Fried chicken gets a Japanese makeover

QUICK FIX

Chicken katsu is breaded with panko crumbs and served with tonkatsu sauce, cabbage salad and rice. Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen

Image

By Cathy Thomas

Correspondent

This Japanese-style fried chicken showcases a temptingly crunchy panko breadcrumb exterior and juicy interior. The boneless chicken breasts are pounded thin before they are coated, then are fried to a golden brown in a judicious amount of oil.

When served atop cooked rice alongside a cabbage slaw, the chicken is drizzled with tangy tonkatsu sauce, a Japanese version of barbecue sauce.

Crisp chicken with cabbage slaw and tonkatsu sauce

Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided use

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix; see cook’s notes

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, lightly crushed, see cook’s notes

1 large egg

1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded 1/4-inch thick, see cook’s notes

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups warm cooked rice

Cook’s notes: Instead of a coleslaw mix, you can substitute 1 1/2 cups shredded red or green cabbage. To lightly crush panko breadcrumbs, place in a zipper-style plastic bag and use a rolling pin gingerly. Be sure to remove any tenderloin from the breast before halving it. The recipe can be doubled by using a 12-inch skillet and a little more oil.

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk lemon juice, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and sesame oil in medium bowl. Add coleslaw mix and green onions and toss to combine. Set aside.

2. Whisk ketchup, water, Worcestershire, mustard and remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce in small bowl; set aside. Spread panko in shallow dish (I use a pie pan). Beat egg in second shallow dish. Working with 1 chicken cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in egg, allowing excess to drip off, then coat both sides with panko, pressing gently to adhere.

3. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cutlets and cook until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve cutlets with rice, coleslaw and tonkatsu sauce.

Source: “The Everyday Athlete Cookbook,” by America’s Text Kitchen