Chicken Katsu

The very first thing I heard, upon arriving in Japan, was, "Japan will get inside you, take root, and change you forever.". Nothing could have been more true! There is something magical about that country that I can't quite do justice with mere words. But, the moment I stepped off the plane and walked out of the airport, I knew Japan had stolen my heart and would live within me for the rest of my days.

Why were we in Japan? Because the navy took us there. And for 3 amazing years, we soaked in the culture, the beauty, and the food. Oh, but do the Japanese know how to cook! I think what impressed me the most is how simple many of the dishes we grew to love actually were to prepare and how incredibly balanced many of their dishes are. It became my mission to learn as many as I could, so that once we went back to the U.S., I could still keep a piece of Japan with us.

Chicken katsu is one of our favorites. It is, at it's very core, simply fried chicken. It is often made with pork, which is called "Tonkatsu", which is even more amazing and should definitely be tried. It has an incredibly crispy coating, thanks to the use of Panko, is lightly seasoned and fried very quickly in hot oil. I rarely ever fry anything, but this is a dish for which I gladly make an exception. While on the surface, it doesn't seem to be a stand out dish, it is the katsu sauce that makes it sing. It is tart and intense, with a depth of flavor that really takes the chicken to a whole new level of awesomeness.

Here is my method:

Chicken Katsu

4 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
enough oil to come up about a 1/4-1/2 inch up your pan.

Start off by heating your oil, while you get everything prepared. Pound the chicken breasts to a flat and uniform thickness. I like to aim for just over 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and then dredge in the flour, then the egg, and then the panko. Repeat until all the pieces are coated. Fry in the oil for 3-4 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through and the outside is a deep golden brown. remove from oil and allow to rest for about 5 minutes while you make your katsu sauce.

Katsu Sauce

1/4 cup worchestershire sauce
1 oz ketchup
1 Tbs soy sauce

Mix and serve over the chicken.