Every Sunday night, my wife and I take our son, Marlon, to the sushi spot down the block from our apartment. But he never gets sushi. Instead, he always asks the waitress for his usual: “Cranberry juice on the rocks and chicken katsu, please.”
I can’t knock him—I tend to order the same thing: a tender, juicy chicken cutlet enrobed in a crisp golden jacket of panko breadcrumbs. A mound of nicely cooked sushi rice, bright green pickles, and a bowl of addictive Japanese-style barbecue sauce round out the meal.
I have no idea how to replicate those pickles at home, but I’ve managed to nail the katsu. Here’s how I do it.
I start with 1½ pounds chicken cutlets, each pounded to about ⅓ inch thick. I season them on both sides with salt. I then set up my breading assembly line: three plates side by side. On the first, ¾ cup all-purpose flour; 3 large eggs, beaten to blend, on the next; and 2 cups panko on the last.
Then, working one at a time, I dredge a cutlet in flour, shaking off excess. I dip it in egg, turning to coat and allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl, then coat with panko, really packing it on.
Now for the fry. You want enough vegetable oil so that it’s ⅓ to ½ inch deep in your skillet. Turn the heat to medium, and wait until it’s fully heated through. Drop in a pinch of panko; if the oil sizzles, it’s ready.
Lay in some cutlets—you don’t want to crowd them. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a rack set over a baking sheet. Add a bit more oil, then cook the rest of the cutlets. Season with salt if needed.
Slice chicken crosswise into 1-inch-wide slices and serve over rice with sauce. Oh yeah, the sauce! It’s ½ cup ketchup + 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce + 2 teaspoons strawberry jam, mixed all together. Now serve. And yes, you can have some chicken katsu too.
