This SPEEDY CHICKEN KATSU DINNER features juicy chicken cutlets served with freshly steamed rice, crunchy shredded cabbage dressed in a 5-minute sesame dressing, and sweet-tangy tonkatsu sauce. This is a meal I can throw together in 30 minutes because of two key shortcuts. Firstly, ground chicken is used to avoid the need to pound pieces of meat into cutlets. Secondly, the cutlets are baked (in 15 minutes!) instead of deep frying. By just taking a few minutes to dry-toast the panko before using means the baked cutlets still turn out beautifully golden. Both of these shortcuts are major time-savers!
The recipe for this SPEEDY CHICKEN KATSU DINNER was inspired by Tonkatsu, a Japanese dish consisting of deep-fried, panko-coated pork cutlets served with rice and shredded cabbage. We order it quite often from a local restaurant. I started making this recipe when I wanted to make a healthier and quicker version at home. In preparing for this post, I discovered it is also similar to another Japanese dish, Menchi Katsu, where menchi is derived from the English word “mince” and katsu means “cutlet”. Menchi Katsu is typically ground beef and/or pork mixed with onions and other ingredients. It’s often served with similar sides and tonkatsu sauce as well. But my cutlets are much simpler, consisting of just ground chicken and salt which is more akin to the treatment of the cutlets for Tonkatsu. I tend to think of them as giant chicken nuggets because it’s the same technique I use for my 4-INGREDIENT CHICKEN NUGGET recipe! Keeping it simple is the name of the weeknight dinner game 🙌
Obviously, nothing compares to the crunch of cutlets deep fried in hot oil. It’d be a big fat lie to say that one can achieve the same result from baking. But these ground chicken cutlets are juicy on the inside with a light crunch on the outside. When served atop perfectly cooked rice and crunchy shredded cabbage, and drizzled generously with tonkatsu sauce, it’s a meal we enjoy so much and put on regular rotation at my house.
This SPEEDY CHICKEN KATSU DINNER is recipe #7 in my Instagram recipe series, You Got This in 30 Minutes, wherein every recipe is family-friendly and can be made win 30 minutes (or less). Be sure to check out the other popular recipes in this series, too.
Eat well + be well. S
You May Also Be Interested in…
these other recipes from the same recipe series, You Got This in 30 Minutes:
》SHANGHAI BOK CHOY VEGETABLE RICE
》MUSHROOM AND EGG “GYUDON” RICE BOWL
SPEEDY CHICKEN KATSU DINNER - HEAD NOTES:
1. What is panko?
Panko is a type of bread crumb originating from Japan. It is flakier than regular breadcrumbs and results in lighter, crispier results when deep-fried or baked. Not all brands are created equal. Try to look for largest, flakiest crumbs. The crumbs pictured in my blog post is slightly smaller than I like – it was the Whole Foods 365 brand and it was also the bottom of the container (more crushed). Kikkoman Panko Japanese Style Toasted Bread Crumbs is a solid choice and is widely available. If you can’t find panko, you can use regular breadcrumbs, but it will likely be less light and crunchy. See note 2 for gluten-free alternatives.
2. Is there a gluten-free alternative to panko I can use?
Chickpea crumbs: I have frequently used chickpea crumbs as breading. They are amazingly crunchy as a cutlet coating! I’ve used the ones by WatUSee Foods. If you can’t find chickpea crumbs, you can buy their roasted chickpeas (the snacking kind, not ones you roast in the oven at home - those would be too wet) and pulverize them in the food processor until they’re the size to chunky breadcrumbs. Substitute the same amount of chickpea crumbs for panko in this recipe. You do NOT need to dry-toast the chickpea crumbs first before using to coat the cutlets.
Pork Panko: (by Bacon’s Heir) is another excellent option. They’re light, crunchy and salty.
Gluten-free panko: I have seen gluten-free panko by Kikkoman but I haven’t tried it myself.
3. If I am making the Sesame Dressing, do I have to grind the sesame seeds?
A quick crush of the sesame seeds releases their aroma and flavour and makes a big difference in the taste of the sesame-forward dressing. So I definitely recommend it. I use an inexpensive Japanese mortar and pestle (suribachi and surikogi) and just grind it for 15-20 seconds for the small amount used in the dressing. A regular mortar and pestle can work too, if you have. Alternatively, place seeds in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to roll and crush them up a bit. They just need to be partially crushed. You should still see seeds, not a paste.
