- 19 hours ago
Chicken katsudon is a Japanese rice bowl recipe that turns crispy chicken cutlet, soft egg, and sweet savory broth into a comforting homemade meal. The chicken is usually coated with flour, egg, and panko, then fried until golden and crunchy before being simmered briefly with onion in a sauce made from dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Beaten egg is poured over the chicken so it sets softly around the cutlet while still keeping some of the crust texture. The warm rice underneath absorbs the flavorful broth, making every bite rich and satisfying. The final chicken katsudon is hearty, easy to serve for lunch or dinner, and pairs well with miso soup, pickles, shredded cabbage, or simple Japanese side dishes.
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00:00Crispy panko crunch, a sweet dashi-soaked broth,
00:03and molten egg draped over steaming rice.
00:06This is chicken katsudon.
00:08Here's exactly how to nail it at home.
00:10If you like a printable version of this recipe,
00:13just google chicken katsudon statue to find it on my website.
00:16Take about 350 grams plus of boneless chicken thigh
00:21and lay it out on your cutting board.
00:24Traditional katsudon uses pork, that's the classic,
00:26but it doesn't always have to be the case.
00:30Now, you can absolutely use chicken breast if you prefer something lighter,
00:34but thigh, thigh stays succulent, it's juicier, more flavourful,
00:39and honestly, way more forgiving if your timing isn't perfect.
00:43Score the thickest parts of the flesh with the tip of your knife or kitchen scissors,
00:48just shallow cuts to help the surface more or less even.
00:52And remove the tendons if you want to.
00:56Once it's more or less even, cut the thigh in half,
00:59one piece per serving.
01:02Set a heavy pot over medium heat,
01:04and pour in enough neutral high smoke point oil for deep frying.
01:09I personally use rice brown oil all the time.
01:12Bring it up to 170 degrees Celsius, which is 338 degrees Fahrenheit.
01:19Alright, assembly line time.
01:21Grab two wide plates or containers.
01:24On the first one, mix together one tablespoon of cake or all-purpose flour,
01:30and half tablespoon of cornstarch.
01:32This is your dusting mixture.
01:35On the second plate, spread out 60 grams of panko breadcrumbs.
01:40That's about one US cup or half a cup per cutlet.
01:44Japanese panko is coarse and airy, and when it hits hot oil,
01:48it fries into the iconic shatari crunchy coating.
01:52I'm using dry panko today.
01:55And if you want, you can make homemade panko using old bread easily.
02:00In a pinch, you can use your regular breadcrumbs,
02:03but the texture will be slightly different.
02:06Next, crack one egg into a mixing bowl,
02:09and add 5 tablespoons of cake or all-purpose flour,
02:13and 3 tablespoons of water.
02:15Whisk it all together until you have the thick, smooth batter.
02:19I usually apply these in separate layers for pork,
02:23but I find batter is preferable for chicken,
02:26as the surface is smoother yet more irregular.
02:29It acts like glue, helping the panko form a crunchier coat
02:33that really adheres to the chicken.
02:36Now, pat the chicken thighs dry.
02:39Season both sides of each cutlet with a pinch of salt and a crock of black pepper.
02:46Now, take the first piece and place it in your flour cornstarch mixture.
02:51Then, lift it up and shake off any excess.
02:54Dip it fully into the batter, making sure it's completely coated,
02:59then lift it out and let the drips fall back into the bowl.
03:04Immediately transfer it to the panko,
03:07and press both sides firmly with your palm.
03:10Really embed those crumbs,
03:12as loosely coated panko will just fall off drying and frying.
03:17Repeat with the second piece.
03:19The moment your last piece is coated,
03:22gently lower the first cutlet into the preheated oil,
03:25laying it away from you to avoid any splatter.
03:29Because I get asked all the time, I'm gonna show you my pot.
03:33This is what's called a tempera pot.
03:35Mine has a thermometer,
03:36which is extremely helpful for maintaining a consistent temperature throughout.
03:41I've put a link in the description if you're interested.
03:45Fry each cutlet for about 3 minutes per side, 6 minutes total,
03:49at 160 to 170 degrees Celsius, which is 320 to 338 degrees Fahrenheit, turning halfway through.
04:00After both sides are golden, transfer the cutlets to a wire rack to rest for 2 minutes.
04:07Now here's an important note, rest them on a wire rack, not paper towels.
04:11Paper towels might seem logical, but they actually trap steam underneath,
04:16making the bottom crush soggy.
04:17A wire rack lets air circulate, keeping everything crispy.
04:21While they rest, crank your oil temperature up to 180 degrees Celsius, which is 356 Fahrenheit.
04:29After 2 minutes of resting, give each cutlet a final 30 to 60 second dunk in the hot oil.
04:37This second fry is what gives you the burnished restaurant quality and blue color.
