A couple weeks ago when I wasn’t eating meat, I went to a Korean restaurant and my friend offered me a piece of Pork Katsu. Since I’m not strictly a vegetarian, I decided to try it, coining myself a “freegan.” If it’s free, it doesn’t count. I’ve been dreaming about that Pork Katsu for weeks, so I made my own version of Chicken Katsu with Cabbage Slaw. A crisp, vinegary slaw is the perfect compliment to the crispy salty chicken.
Lately, I’ve been enduring long hot runs in the park that are equal parts grueling and satisfying. It’s become a new part of my routine along with intense post-run food cravings like fried chicken. I’m feeling great about these new changes, but I’m also not quite changing my diet. After all, I’m a food blogger! I love food. So I may eat a salad for lunch, balanced out by pizza for dinner. Moderation is my jam. This week this tasty, crispy fried Chicken Katsu is my vice, and it’s totally worth it. Let’s get started on this recipe.
First you’re going to make your slaw. Slice a quarter of a red cabbage thinly, slice a cucumber thinly crosswise, and chop some cilantro, and throw it all into a big bowl. I use a simple vinaigrette to mix in–just mix together rice vinegar, vegetable oil, mustard, and soy sauce and pour it into the big bowl with a squeeze of lime. Then give it a good stir.
To fry your chicken, get out three shallow bowls for the breading. In one plate add flour, salt and mustard powder. In another, add a whisked egg, and in another add your panko bread crumbs. Butterfly your chicken breasts and dip them in the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat with a half cup of vegetable oil. Then fry each side of the chicken five minutes per side.
Lastly, whisk together your tonkatsu sauce, which is in no way traditional. I just made it up. It’s equal parts rice vinegar, soy sauce, dijon, and mirin. Give it a whisk and serve it along with the chicken and cabbage. See the full recipe below.
- ¼ of a red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp soy sauce
- salt
- juice of half a lime
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp powdered mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cabbage, cucumber, and cilantro and mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, mustard, and soy sauce. Pour it into the bowl and mix. Squeeze the lime into the mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt and mix one more time. Set aside.
- Butterfly your chicken breasts by slicing them horizontally and halving. Then sprinkle them on both sides with salt. Get out three bowls. In one bowl, add flour, dry mustard and salt and whisk. In another add your egg and whisk. In a third bowl, add your panko breadcrumbs.
- Dredge your chicken in the flour, then dip it into the egg, then dip into the bread crumbs on both sides. Continue this with the remaining chicken.
- In a large nonstick skillet, add ½ cup vegetable oil and heat to medium high heat. Add half the chicken to the skillet. Let this cook for five minutes and flip. Cook another five minutes. Remove to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Whisk together the dijon, rice vinegar, soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl. Serve alongside the chicken.
- Top the chicken with the slaw and serve with the sauce.
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