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Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

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A thin, panko-breaded chicken cutlet cooked in the air fryer until shatteringly crispy, served with a quick homemade tonkatsu sauce over steamed rice. Skips the deep fryer without sacrificing the signature crunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray or olive oil spray
  • For tonkatsu sauce:
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. Pound each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Set up a three-station breading line: flour in the first shallow dish, beaten egg in the second, panko in the third.
  3. Dredge each cutlet through flour (shake off excess), dip in egg (let excess drizzle off), then press firmly into panko to coat evenly on all sides.
  4. Spray both sides of each breaded cutlet generously with cooking spray.
  5. Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Arrange cutlets in a single layer without overlapping.
  6. Cook for 12 minutes, flipping at the halfway point and spraying the top with oil after flipping. Internal temperature should reach 165°F and crust should be deep golden brown.
  7. While chicken cooks, stir together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dijon mustard, and sugar in a small bowl to make tonkatsu sauce.
  8. Slice cutlets diagonally into ½-inch strips and serve over steamed short-grain rice with tonkatsu sauce and finely shredded green cabbage on the side.

Notes

Pat chicken dry before breading — moisture prevents the crust from crisping properly.

Use panko breadcrumbs, not regular breadcrumbs. Panko produces a lighter, crunchier crust.

Press the panko on firmly with your palms to prevent it from falling off during cooking.

Use oil spray, not drizzled oil — a fine mist coats evenly and crisps uniformly.

Don’t crowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed; keep the first batch warm in a 200°F oven.

Store-bought tonkatsu sauce (Bulldog brand) is a convenient substitute for the homemade version.

Chicken thighs work well too — cook at 400°F for 14 minutes. Leftovers reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 4–5 minutes.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-chicken-katsu-crispy-japanese-cutlet-at-home/