Chicken katsu don recipe

An easy at-home recipe for fans of Japanese cuisine, you can use ready-made sauce but it’s so simple to make your own.

Using good quality, tasty free-range thigh fillets is the key to success with this recipe. Chicken thighs have more flavour than breasts so do try to use them if you can. Serve with a cup of miso soup for a happy tummy and soul.

Chicken katsu don

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 fresh chicken thigh fillets

Salt

Pepper

½ cup plain flour

1 egg, beaten

1 cup panko crumbs

Katsu sauce

3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp mirin

2 Tbsp tomato ketchup

1 Tbsp water

1 cup finely shredded cabbage

2 portions cooked white rice

Serve with instant miso soup

Method

1. Flatten the chicken thighs out and place between 2 sheets of baking paper or cling film. Pound lightly with a rolling pin to flatten slightly and make the piece evenly thick. Slit and butterfly the thicker parts if necessary.
2. Season with salt and pepper, then dust with flour, dip in beaten egg, and coat with panko crumbs.
3. In a large frypan, heat about 2 cm deep of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is medium-high temperature (170C), slide the chicken katsu carefully into the pan. Leave to cook for 5 minutes, until the bottom side is crisp and well browned. Turn over and cook the other side for 4-5 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to rest for 3 minutes before slicing. Cut in bite-size strips.
4. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for katsu sauce in a small heatproof bowl. Microwave without cover for 60 seconds to let the alcohol in the mirin evaporate.
5. Place rice in two individual bowls. Arrange cabbage and chicken katsu on top, then drizzle with the katsu sauce.
6. Serve accompanied with miso soup.

NOTE: Feel free to use ready-made katsu sauce for this meal, but it is very easy to make your own from scratch with store cupboard ingredients.