Crispy, crunchy Air Fryer Chicken Katsu with Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce is ready in less than 30 minutes! Golden brown chicken cutlets are cooked to crispy perfection and topped with a savory sauce your family will love.
If you like this recipe, try my Air Fryer Pork Tonkatsu, Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon, and Air Fryer Tempura Shrimp next!
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I'm sure you know how much I love my air fryer. I can cook anything I normally would in an oven but in half the time - and with better results!
And this breaded chicken is another winner. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, it is SO good. Your guests will not believe it is not deep-fried or that it was made in your air fryer. It's restaurant-quality and destined to become a new family favorite.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- You will love the juicy chicken and crunchy Panko coating.
- Quick to make in the air fryer.
- Less oil than traditional deep frying.
- Easy recipe for making Japanese fried chicken at home.
Recipe ingredients
Only simple ingredients are used to make this air fryer katsu chicken recipe:
- Chicken Breasts. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can also use boneless chicken thighs instead.
- Flour. I used all-purpose flour, but you could also use cornstarch.
- Panko Bread crumbs. These Japanese breadcrumbs give the chicken cutlets a crispy coating you can't get with regular breadcrumbs.
- Sauce. The homemade Tonkatsu sauce has ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder. You could also use Bulldog sauce, Japanese barbecue sauce, or regular BBQ sauce instead.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
How to make air fryer chicken katsu
Here's how to make this easy smoked grilled cheese with step-by-step photos. (The full recipe is in the recipe card below!)
- Step 1: Cut each chicken breast in half to create thin cutlets. Pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even thickness of about ½ inch.
- Step 2: Set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls. Place the flour, salt, and black pepper in the first bowl, add the beaten large eggs to the second bowl, and add the Panko crumbs to the third bowl. Coat each piece of chicken with the flour and shake off any excess.
Pro Tip: Place each chicken breast in a freezer bag and seal it up. That way, when you pound it thin, it doesn't splatter.
- Step 3: Dip each piece into the egg mixture.
- Step 4: Then coat each piece in the crispy Panko breadcrumbs. Use your fingers to push the crumbs into the chicken.
- Step 5: Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Place the pieces of chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray lightly with avocado spray or cooking spray, and cook for 6 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Step 6: Flip them over, spray with cooking spray again, and cook for 6 more minutes at 400 degrees F. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Pro Tip: The breading is very delicate while it's cooking. I recommend using chopsticks to flip the chicken over carefully.
- Step 7: While the chicken is air frying, make the sauce by whisking ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder in a medium saucepan. Simmer the sauce over low-medium heat until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
- Step 8: When the chicken is done, remove it from the air fryer, cut it into slices, and serve it with homemade tonkatsu sauce and white rice.
Top tips
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken and how hot your air fryer cooks.
- For best results, use a digital meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- If cooking in batches, keep the chicken pieces warm in the oven on a wire rack on a baking sheet to prevent them from going soggy.
Variations
- Gluten-Free. Use gluten-free flour and gluten-free Panko.
- Spicy. Add some cayenne pepper to the Panko mixture.
- Baked. Instead of air frying, bake the breaded chicken on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet at 400°F for 25 minutes until crispy and golden.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this crispy chicken with a side of Air Fryer Green Beans and Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.
It also goes great with Red Skin Potato Salad or Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad.
Recipe FAQs
Chicken Katsu is a popular Japanese dish with a breaded, deep-fried chicken cutlet. It's usually served with Tonkatsu sauce, white rice, and green cabbage.
After being air-fried, the chicken cutlets are wonderfully crispy outside and tender and juicy inside.
The Tonkatsu sauce is not spicy. It has a rich, savory flavor with a slight sweetness.
Yes, you can use pork cutlets instead of chicken, turning it into the traditional Tonkatsu (Japanese pork cutlet).
Storage
- Refrigerator: Leftover chicken katsu can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Store for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: Heat in the air fryer basket for 3-5 minutes until crispy and hot.
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Printable Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Katsu with Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
Ingredients
For Chicken Katsu
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all-purpose-flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Tonkatsu Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2½ tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half and pound each piece to an even thickness of about ½ inch. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
- Set up a dredging station with three shallow dishes. Place the all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper in the first dish. Add the beaten eggs to the second dish. In the third, spread out the Panko breadcrumbs.
- Coat each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the beaten eggs, then into the Panko breadcrumbs. Use your fingers to push the breadcrumbs into the chicken.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the breaded chicken cutlets in the air fryer basket in a single layer and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Cook the chicken for 6 minutes, then flip it over. Spray lightly with cooking spray again and cook for 6 more minutes at 400°F. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- While the chicken cooks, make the sauce by whisking ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder in a medium saucepan. Simmer the sauce over low-medium heat until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
- When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the air fryer, cut into slices, and serve with homemade Tonkatsu sauce or barbecue sauce.
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Notes
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness.
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- For a thinner sauce, add a splash of water. For thicker sauce, simmer a few extra minutes.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Swathi says
Air fryer chicken katsu looks delicious tonkatsu sauce is great addition.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks Swathi - I'm glad you like it! 🙂
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
This chicken is delicious - the sauce is exceptional! I don't like ketchup so I was skeptical but I'm so glad I tried it!! It's amazing - would also be good on fish or baked chicken!
Nicole NK says
Amazing and it was so easy to follow, I loved being able to make it in the air fryer.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks Nicole, I'm glad you liked it! 🙂
Leslie says
I am such a sauce girl! I want sauce on all my meat recipes! This sauce is so perfect! Love how you incorporated it with this recipe!
Jeri Walker says
Thanks, Leslie! I'm so glad you loved the sauce as much as I do! 🙂
Kim Beaulieu says
This is such a great recipe. It's quick, easy and the sauce is perfection!
Jeri Walker says
I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for leaving a comment! 🙂
Debra says
A little sweet, a little salty...just loved that sauce and the chicken was so moist and tender!
Jeri Walker says
I'm so glad you liked it Debra! 🙂