In 1991, while living in Japan, our friend owned a very popular and top-rated restaurant in Shimada-Shi, but only served Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet). One day, Pam asked him if he could make it with chicken breast instead. He had no chicken breast or any white meat chicken at all. He and I went down to the butcher, picked out a live chicken, butchered it, and brought the whole thing back to his restaurant. I showed him how I would do it, and now it has been on his menu as "Pam's Chicken Katsu" for the last 30+ years. Here is how I do it.
4chicken breastboneless skinless halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
salt and pepper to taste
1cupall-purpose flour
2eggsbeaten
2cuppankobread crumbs
½cupolive oil
½canola oil
Katsu Sauce
½cupketchup
2tablespoonssoy sauce
2teaspoonsbrown sugar
1tbspmirin
2teaspoonsWorcestershire sauce
1teaspoongingerfreshly grated
1teaspoongarlicfinely minced
Thousand Island Dressing
1cupmayonnaise
¼cupyellow onionminced
2tablespoonsketchup
2tablespoonssweet pickle relish
1teaspoonlemon juice
½teaspoonsweet paprika
¼teaspoonkosher salt
Instructions
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place in ZipLock bag and pound to even out the high spots - about 3/4 in.
Add flour to the bag, close and shake.
Scramble eggs in a shallow dish (dredging bowl) and place panko crumbs into separate dredging bowl.
Remove floured breast from the bag, shaking off any excess.
Dip them into the egg, and then press into the panko crumbs until well coated on both sides.
Place on wire rack in rimmed baking sheet to rest until all are completed.
Heat 1/4 inch of olive and canola oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Place chicken in the hot oil, and cook 3 or 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
Remove and place on wire rack in rimmed baking sheet to rest until all are completed.
Katsu Sauce
Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly to combine.
Let the sauce to rest at least 30 minutes before serving.
Thousand Island Dressing
Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly to combine.
Notes
Serve over shredded cabbage with Jasmine rice (pack a small bowl with the rice and overturn it onto each guest's plate) and sautéd broccoli or other green vegetables of choice.When I don't make the sauces, we love "Marie's Thousand Island Dressing + Dip" and "Shirakiku Ton-Katsu Sauce" (but Kikkoman Katsu Sauce is also OK). Of course, home mad is BAST.