- Pounding the hen thighs to a uniform thickness helps them cook dinner evenly and keep tender.
- A coating of flour, egg, and panko provides the katsu its signature crunchy crust.
- Chicken katsu is very scrumptious with tonkatsu sauce, a little bit of mustard, and steamed rice for a comforting, well-rounded meal.
For Roy Choi, these crispy egg- and panko-coated hen cutlets, usually made with pork in Japan, signify one thing main. “People suppose frying hen cutlets is easy, however it’s like cooking pasta,” says Choi. “It’s a dish that appears remedial, however while you get it proper, it adjustments the entire ball recreation. I name it the cult of katsu.”
Breading the hen
Making Choi’s hen katsu recipe at residence requires solely a handful of components and some primary, easy steps. First, calmly pound the boneless hen thighs to 1/2-inch thick; be certain the cutlets are uniform all through to advertise even cooking. Next, dredge every cutlet in flour, dismissing the surplus, then dredge within the egg, permitting the surplus to drip again into the pan. Finally, place the hen within the panko, urgent to stick the crumbs to the meat. Try to work cleanly right here, designating one hand for the dry components and the opposite for dipping the cutlet into the egg.
Frying the cutlets
After all of the hen is breaded, all that is left to do is fry it. Heat the oil to about 350°F first; while you add the hen, the temperature will drop barely — that is what you need. It will take about three minutes on all sides to brown absolutely. For evenly browned cutlets, some cooks wish to flip the hen after a couple of minute and a half, as soon as the breading is simply set on the primary facet, then let it cook dinner equally lengthy on the second facet. Then, proceed cooking and flipping till each side are golden and crispy. As you’re employed between batches, take away any giant items of breading that fall off into the oil to keep away from burning.
Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Tonkatsu sauce is a candy, thick Japanese barbecue sauce. It’s out there within the Asian part of most supermarkets.
Suggested pairing
Both lager and glowing wine pair effectively with fried hen as a result of their crispness cuts by the richness. Serve this katsu with Kona Brewing Co.’s Longboard Island Lager; for wine, pour the NV Chandon Brut Classic.
