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Air fryer chicken katsu recipe served bowl-style with rice, sesame slaw, and tonkatsu sauce drizzle

Air Fryer Chicken Katsu Bowl

5 from 1 vote
This air fryer chicken katsu recipe layers crispy panko-crusted chicken over a bed of rice with a creamy sesame cabbage slaw and a quick 5-ingredient tonkatsu sauce. Ready in 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings : 2 servings

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Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chicken Katsu
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • olive oil spray
For the Tonkatsu Sauce
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
For the Sesame Cabbage Slaw
  • 2 cups very finely shredded green cabbage
  • 1 tbsp mayo, Kewpie if you have it
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp honey
For Serving
  • 1 cup cooked sushi rice, frozen or microwave work great
  • thinly sliced green onion
US Customary - Metric
Start Cooking

Instructions
 

For the Chicken Katsu
  1. Place 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap and pound to an even ½-inch thickness with a meat mallet or heavy pan.
    Two raw chicken breasts on a white plate next to a meat mallet, ready to be pounded thin for air fryer chicken katsu
  2. Set up three shallow bowls. Add 2 tbsp all-purpose flour to the first. Beat 1 large egg in the second. Stir 1 cup panko breadcrumbs with 1 tsp garlic powder and ¾ tsp salt in the third.
    Lightly coat each chicken breast in the flour, dip in the egg, then press firmly into the seasoned panko so it sticks on both sides.
    Two panko-breaded chicken cutlets on a plate before air frying
    3. If you want a much healthier version of this recipe, you can also totally skip this step and season your "naked" pounded chicken breasts with salt and garlic powder and air fry per the instructions.
  3. Lightly spray with olive oil spray as you add to the air fryer in a single layer.
    Air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until the panko is golden and the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
    Two crispy panko-crusted chicken katsu cutlets in an air fryer basket after cooking
For the Tonkatsu Sauce
  1. While the chicken cooks, whisk 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp dijon mustard in a small bowl until smooth.
    Homemade tonkatsu sauce whisked together in a small white bowl with a red spoon
    2. You can also use a bottled tonkatsu sauce or Japanese BBQ sauce.
For the Sesame Cabbage Slaw
  1. Whisk 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 tsp honey in a medium bowl. Add 2 cups very finely shredded green cabbage and toss until evenly coated.
    Creamy sesame cabbage slaw tossed with tongs in a stainless steel bowl
To Build the Bowls
  1. Divide 1 cup cooked sushi rice between 2 bowls and top each with sesame slaw and a whole chicken katsu (slice into strips for serving if you'd like). Drizzle with tonkatsu sauce and finish with thinly sliced green onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
    Easy air fryer chicken katsu sliced over rice with sesame cabbage slaw and chopsticks

Nutrition

Calories: 559kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 52gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 2095mgPotassium: 993mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 287IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 4mg

Notes

  • No air fryer: Bake the breaded cutlets at 425°F on a wire rack set over a sheet pan for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
  • Storage: Leftover katsu keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
  • To reheat: Pop the katsu back in the air fryer at 375°F for 4 to 5 minutes to re-crisp the coating. 
  • Sauce shortcut: Bottled tonkatsu sauce (Bull-Dog is the classic Japanese brand) works if you'd rather skip the homemade version. Japanese BBQ sauce also works great.