doneness

    1. Remove the air fryer basket at 14 minutes. Check to see if the chicken is done by using a ThermoPro thermometer. If not evenly browning, turn and return to air fryer for another 3 to 6 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

    PRO TIP: Internal chicken temperature should read 165 F for chicken to be cooked properly, but you can remove at 160 - 163F because the chicken will continue to cook after removal. This will prevent your air fryer chicken katsu from being dry.

    golden crispy air fried chicken cutlets in an air fryer basket.

    How To Serve Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

    Air Fryer Chicken Katsu goes perfectly with a California Roll, or any package of ready made sushi you can grab on the way home from a busy day at work. Add a few Air Fryer Spring Rolls, and you have your very own Bento box!

    Air fried katsu is often dipped in a seasoned mayonnaise based sauce, similar to our Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce or our Big Mace Sauce recipe, as well as the Katsu Sauce recipe in the recipe card.

    slicked chicken Katsu in a bento box.

    Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Related Recipes

    • Panko Crusted Chicken
    • Frozen Sweet Potato Fries In Air Fryer
    • Asian Edamame Salad
    • Lemon Cast Iron Chicken Breast
    • Air Fryer Orange Chicken

    Substitutions

    I usually use thin sliced chicken breast, however, you can make air fryer chicken katsu with boneless chicken thighs also! There is less worry about over cooking and having dry chicken katsu when using chicken thigh meat also!

    No Panko bread crumbs? Well, if you have some Shake N Bake on hand, you can also coat your chicken cutlets with that also.

    No Air Fryer? No problem. Simply heat up about ¼" of oil in a skillet and pan fry the Panko coated chicken until golden brown on each side. Set on some paper towels to absorb excess oil, and serve just like our air fryer chicken katsu.

    Variations

    Here are a few scrumptious variations using this chicken katsu air fryer recipe:

    • Air Fryer Pork Katsu - Use boneless slices of pork tenderloin to make Pork Katsu, also known as Tonkatsu. You can make Air fryer Tonkatsu using our Air Fryer Chicken Katsu recipe also!

    Equipment

    Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making air fryer chicken katsu.

    • ThermoPro Thermometer - great to have, just jab the meat to see temperature!
    • Nuwave Brio Air Fryer - Rotisserie - Grill - This 15 quart countertop Smart Oven has three slide in trays, that all can be used at the same time. You can air fry rotisserie chickens, an SO mush more!
    • Nuwave Air Fryer 15 quart - This large family size basket air fryer has room to air fry enough for a large family!
    • Gourmia Digital Air Fryer 6 quart - This basket style air fryer will handle four frozen waffles in the air fryer.
    • Nuwave Air Fryer 3 quart - This compact basket air fryer is perfect for singles or a small family of 2 or 3. You can air fry two frozen waffles in 4 minutes.
    • Oil Sprayer - This is a perfect sprayer for spritzing a light coating of oil on vegetables, meats, and other prepared frozen foods before air frying. The tiny amount of oil ensures you get as amazing results as deep frying and roasting, with a fraction of the calories and splatter!

    Storage

    Store leftover chicken katsu in the refrigerator, covered for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in your air fryer to re-crisp the Panko crust also. Place back in the air fryer at 300 F for about 5 minutes.

    Tips for Success

    • Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise so the meat is not so thick.:
    • You can use chicken tenders and pound them thinnner.
    • Don't over cook chicken breast, as it gets tough and dry.
    • Don't use non stick cooking spray in your air fryer, it damages it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do I need to spray the Panko coated chicken pieces with oil spray?

    No, you don't! Your air fryer chicken katsu will turn out perfectly golden brown without a drop of any oil! Amazing huh??

    Can I use bread crumbs instead of panko?

    Yes, but Panko crumbs make a crispier and more authentic chicken katsu in your air fryer.

    Do I have to pound out the chicken breast?

    Only if you don't slice it thinner horizontally or use chicken tenders and need to flatten them.

    Do I need to use Non Stick Cooking spray?

    No, please don't use non stick cooking spray! The propellants in it will damage the air fryer coating and cooking elements.

    How long should I air fry chicken katsu for?

    You will air fry chicken katsu for about 14 minutes at 400F.

    Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

    No the forced hot convection air heats so rapidly in the smaller air fryer space that preheating has a negligible effect to cooking times.

    Can I freeze air fried chicken Katsu?

    Yes, you can! Simply cover it or store in freezer save containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in your air fryer frozen at 350F for about 5 to 8 minutes.

    Food Safety

    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    📖 Recipe

    slicked chicken Katsu in a bento box.
    Print Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

    Air Fryer Chicken Katsu is a delicious twist on the classic Japanese dish – and with our easy-to-follow recipe, you’ll be able to recreate it in no time! Perfectly golden and crunchy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time17 minutes mins
    Total Time27 minutes mins
    Course: Main Dishes
    Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 340kcal
    Author: Kelly Bloom

    Equipment

    • ThermoPro Thermometer
    • Nuwave Brio Air Fryer
    • Nuwave Air Fryer 15 quart
    • Gourmia Digital Air Fryer 6 quart
    • Nuwave Air Fryer 3 quart

    Ingredients

    For Chicken Katsu

    • 2 6 oz chicken breasts or equal weight in chicken tenders
    • ¼ cup flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 large egg
    • 1½ cup Panko

    Chicken Katsu Sauce

    • ⅔ catsup
    • 3 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 3 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
    • 1½ tablespoon Mirin
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Prepare Katsu Sauce

    • Prepare the Katsu sauce by whisking together the catsup, soy sauce, brown sugar, Mirin, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic together in a small bowl until sugar has dissolved. Set katsu sauce aside.
      ⅔ catsup, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 teaspoon brown sugar, 1½ tablespoon Mirin, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic

    Prepare Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

    • Slice thick chicken breasts in half horizontally so you get thinner chicken cutlets. You can also use chicken tenders and pound them thinner.
      2 6 oz chicken breasts
    • Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together, and place on a plate or shallow dish. Coat each piece of flattened or thin sliced chicken breast with the flour.
      ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
    • Dip the flour coated chicken breast into a shallow dish of beaten egg, coating on both sides.
      1 large egg
    • Next, coat each piece of egg dipped chicken breast in a shallow bowl of Panko bread crumbs.
      1½ cup Panko
    • Set pieces of Panko coated chicken inside your air fryer basket with just enough room to not touch.
    • Set the air fryer temperature to 400 F, and the timer to 14 minutes.
    • Remove the air fryer basket at 14 minutes. Check to see if the chicken is done by using a ThermoPro thermometer. If not evenly browning, turn and return to air fryer for another 3 to 6 minutes. Remove and enjoy!
      PRO TIP: Internal chicken temperature should read 165 F for chicken to be cooked properly, but you can remove at 160 - 163F because the chicken will continue to cook after removal. This will prevent your air fryer chicken katsu from being dry.

    Notes

    • Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise so the meat is not so thick.:
    • You can use chicken tenders and pound them thinnner.
    • Don't over cook chicken breast, as it gets tough and dry.
    • Don't use non stick cooking spray in your air fryer, it damages it.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 3250mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 5mg
    Keyword : air fry chicken katsu, air fryer chicken katsu, air fryer katsu, chicken katsu air fryer

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    Author photo for Kelly Bloom

    Hi, I'm Kelly! and I have a love affair with herbs & spices! Here at Smells Like Delish, I'm all about creating food that has three aspects: flavor, aroma, and texture - to create satisfying fare!

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