Crisp Panko Chicken Cutlets w/Tonkatsu Sauce

Ridgely's Note:

We just tried this recipe last week from Fine Cooking Magazine. I love the crispness the panko bread crumbs give the chicken and the tonkatsu sauce is a nice tangy sauce that goes great with the chicken.

• Total Time: 37 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten with
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 cups japanese panko
• 1/2 head cabbage, shredded

Tonkatsu sauce

• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions:

1. With a sharp knife, lightly score both sides of the chicken breasts in a checkerboard pattern.
2. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the breasts and pound until they are about ½ inch thick.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Dredge the chicken in the flour and then dip it in the beaten eggs, shaking to remove excess.
5. Dip each piece in the flour and egg again an then coat the chicken in the panko.
6. In a deep, straight sided sauté pan, heat about ¼ inch vegetable oil over medium high heat until the oil ripples and simmers in the pan and instantly erupts into lots of bubbles when you dip a corner of the chicken breast into it.
7. Immediately reduce the heat to medium low and fry the chicken in batches until cooked through and golden on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
8. If the oil seems to cool down to much during frying, increase the heat a little to maintain a steady bubbling action.
9. Drain the chicken on paper towels and serve it with abundant shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce.
10. tonkatsu sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk together the Worcestershire, sugar, soy sauce and ketchup.
11. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat.
12. Reduce the heat to gentle simmer and whisk often until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
13. Whisk in mustard and allspice.
14. Cool to room temperature.
15. The sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.

Reviews

[Jangomango]

Simple, easy, delicious. I just love cooking with Panko, and you are right about the tanginess of the sauce. The chicken breasts didn't take very long to cook - more like 3 minutes a side, but then they may have been smaller than you used. Thanks for posting.

[gailanng]

Delicious and, btw, is this comment font big enough? Would it be easier to read IF I WROTE IN CAPITALS? DELICIOUS!

[julikoz]

This is so good. I served it as written, with a big bed of just plain shreaded cabbage. The Sauce seasons both the chicken and cabbage perfectly!