Rooster Katsu—Japanese-style breaded rooster breast cutlets—is consolation meals that also warms me simply because it did the primary chilly afternoon I attempted it in a small restaurant in Tokyo.

It was a humid winter day, and we have been drained and hungry (ever really feel that method after work?).
We adopted our noses to a tucked-away basement restaurant, grabbed our image menus, and pointed at what appeared like the best meal for the second: juicy rooster breaded, fried, and served with a candy, sticky Asian sauce known as tonkatsu.
It was easy, satiating, and precisely what the second wanted.
Years later, it nonetheless hits the spot!

About Rooster Katsu
- Rooster katsu (or pork katsu, if pork cutlets are used as a substitute of rooster breast) is ubiquitous all through Japan.
- It’s just like our different cultures’ variations of crispy rooster, reminiscent of southern Baked Fried Rooster, in style European dishes like schnitzel, and American-Italian Baked Rooster Parmesan.
What units rooster katsu aside is the way it’s pounded thinly, coated in panko breadcrumbs (which makes it additional crunchy), and served with shredded cabbage, rice, lemon wedges, and tonkatsu sauce.

Rooster Katsu Sauce
Rooster katsu is often served with tonkatsu sauce.
This candy and tangy Japanese condiment is product of fruit and veggies, reminiscent of tomatoes, celery, onions, dates, and prunes, together with soy sauce and greater than 10 spices. It’s complicated!
Right here within the U.S., you should purchase it from many grocery shops or your native Asian market. I’ve additionally included a shortcut rooster katsu sauce recipe beneath that I tailored from Simply One Cookbook.
The right way to Make Rooster Katsu
If your loved ones loves crispy breaded rooster (me too!), you then’ll adore rooster katsu (and Crispy Asian Rooster Tenders).
At this time’s recipe is a baked rooster katsu, made accessible for the common American prepare dinner.
- Reasonably than deep fry, I bake the rooster at a excessive temperature to make the skin crispy and preserve the within juicy.
- To imitate the indulgence of fried, previous to breading the rooster, I toast the breadcrumbs in somewhat little bit of butter to create a yummy, crispy rooster with out the fuss of a deep fryer.
Serve your katsu the normal Japanese method (with shredded cabbage, rice, lemon, and tonkatsu sauce), or do a cultural mash-up and go for your loved ones’s favourite dipping sauces, like Barbecue Sauce, Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, or the honey mustard dipping sauce from my Honey Mustard Rooster Tenders.
The Components
- Rooster. Pounding the rooster cutlets till they’re good and skinny helps make them extra tender. Plus, they prepare dinner in a flash! You should purchase rooster that’s already sliced into cutlets, or minimize your personal from common rooster breast. (I additionally recommend cutlets for this Rooster Francaise recipe.)
- Butter. Toasting the panko in butter provides wealthy, mouth-watering taste to the breadcrumb coating with out the necessity for a deep fryer.
- Panko. Creates the right crispy, crunchy coating (like on Air Fryer Rooster Tenders).
- Flour + Egg. Helps the egg and breadcrumbs adhere to the skin for max crispiness.
The Instructions

- Pound the rooster cutlets and season with salt and pepper.

- Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan with butter. Add the flour to a separate bowl. In one other bowl, beat the egg.

- Flippantly dredge every rooster cutlet within the flour.

- Then, dip it into the egg combination.

- Lastly, dip it into the breadcrumbs.

- Lay the cutlets on baking trays topped with an oven-safe rack, then coat each with nonstick spray.

- Bake rooster katsu at 425 levels F for 12 to 14 minutes (or till it registers an inner temperature of 160 levels F on an instant-read thermometer). Take away and let relaxation for five minutes. Serve with tonkatsu sauce and desired sides. I usually high with inexperienced onion too. ENJOY!