04:42This makes all the difference.
04:44Transfer them back to the wire rack.
04:47Now if deep frying at home just isn't your thing, I honestly, I get it.
04:52You can absolutely make this with oven baked chicken cuts instead.
04:56I've got a video tutorial if you're interested.
04:59Pour 150ml of dashi stock into a medium skelet or shallow saucepan,
05:04ideally something with a lid, because you'll need that later.
05:08Dashi is what creates depth and gives the dish its authentic Japanese soul.
05:13You can make it fresh with kombu and bonito flakes, or for convenience,
05:17use teabuck style dashi packet or instant dashi granules.
05:21But for granules, they add quite a bit of flavour more than the other two,
05:26so you might want to consider reducing chicken bouillon powder a bit later.
05:30Either way, don't skip it.
05:32Dashi is the backbone of gatsudon.
05:34Sail up a medium heat once it starts to steam and bubble.
05:38Stir in 3 tablespoons of mirin, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar,
05:42and 1 teaspoon of Asian style chicken bouillon powder.
05:46Chicken bouillon powder varies quite a bit by brand.
05:49Mine is 1 teaspoon per 200ml, but if yours is more concentrated,
05:53like 1 teaspoon per 300ml or 1 cup, use a little less to avoid over-salting.
06:00You can always adjust later.
06:02Stir until everything is dissolved, then toast in half an onion, thinly sliced.
06:06Let those onion slices simmer until they turn soft and translucent,
06:11about 3 to 4 minutes.
06:13You want them tender and sweet, not too crunchy.
06:17Today, I'm using a standard 24cm pan to cook 2 servings up once.
06:24But if you want the perfect presentation, you could use an oyakonabe like this,
06:29or a tiny skillet to cook each portion individually.
06:33It certainly looks refined, but that also means splitting the sauce and onions,
06:38and cooking in shifts.
06:40Pour 4 teaspoons of Japanese soy sauce into your simmering onion broth.
06:45That's koku shoyu, the standard Japanese soy sauce.
06:48Give it a stir.
06:50While the broth absorbs the savoury depth,
06:53grab your rested chicken cutlets and slice them crosswise into strips.
07:01Lay the katsu strips over the onions in a single layer.
07:04If you're making multiple portions in one large pan,
07:07arrange them in a way that's easy to divide later.
07:11At this point, if you want to check the seasoning, now's the time.
07:15The broth should taste slightly strong on its own,
07:18because the egg and rice will mellow everything out later.
07:22If it's too strong, splash in a bit of hot water,
07:25need more depth, attach more soy sauce,
07:27too sharp, a pinch more sugar to balance.
07:30Now we're going to cook the eggs in two stages.
07:33Whites first, then yolks.
07:35This prevents the rubbery overcooked texture when you dump everything in at once.
07:40Separate three eggs, putting the whites in one bowl,
07:44and the yolks in another.
07:46Whisk the egg whites until those thick ropey strands break down into a pourable consistency.
07:52Now drizzle them in a slow spiral around the edges of the pan.
07:57Avoiding pouring directly over the chicken at first,
08:00let them flow around and underneath.
08:03Immediately cover with a lid and let steam work its magic for about one minute.
08:08The whites will set into soft, billowy clouds.
08:12Now lightly beat the yolks, just enough to break them up,
08:16and pour them in the same circular motion around the pan.
08:20Cover again, then turn off the heat completely.
08:23Let the residual steam.
08:24Gently cook the yolks over the next 60 to 90 seconds.
08:28This leaves them molten and glossy rather than rubbery.
08:33Grab two bowls and scoop in your hot steamed Japanese short grain rice.
08:37Medium grain car rose works too.
08:39For an extra touch, sprinkle some kizami nori over the rice to create a flavourful bed.
08:45This is optional but it adds a nice layer of oceanic contrast.
08:50Use a spatula or large spoon to gently lift half the chicken,
08:55onions and egg mixture from the pan.
08:57Let any excess sauce drip back, then carefully slide it over one bowl of rice.
09:03Spoon a few tablespoons of the remaining savoury broth over the top.
09:07Finish with a generous sprinkle of finely chopped green onions for freshness and colour.
09:13And there you have it, chicken katsudon.
09:16It's a don that brings the comfort of the sweet savoury egg
09:19but with a satisfying volume over fried chicken.
09:23Pure indulgence.
09:25Want even more delicious recipes?
09:27Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
09:31Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time.
09:34And if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions
09:36by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen.
09:52That's a wrap.
09:53You can find a full printable version of this recipe on my website,
09:57linked right here on the screen.
09:58It has all the extra details to help you get it perfect every time.
10:02If you enjoyed this, check out my ultimate playlist.
10:05And next week, I'm making mentaiko pasta.
10:07Hit subscribe so you don't miss it.
10:09See you then.
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