Chicken Katsudon
Crispy fried chicken cutlet over rice, simmered in a savory-sweet egg sauce. A classic Japanese comfort bowl ready in under 45 minutes.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 745
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 2 pieces (about 1.25 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 whole, divided eggs
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup dashi or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 cups cooked short-grain white rice
Instructions
- 1
Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and lay your hand flat on top of it. Using a sharp knife held parallel to the board, carefully slice each breast in half horizontally so you have four thin pieces about 0.5 inches thick.
- 2
Put the flour in one shallow bowl, 1 beaten egg in a second shallow bowl, and the panko in a third shallow bowl. Arrange them in a line on your work surface, left to right: flour, egg, panko.
- 3
Take one chicken piece, place it in the flour, and turn it over to coat both sides evenly. Tap off excess flour and place it in the beaten egg, turning to coat completely.
- 4
Lift the chicken from the egg, let excess drip off for 3 seconds, then place it in the panko. Press gently so the breadcrumbs stick to both sides, then transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining three chicken pieces.
- 5
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, and dashi until the sugar dissolves completely, about 30 seconds. Set this sauce bowl to the side near your stove.
- 6
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 7
Carefully lay all four panko-coated chicken pieces in the hot oil in a single layer. You will hear a loud sizzle immediately. Do not move them for 3 minutes.
- 8
Use a metal spatula to flip each chicken piece over. The bottom should be golden brown, the color of a honey-covered biscuit. Cook the other side for 3 minutes until it also turns golden brown.
- 9
Transfer all four cooked chicken pieces to a clean plate. Pour off most of the oil from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon coating the bottom.
- 10
Pour the soy-sauce mixture into the hot skillet. It will bubble immediately. Return the four chicken pieces to the skillet and arrange them in a single layer in the sauce.
- 11
In a small bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs together with a fork until no white or yellow streaks remain, about 20 seconds. Pour the beaten eggs in a slow, steady stream over the chicken pieces while gently stirring the sauce with a spoon.
- 12
Simmer over medium heat, without stirring, for 2 minutes until the egg is mostly set but still slightly moist on top, with some parts still glossy and runny.
- 13
Divide the cooked rice evenly between two bowls, making a bed about 1 inch deep in the center of each bowl.
- 14
Carefully slide two pieces of katsu chicken with some of the egg sauce on top of the rice in each bowl, arranging them in the center.
- 15
Pour the remaining sauce from the skillet evenly over the chicken and rice in both bowls until the rice is partially covered.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- three shallow bowls for breading station
- small bowl for sauce
- 12-inch skillet
- metal spatula
- fork for beating eggs
- metal spoon for stirring
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