4. What is Tonkatsu sauce?
Tonkatsu sauce is a thick sauce served with tonkatsu, the Japanese pork cutlet. It is a thick Japanese Worcestershire-type sauce. As with most Japanese Worcestershire sauces, it is vegetarian and similar to a brown sauce, with tomatoes, prunes, dates, apples, lemon juice, carrots, onions, and celery among its ingredients. The Bull-Dog brand of tonkatsu sauce, for example, is made from malt vinegar, yeast, and vegetable and fruit purees, pastes, and extracts. In the United States, Kikkoman brand sells a fruity tonkatsu sauce with applesauce as the main ingredient (source: Wikipedia)
Tonkatsu sauce is also sometimes called Japanese BBQ sauce for its sweet, tangy flavour. I usually buy it rather than make it, mostly because I don’t feel confident about my ability to recreate the same depth of flavour in a simple homemade recipe that doesn’t also involve other bottled sauces, which negates the point for me. But if you can’t find tonkatsu sauce, you can recreate it - recipes abound on the internet - search “easy tonkatsu sauce recipe”.
Full Recipe & Printable Recipe:
SPEEDY CHICKEN KATSU DINNER
Recipe serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
For the ground chicken cutlets:
1 lb ground chicken (can substitute with ground pork)
½ tsp kosher salt (1 tsp if using Diamond crystal kosher salt), more or less to taste
2/3 C panko (see notes 1 and 2 for gluten-free subs)
To serve:
Steamed short-grain rice (from 2 cups of uncooked grains)
350g cabbage, very finely shredded by mandolin or knife (~4C or ¼ head of cabbage)
Japanese sesame dressing, store-bought or see dressing recipe below if making
Tonkatsu sauce for drizzling or dipping, store-bought (note 3)
Japanese sesame dressing (if not using store-bought; takes 5 minutes to make):
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, grinded (note 4)
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp mayonnaise, Japanese or regular
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
METHOD
Prepare the rice: Wash and rinse 2 cups of uncooked rice grains in a fine-mesh colander, swirling under running water and gently rubbing grains against each other, about 20 seconds. Water should run clearer but does not need to be fully transparent. Drain well and place in pot. Add 2 cups of water. (Note: I love my rice on the firmer side so my golden rule is 1-to-1 water-to-rice ratio for both long grain and short grain rice. If you prefer softer rice, use up to 1-to-1.25 ratio by adding up to 2.5 cups of water for the 2 cups of rice in this recipe.) Allow rice to soak in measured water before turning heat on to cook – anywhere between 10 to 60 minutes (OK so yes, this step technically makes this recipe more than 30 minutes but it is passive time. If you don’t have time, skip soaking and use 2.5 cups of water). After soaking, set pot over high heat. Cover and cook until water is boiling and steam is escaping (5-7 minutes) at which point, without lifting lid, turn heat ALL THE WAY DOWN TO LOWEST HEAT and continue to cook 20 minutes. Fluff and use.
Toast the panko: While rice is coming to a boil in above step, place a skillet over medium heat. (Tip: I use an oval cast iron pan which can be used again for baking the four chicken cutlets later). Pour panko into dry skillet without any oil. I like to add a bit of salt here, too. Use spatula to move them around constantly until a golden colour develops, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Transfer right away into a shallow dish to cool.
Prepare chicken cutlets: Preheat oven to 400f. Spray oven-safe dish or baking sheet lightly with oil. (I use the same dish used for toasting the panko. If you have an oven-safe wire rack, use that under the cutlets for crispier bottoms). In a mixing bowl, mix ground chicken with salt. Wet hands if sticky, and divide mixture into four. For each portion, form into a patty ¾”-1” thick and ~3.5” diameter. Drop patty directly on top of cooled panko. Use fingers to scoop panko onto the top, pressing gently with fingertips to adhere as much panko as you can. Flip once and repeat. Transfer to oven-safe dish or tray (with wire rack if you have). Bake 14-15 minutes or when cooked through / 165f in the center.
Prepare cabbage: While cutlets are baking, use a mandolin or knife to very, very finely shred cabbage. Place in large bowl. Toss with sesame dressing (refer to recipe if making from scratch).
Prepare sesame dressing (skip if using store-bought): Partially grind toasted sesame seeds using a mortar and pestle until seeds pop and are pulverized but still visible (i.e. not a paste), about 15-20 seconds. I use a Japanese mortar and pestle (suribachi and surikogi) which is a common Japanese kitchen tool but use a regular mortar and pestle if that’s what you have. Alternatively, place seeds in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Either way, a quick crush of the sesame seeds releases their aroma and flavour and makes a big difference in the taste of the sesame-forward dressing. Pour crushed sesame seeds into a small mixing bowl. Add remaining dressing ingredients and whisk well.
To serve: Toss cabbage with dressing just before serving so it doesn’t get soggy. Cut each chicken cutlet into 5-6 pieces each. Serve rice, cabbage salad and chicken cutlets with tonkatsu sauce drizzled on top or on the side. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and scallions if you like. Enjoy right away while cutlets are hot or transfer to a wire rack to rest so the bottoms don’t get soggy.
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