4.8 from 124 votes
Chicken Katsudon
Chicken Katsudon features breaded and shallow-fried chicken tenderloins coated with panko crumbs, simmered briefly with a sweet and savory seasoned dashi sauce, onions, and gently cooked eggs. Served over steamed Japanese short-grain rice and garnished with mitsuba and optional chili pepper, this dish combines crispy textures with tender, flavorful bites in a classic Japanese donburi bowl.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings:
2
Calories:
768 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Japanese
Ingredients
For the Chicken Katsu
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg beaten, large, 50 g each without shell
- 1 cup breadcrumbs Japanese style panko
- 7 oz chicken tenderloin 4 tenders
- kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
- black pepper freshly ground
- 3 cups neutral oil (for frying)
For the Seasonings
- ⅔ cup dashi use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi, Japanese soup stock
- 1½ Tbsp sake
- 1½ Tbsp mirin
- 1½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 1½ tsp sugar
For the Katsudon
- ½ onion (4 oz, 113 g; thinly sliced)
- 2 egg “cut“ the egg whites 5-6 times into smaller clumps so the yolks and whites are marbled; do not whisk or beat, large, 50 g each, without shell
- 2 ervings Japanese short-grain rice typically 1⅔ cups (250 g) per donburi serving, cooked
- 4 prigs mitsuba chopped; or substitute green onion, Japanese parsley
- Japanese chili pepper for a spicy kick, ichimi togarashi
Instructions
- Before You Start: Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, please note that 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice, enough for 2 donburi servings (3⅓ cups, 500 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
Cup of Yum
To Make the Chicken Katsu
- Place ¼ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) beaten, and 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) in individual bowls or plates. Next, season 7 oz chicken tenders with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. To bread the chicken, dust each piece with the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip it into the beaten egg to coat completely. Finally, coat the chicken with the panko, pressing the panko into the cutlet so that it adheres well. Remove any excess. Set the breaded cutlets on a plate.
- Heat 3 cups neutral oil in a frying pan. Shallow-fry the panko-coated chicken at 340ºF (170ºC) until golden brown. Remove the chicken and place it on a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain the extra oil.
To Make the Katsudon
- In another (or a clean) frying pan, add thin slices of ½ onion and all the ingredients for the seasonings—⅔ cup dashi (Japanese soup stock), 1½ Tbsp sake, 1½ Tbsp mirin, 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, and 1½ tsp sugar. Cover and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and cook the onion, covered, until wilted.
- Place the chicken katsu on top of the onion slices and turn the heat up to medium. While you‘re waiting for it to heat up, prepare the eggs by lightly “cutting“ the egg whites with chopsticks 5–6 times into smaller clumps so the yolks and whites are marbled (do not whisk or beat). Once the cooking liquid is simmering, evenly distribute 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) over the chicken katsu and onion in a circular pattern, avoiding the edges of the pan where the egg can easily overcook. Cover to cook until the eggs are set to your liking, roughly 30 seconds. Tip: For more tips and tricks for "cutting" and cooking the eggs, see my Oyakodon recipe.
- Top with the chopped 4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley) and turn off the heat. Divide 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice into individual bowls. Gently transfer the simmered katsu and eggs on top of the steamed rice. Sprinkle the top with ichimi togarashi (Japanese chili pepper) for a spicy kick. Enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
Nutrition Information
Calories
768kcal
(38%)
Carbohydrates
59g
(20%)
Protein
37g
(74%)
Fat
38g
(58%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
18g
(106%)
Monounsaturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
315mg
(105%)
Sodium
1089mg
(45%)
Potassium
595mg
(13%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
396IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
92mg
(9%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 2 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 768
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 768kcal | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 38g | 58% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 18g | 106% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 315mg | 105% |
| Sodium | 1089mg | 45% |
| Potassium | 595mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 396IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 92mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.