Chicken Katsu

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for the egg wash)
• 1.5 cups coarse panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (about 1 inch deep)
• 1/4 small head green cabbage, very finely shredded
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• Cooked short-grain rice, for serving

Before you cook

• Place each chicken thigh between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet to an even 1/2-inch thickness
• Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper
• Set out three shallow dishes: one with the 1/2 cup flour, one with the eggs whisked together with the 1 tbsp flour, and one with the panko
• Finely shred the cabbage and set it in ice water to crisp while you cook
• In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and sugar to make the tonkatsu sauce

Steps

1. Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 1 inch and heat it to 340°F
2. Dredge one chicken thigh in the flour, shaking off the excess
3. Dip the floured chicken into the egg mixture, coating it completely
4. Press the chicken into the panko, pressing firmly on both sides so the crumbs adhere in a thick layer
5. Repeat the flour, egg, and panko steps with the remaining chicken thighs
6. Lower two breaded cutlets into the hot oil at a time
7. Fry the cutlets about 3 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through
8. Lift the cutlets out and rest them on a wire rack to drain
9. Fry the remaining cutlets in the same way, letting the oil return to temperature between batches
10. Drain the shredded cabbage and pat it dry
11. Slice each cutlet into strips about 3/4 inch wide
12. Plate the sliced cutlet alongside a mound of shredded cabbage and a scoop of rice
13. Serve with the tonkatsu sauce for drizzling or dipping