Easy air fryer chicken katsu delivers juicy chicken pieces with a crunchy coating. The Japanese-inspired chicken is a weeknight dinner win, especially when you pair it with steamed rice, shredded cabbage, and a drizzle of homemade katsu sauce. You can even use it to make chicken katsu bowls!
What is Chicken Katsu?
If you’ve never had chicken katsu, it’s a Japanese-style breaded chicken that’s fried until golden brown and crispy, similar to a chicken schnitzel or lightly battered chicken tenders.
What makes this dish stand out is the breading made from crushed panko breadcrumbs that give the chicken a light, extra-crunchy texture.
Air fryer chicken katsu is a simple, mess-free way to get that same crispy, golden-brown finish. The result? Perfectly crunchy chicken without the hassle of deep frying.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: Slice boneless skinless chicken breast in half horizontally and pound them into ½-inch thickness or use pre-cut chicken cutlets to save time.
- Spices: Season both sides of the chicken generously with kosher salt and coarse black pepper.
- Panko: Lightly crush the Japanese Panko bread crumbs to create a finer texture, which will give the chicken its classic crispy coating.
- Eggs: Dip the chicken into an egg mixture to help the Panko stick.
- Cooking Spray: Lightly spray the breaded chicken before air frying to help it cook to crispy perfection without sticking. I use avocado oil spray, but feel free to use what you have—just avoid olive oil spray, as it has a lower smoke point.
Additions and Substitutions
- Swap the protein. Switch out the chicken for pork cutlets or crispy tofu.
How to Prepare Chicken Cutlets
You can find pre-cut chicken cutlets in the grocery store, but it’s often more affordable to cut the chicken breasts yourself, and it only takes a few minutes!
1. Place a chicken breast on a cutting board. Steady it with one hand and use a sharp knife to slice through the middle lengthwise, creating two even, thin cutlets.
Note
From here, you can slice the cutlets into tenders or strips to make them fit easily in the air fryer basket.
2. Place one piece of chicken at a time into a Ziplock bag and gently pound it with a meat tenderizer (meat mallet) until it’s ½ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally, then gently pound them into ½-inch-thick cutlets using a meat tenderizer. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, and set them aside.
Step 2: Process the Panko breadcrumbs in a food processor or crush them in a sealed bag with a rolling pin. Place the crumbs in a shallow bowl. Then, whisk the eggs in a separate bowl to create your dredging station.
Step 3: Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip.
Step 4: Then, coat the chicken with Panko by gently pressing it into the mixture so the crumbs adhere.
Step 5: Transfer them to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining cutlets. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat the air fryer to 350℉ (177℃) and line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack or a plate lined with a paper towel. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, then place the chicken cutlets in a single layer. Spray the tops with oil and cook for 10 minutes.
Tip
Air fry chicken katsu in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Step 7: Flip the cutlets and lightly spray the tops with oil. Cook for 3–5 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Transfer the chicken to the wire rack or paper towels and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
Step 8: Once the chicken cools, slice the cutlets into ½-inch strips using a gentle rocking motion rather than pressing down hard, which can tear the coating.
Tip
Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and the specific air fryer model you use. The chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.
Expert Tips
- Use thin chicken cutlets. Chicken cutlets cook quickly and evenly, resulting in a juicy center without overcooking the breading.
- Pound the chicken. Even with cutlets, be sure to pound them to a thickness of ½ inch with a meat tenderizer so the chicken cooks evenly and at the same rate.
- Dredge the chicken. Coat the chicken in the egg mixture and firmly press each piece into the breadcrumbs, making sure they stick. Then, set the breaded cutlets on a wire rack to let them “set” at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before air frying; this helps the crust stick better.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Arrange the chicken in the air fryer basket with room to spare on each side so the air can circulate, or they will steam rather than become crispy.
- Preheat the air fryer. Starting hot helps the crust set quickly and get golden.
- Use cooking oil. Lightly spray both sides of the chicken with avocado or canola oil spray before cooking to promote even browning without the breading becoming soggy.
- Use a thermometer. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and the air fryer model you use. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Check by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.
If you enjoy air fryer chicken katsu, try more air fryer recipes!
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve air fryer chicken katsu is over steamed rice (white rice or short-grain Japanese rice work the best) with savory sauce like barbecue sauce, classic Tonkatsu, or curry sauce, and flavorful toppings to build your very own chicken katsu bowl!
The crispy, homemade chicken katsu also pairs well with cooked veggies, salad, or a crisp pile of thinly sliced cabbage.
You can also turn it into a comforting chicken katsu curry or tuck it into a sandwich with pickles and spicy mayo for a quick, flavorful dish.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken katsu in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to keep it crispy. The chicken will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm the chicken katsu in the air fryer or oven at 350℉ (177℃) for 5–10 minutes to restore some of the crispiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake chicken katsu?
Bake the chicken on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet at 425°F (218°C) for 20-25 minutes, or pan-fry them in some oil.
More Japanese Recipes:
Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
- 2 Shallow Bowls
- 3 (6-ounce) chicken breasts, trimmed, halved, and pounded ½-inch cutlets
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- cooking spray, as needed
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally, then gently pound them into ½-inch-thick cutlets using a meat tenderizer. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, and set them aside.
- Process the Panko breadcrumbs in a food processor or crush them in a sealed bag with a rolling pin. Place the crumbs in a shallow bowl. Then, whisk the eggs in a separate bowl to create your dredging station.
- Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip. Then, coat the chicken with Panko by gently pressing it into the mixture so the crumbs adhere. Transfer them to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining cutlets. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350℉ (177℃) and line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack or a plate lined with a paper towel. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, then place the chicken cutlets in a single layer. Spray the tops with oil and cook for 10 minutes.Tip: Air fry the chicken katsu in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Flip the cutlets and lightly spray the tops with oil. Cook for 3–5 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Transfer the chicken to the wire rack or paper towels and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.Tip: Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and the specific air fryer model you use. The chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.
- Once the chicken cools, slice the cutlets into ½-inch strips using a gentle rocking motion rather than pressing down hard, which can tear the coating.
- Use thin chicken cutlets. Chicken cutlets cook quickly and evenly, resulting in a juicy center without overcooking the breading.
- Pound the chicken. Even with cutlets, be sure to pound them to a thickness of ½ inch with a meat tenderizer so the chicken cooks evenly and at the same rate.
- Dredge the chicken. Coat the chicken in the egg mixture and firmly press each piece into the breadcrumbs, making sure they stick. Then, set the breaded cutlets on a wire rack to let them “set” at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before air frying; this helps the crust stick better.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Arrange the chicken in the air fryer basket with room to spare on each side so the air can circulate, or they will steam rather than become crispy.
- Preheat the air fryer. Starting hot helps the crust set quickly and get golden.
- Use cooking oil. Lightly spray both sides of the chicken with avocado or canola oil spray before cooking to promote even browning without the breading becoming soggy.
- Use a thermometer. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and the air fryer model you use. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Check by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.