Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

Sliced breaded chicken on a plate with rice and a small bowl of green onions.

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

This Air Fryer Chicken Katsu is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside in just 12 minutes cook time. Inspired by Japanese Chicken Katsu.

Prep Time8

Cook Time12

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese Inspired

Servings:

Calories: 480kcal

Author: Jacqueline Piper

Equipment

Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer or similar

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
Prep the chicken: If you're using large chicken breasts, cut them in half lengthwise, into thin cutlets. They should all be the same thickness so that they cook evenly.
Prep the breading station: Arrange three shallow bowls. Put the flour, salt, and pepper in the first bowl. Crack an egg and whisk it in the second bowl. Add the breadcrumbs to the third bowl.
Bread the chicken: Coat a cutlet in flour, then egg, and then breadcrumbs. Repeat for all cutlets and place them on the air fryer tray, or in the basket. You may need to cook them in batches depending on your air fryer – see notes.
Cook the chicken: Cook the chicken for 6 minutes. Flip and then cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through.
Let sit for 4-5 minutes before cutting into so they stay juicy inside.

Video

Notes

Cut chicken breasts into 1/2-inch thick cutlets or use thin chicken breasts to begin with. This ensures the chicken cooks all the way through by the time the breadcrumbs are deep golden brown.

To flatten each cutlet, sandwich the chicken in between two pieces of plastic wrap to eliminate cross-contamination and pound the chicken's thickest parts with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or another heavy object.

Using Japanese panko crumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs gives the most crunch.

You can use an instant-read thermometer to determine when the chicken is cooked. The Government of Canada says chicken pieces are cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

I use an oven-style air fryer with two tray levels. For best results, rotate the upper and lower baking trays if you have this style of air fryer. This will help achieve the most even browning. If using a basket-style air fryer with one basket, you'll need to make the chicken in batches.

To use omit the egg, mix the flour with about 1/4 cup water so you have a thick batter. Coat the flour in the batter, let the excess drip off, and then coat in the breadcrumbs.

Nutrition