Chicken katsudon – crispy meets comforting in this beloved Japanese rice bowl. A golden, panko-crusted chicken cutlet is fried to crunchy perfection, then simmered gently in a savory-sweet sauce made with dashi, soy sauce, and onions. Just before serving, it’s topped with a egg that drapes over the chicken like a silky blanket, soaking up all the umami-rich flavors.
Served over a warm bed of steamed rice, chicken katsudon is the ultimate comfort food—crunchy, tender, sweet, and savory in every bite. It’s a cozy, satisfying bowl that hits all the right notes. I could eat this for dinner every day. It is such a delicious combination of flavors and textures.
Thin cut boneless pork chops can also be used to make the katsu. We drizzled some of our favorite katsu sauce over the top too for serving! Also try my pork katsu sandwich on milk bread, it is amazing!
Chicken Katsudon
Ingredients
- 4 thin cut chicken breasts or pork chops lightly pounded out to tenderize
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
- 1/2 cup dashi or chicken stock
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp mirin
- 4 large eggs
- 1 onion sliced
- rice for serving
- sliced scallions for serving
Instructions
- If using chicken breasts, cut each breast horizontally to give you two thin breasts. Pound out the chicken or pork and season with salt and pepper.
- Prep your breading station by placing flour on a plate and seasoning lightly with salt. Whisk the two eggs in a shallow bowl. Place panko in another shallow bowl. Line a baking sheet with foil. Dip your meat first in the flour, shaking off the excess, then into the egg, and then into the panko to coat it well. You can press the panko into the meat to help it stick.
- Place the meat on the baking sheet. Heat a deep pot of oil to 350. Fry the meat until nicely golden brown and cooked through, typically about 5-6 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Combine the stock, sugar, soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl.
- In a skillet, add a tbsp of oil over medium heat and add the onions. Fry until they are starting to brown a little. Pour the stock mix over the onions. Slice your katsu and place it on top of the onions. Drizzle the egg over the mixture and cook over medium low until the egg is set. You can also pour your egg into the side of the pan and scramble it if you prefer that. Serve over rice with scallions.