Air Fryer Chicken Katsu With Tonkatsu Sauce

sliced up chicken katsu on a plate with rice and tonkatsu sauce.

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Chicken Katsu With Tonkatsu Sauce

Perfectly crispy on the outside with a panko crust, tender on the inside, and served with a sweet tangy sauce, Air Fryer Chicken Katsu with Tonkatsu Sauce is a super yummy Japanese classic! Traditionally served with some shredded fresh cabbage and steamed rice, this recipe is a delicious quick and easy 30-minute meal!

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

Chicken Katsu

2 large chicken breasts boneless and skinless
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs beaten
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

Tonkatsu Sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sugar

To Serve

sesame seeds
shredded cabbage
steamed rice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally so that it's 2 thinner pieces. Place each chicken piece between plastic wrap or parchment paper and using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to tenderize to ½-inch thickness.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Prepare your dredging station with 3 shallow bowls. Fill each bowls, one with all-purpose flour, one with beaten egg and one with Panko breadcrumbs.
Dredge each chicken piece generously through flour, egg, and finally through breadcrumbs.
Spray the air fryer basket with a little bit of cooking spray. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer and spray with cooking spray.
Cook at 380°F for 8 minutes or until golden brown, flip the chicken over, spray with more cooking spray and cook for another 4 minutes. Do not overcook the chicken. The chicken is cooked through when a thermometer inserted in the center of the breast registers at 165°F. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
While the chicken is cooking prepare the tonkatsu sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Crush some sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle and sprinkle on top of the sauce.
Serve chicken katsu with shredded cabbage, steamed rice, and tonkatsu sauce.

Notes

Pat the chicken dry. Pat the chicken dry before sprinkling it with the salt and pepper. Removing any excess moisture helps it become more crispy when air fried.
Worcestershire sauce substitute. If you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce on hand you can use soy sauce or gluten-free tamari instead.
Temp the chicken. To ensure that chicken is fully cooked, use a digital instant-read thermometer to make sure that it has reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag. Then to reheat, put the chicken in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 7 minutes. You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave for about 3 minutes on medium heat. However, if frozen, put the chicken on a baking sheet and then put it in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 20 minutes or until warm.

Nutrition