Crispiest air fryer chicken katsu recipe – one of my favorite air fryer recipes. Juicy chicken with a crispy coating in minutes, with just a few simple ingredients. I like to serve this katsu chicken over a bed of steamed rice and top with cucumber salad, avocado slices, nori strips, and a drizzle of sriracha mayo!
Highlights:
- Golden brown panko coating
- Low carb option
- Flavorful
- Quick to make
- Easier clean up than traditional katsu chicken
- Versatile
- Only a few simple ingredients
Quick Steps:
- Pound chicken cutlets thin
- Dredge in flour
- Dredge in egg wash
- Dredge in panko
- Air fry
- Allow to rest and slice
Really pack on the panko breadcrumbs so the chicken stays crispy all over!
Tools I used for this recipe:
- Instant 6 qt. Air Fryer – Sleek and functional, the perfect size for 2-3 people.
- Shallow Bowls – Perfect for coating the chicken.
- Tongs β A must kitchen utensil, perfect for transferring the chicken.
- USA Pan Half Sheet Pan β my go-to sheet pans, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely.
This healthier chicken katsu recipe lacks no flavor and yields crispy chicken in minutes.
If you like this crispiest air Fryer Chicken Katsu Recipe, you’ll like these other chicken recipes…
Arugula, Apple, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Cook one chicken breast at a time to avoid getting a soggy crust.
Grocery List:
- Japanese style panko bread crumbs = key ingredient! (could substitute whole wheat panko or regular bread crumbs if needed)
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast (could substitute boneless chicken thighs or a pork cutlet for pork katsu)
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Kosher salt & black pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Large egg
What is chicken katsu made of?
Chicken katsu is a popular Japanese food of bread chicken or pork cutlets. The cutlets are pounded out, coated in flour, egg, and panko, and shallow fried. This version is made in the air fryer but still results in a juicy interior and a crispy exterior.
Can you put raw chicken in the air fryer?
Absolutely. Cooking raw chicken in the air fryer results in a crispy exterior and a juicy interior without all of the mess of oil frying. Pound the chicken out before cooking for a quicker cooking time.
Instructions:
- Prepare the dredging station. Fill one shallow bowl with panko. In a separate shallow bowl combine the egg and the tablespoon of water, whisk to combine. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and pepper, mix to combine.
- Take your pounded chicken cutlets and dredge in the flour mixture, then the beaten egg mixture, and finally the panko crumbs. Coating well between each step, press the panko in to adhere to the chicken.
- Preheat your air fryer using the “air fry” setting, at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, once preheated add your coated chicken breast. Flip the chicken halfway through. After the 15 minutes the chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes and slice. Serve as is or in a steamed rice bowl topped with cucumber salad, avocado, nori, sriracha mayo, sesame seeds, a drizzle of soy sauce, and sliced green onion. Best if served immediately.
Notes:
- Recipe is for one chicken breast, double recipe as needed. Depending on the size of your air fryer, cook 1-2 chicken breasts at a time, do not stack them.
- You could also serve this with a store-bought or homemade katsu sauce or Japanese bbq sauce.
This is the best way to make crispy chicken katsu in the air fryer!
Crispiest Air Fryer Chicken Katsu Recipe
Equipment:
- Air fryer
Ingredients:
- 1 Boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded thin
- 1 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup Flour
- 1 Whole egg
- 1 tbsp Water
- Salt & pepper
Instructions:
- Prepare the dredging station. Fill one shallow bowl with panko. In a separate shallow bowl combine the egg and the tablespoon of water, whisk to combine. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and pepper, mix to combine.
- Take your pounded chicken breast and dredge in the flour mixture, then the egg mix, and finally the panko. Coating well between each step, press the panko in to adhere to the chicken.
- Preheat your air fryer using the "air fry" setting, at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Spray the basket with cooking spray, once preheated add your coated chicken breast. Flip the chicken halfway through. After the 15 minutes the chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes and slice. Serve as is or in a steamed rice bowl topped with cucumber salad, avocado, nori, sriracha mayo, sesame seeds, and sliced green onion. Best if served immediately.
Nutrition:
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe?
I would love to see it! Take a picture and post to Instagram with the tag @theheartylife and the hashtag #theheartylife – You can also leave me a question or comment below! If you’ve tried this recipe, feel free to give it a star rating on the recipe above.
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