Air Fryer Rooster Katsu
Right here’s make rooster katsu within the air fryer (followers of my Air Fryer Fried Rooster Breast will love this!):
- Comply with the recipe as directed by way of Step 6.
- Coat an air fryer basket with nonstick spray. Cook dinner the rooster cutlets in a single layer (chances are you’ll must do a number of batches) at 390 levels F for 4 minutes.
- Flip the rooster over, then prepare dinner for one more 2 to five minutes or till it’s cooked by way of. Repeat with any remaining rooster.
Storage Suggestions
- To Retailer. Refrigerate leftover breaded rooster in an hermetic container for as much as 2 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers on a baking sheet within the oven at 350 levels F or within the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze rooster in an hermetic freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
As much as 1 day prematurely, pound the rooster. Refrigerate it in an hermetic storage container till you’re prepared to complete the recipe.
Leftover Concepts
Cube your leftover rooster katsu and add it to a serving of Home made Fried Rice or Lemon Rice for a lemon rooster katsu spin. I’ve additionally reheated leftover rooster and served it on buns with cabbage and tonkatsu sauce for improbable rooster katsu sandwiches.
What to Serve with Rooster Katsu
Beneficial Instruments to Make this Recipe
- Baking Sheet. My go-to for all the pieces from roasted veggies to rooster katsu.
- Pie Dish. Good for the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures.
- Meat Tenderizer. Nice for pounding the rooster.
Multi-Objective Pie Plate
Whether or not you’re making a scrumptious pie (even Rooster Pot Pie) or breading rooster for a recipe like this one, this pie plate is up for the job. It’s dishwasher-safe for simple cleanup!

Each chunk of this rooster katsu takes me again to that cozy restaurant in Tokyo.
I hope it brings somewhat heat and nourishment to your loved ones too!
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
No. Rooster katsu isn’t gluten free. Nonetheless, you might experiment with swapping the flour and panko bread crumbs on this recipe in your favourite gluten free options. In the event you give it a strive, I’d love to listen to your outcomes.
To make dairy-free rooster katsu, swap the butter for canola oil, an identical vegetable oil, or olive oil.
Certain! Be happy to experiment with utilizing thighs when you choose darkish meat. Take notice that the cooking time can be completely different since thighs prepare dinner in another way than breasts. Use 4 giant rooster thighs for this recipe and take away any extra fats or gristle.
Rooster Katsu Video
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For the Rooster Katsu:
- 4 rooster breast cutlets*
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon floor black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter**
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup white complete wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 giant egg
- Nonstick cooking spray advisable: olive oil spray
For Serving:
- Tonkatsu sauce***
- Finely shredded cabbage
- Lemon wedges
- Cooked rice white is conventional; use brown rice for a dietary increase or cauliflower rice
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Place an oven rack within the higher third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 levels F.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place an oven-safe rack on high and coat generously with nonstick spray and put aside.
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Flippantly pound the rooster cutlets into a fair 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle the rooster cutlets with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper.
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In a medium skillet, soften the butter over medium warmth. Add the breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to coat the breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Let prepare dinner, stirring continually, till the breadcrumbs are flippantly toasted and turning golden brown, about 2 minutes. Switch to a large, shallow bowl or dish (a pie plate works effectively).
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In a separate shallow bowl, place the white complete wheat flour. In a 3rd shallow bowl, beat the egg.
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Arrange your workstation: rooster, flour, egg, panko, baking sheet. Working one by one, dip every rooster cutlet flippantly in flour to coat on all sides. Shake off the surplus.
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Then, dip the rooster within the egg.
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Lastly, dip the rooster into the panko. Pat the panko as wanted in order that it adheres. Prepare on the baking sheet so the cutlets aren’t touching. Mist the tops with nonstick spray.
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Bake the rooster katsu within the higher third of the oven, till the rooster is cooked by way of (it ought to attain an inner temperature of 165 levels F; I pull mine out a number of levels early and let the carryover cooking end the remaining), about 12 to 14 minutes.
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Take away from the oven and let relaxation 5 minutes.
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To serve, minimize the rooster katsu into skinny slices (if desired). Drizzle with the tonkatsu sauce. Serve with cabbage, a small bowl of rice, and lemon wedges, with the additional tonkatsu sauce in a bowl alongside.
- *Rooster breast cutlets are rooster breasts which were break up in half horizontally to create two thinner items of rooster. You should buy them already minimize or rigorously minimize your personal. Or, you’ll be able to pound very small rooster breasts to a ½-inch.
- **Conventional rooster katsu is deep-fried in vegetable or peanut oil; to imitate that indulgent spin, I toast the panko breadcrumbs in melted butter; when you choose, you’ll be able to toast them in canola oil or olive oil.
- ***Tonkatsu sauce is on the market at many supermarkets or at your native Asian grocery retailer. Or, you may make your fast model by combining 2 1/2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce. Add a pinch or two of sugar to style (sauce tailored from Simply One Cookbook).
- TO STORE: Refrigerate rooster in an hermetic storage container for as much as 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers on a baking sheet within the oven at 350 levels F or within the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze rooster in an hermetic freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Serving: 1(of 4)Energy: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 41gFats: 12gSaturated Fats: 5gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 3gTrans Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 165mgPotassium: 685mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 286IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
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