Make delicious and crispy air fryer chicken katsu with homemade katsu curry sauce. Perfect for a quick and healthy dinner!
Succulent chicken breast fillets are coated in panko breadcrumbs and air fried until crispy and golden before being drizzled with the easy katsu curry sauce.
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My air fryer katsu chicken recipe with homemade katsu curry sauce is a delicious and healthier take on the traditional Japanese dish.
By using an air fryer instead of deep-frying the chicken, you can enjoy a crispy golden brown coating without all the added oil. Plus, the homemade katsu curry sauce is super easy to make with store cupboard ingredients!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- By air frying instead of deep frying, you use up to 85% less oil compared to deep frying. This makes it a lighter, lower-fat option for a family meal without compromising on crispness or flavour.
- Both kids and adults will love the crispy breaded chicken paired with the homemade curry sauce. It's a crowd-pleasing classic combination that even the fussiest of eaters will enjoy.
- With the air fryer doing the work of crisping up the chicken, and a quick sauce to pull together, you can have this meal on the table in under 30 minutes. No long prep or cook times for busy weeknights.
- If it's just you or a small household, simply cut the ingredients in half. The air fryer makes it simple to cook just the amount you need without leftovers going to waste. Perfect for couples or young families
🛒 Ingredient notes
For the panko chicken;
Chicken - four skinless and boneless chicken breast fillets, or swap for chicken thighs.
Flour - plain white flour for coating the chicken.
Egg - to help the breadcrumbs stick.
Panko Breadcrumbs - or use dried natural breadcrumbs instead.
Salt & Pepper - for seasoning the crispy breadcrumb coating.
Olive Oil Spray - a few squirts of olive oil spray (or another type of oil such as sunflower or vegetable oil) will ensure the chicken breasts don't stick to the air fryer basket.
For the katsu curry sauce;
Curry Paste - I use a mild korma curry paste, but use a medium or hot curry paste if you like your food spicy.
Cornflour - to thicken the curry sauce.
Ketchup - helps to create the base of the base and add richness.
Honey - clear runny honey adds sweetness.
Soy Sauce - for extra flavour. You could also use Worcestershire sauce instead.
Boiling Water - 300ml of boiling water to make the katsu curry sauce the perfect consistency.
🔪 How to make chicken katsu in the air fryer
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat the air fryer to 180 C (350 F) and spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray.
Two: Put the flour, egg, and seasoned panko breadcrumbs in three separate, wide shallow bowls. Coat each chicken breast in flour, then egg, then the breadcrumbs.
Pro Tip - If your chicken breasts are very thick in the middle, you can pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before breading and air frying. Use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to do this.
Three: Air fry for the required time. Cooking times will vary depending on the size and weight of your chicken breasts. Always test with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 75C (165F).
170g (6oz) chicken breast - 15 -16 minutes total cooking time
225g (8oz) chicken breast - 18 -19 minutes total cooking time
280g (10oz) chicken breast - 20 -21 minutes total cooking time
340g (12oz) chicken breast - 22-23 minutes total cooking time
Four: While the chicken is cooking, place the curry paste in a saucepan on a low heat and whisk in the cornflour so no lumps remain.
Five: Mix in the ketchup, soy sauce and honey.
Six: Pour in the boiling water, turn the heat up, and whisk until the sauce boils.
Seven: Turn down the heat to low and continue to stir until the sauce has thickened.
Top Tips
- Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and airier than regular breadcrumbs, which makes them perfect for getting a crispy coating on the chicken katsu. They're also more absorbent, so they soak up less oil and stay crispy for longer.
- If your chicken breasts are very thick in the middle, you can pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before breading and air frying. Use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to do this.
- The katsu curry sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This not only saves time, but also allows the flavours to develop and intensify.
- For extra crispy chicken katsu, double coat the chicken by dipping it in the egg and breadcrumb mixture twice. This will create a thicker coating that's extra crispy and golden brown.
- To ensure that the chicken katsu cooks evenly and gets crispy on all sides, don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary, leaving some space around each piece.
🍴 Serving suggestions
- Serve the chicken katsu on a bed of steamed rice for a classic Japanese dish. You can use white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or even sushi rice.
- Serve with noodles, such as soba noodles or udon noodles, for a hearty and filling meal. Drizzle some of the katsu curry sauce over the noodles for added flavour.
- Make a katsu chicken sandwich by placing the chicken between two slices of bread or a bun. Add some lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise for a delicious and filling lunch.
- Serve with a side salad for a lighter and healthier meal. Use your favourite greens, such as lettuce or spinach, and add some sliced vegetables, such as cucumber or carrot, for crunch.
- Make a chicken katsu wrap by placing the chicken in a tortilla or wrap along with some lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Drizzle some of the katsu curry sauce over the top.
- Serve with some steamed or roasted vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, or air fryer green beans, for a balanced meal.
- Pack the chicken katsu, rice, and some vegetables into a bento box for a traditional Japanese lunch.
📖 Variations
- Make it veggie with extra firm tofu. Cut the tofu into thick slices, dip them in the flour, then the egg, and finally the panko breadcrumbs. Air fry the tofu for about 10-12 minutes until it's crispy and golden brown.
- Substitute the chicken with pork tenderloin or pork loin. Cut the pork into thick slices, pound them to an even thickness, dip them in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Air fry the pork for about 12-15 minutes until it's crispy and golden brown
- Add a chopped cooked onion to the katsu curry sauce for more flavour.
- Serve the katsu sauce on crispy air fryer chicken legs instead.
🥡 Storage
Store - The chicken katsu and the katsu curry sauce can be stored separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat - Place the chicken back in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 5-7 minutes or until it's heated through and crispy again. To reheat the katsu curry sauce, heat it up in a saucepan over medium heat, or in the microwave.
Freeze - The chicken katsu and the katsu curry sauce can be frozen in separate airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make this recipe without an air fryer by baking the chicken katsu in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until it's crispy and golden brown.
Panko breadcrumbs are preferred for this recipe because they create a lighter and crispier texture. However, if you can't find panko breadcrumbs, you can use regular breadcrumbs instead. Just keep in mind that the texture may be a bit denser.
No, the breadcrumbs are essential for the crispy coating on the chicken katsu. However, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you need to make this recipe gluten-free. If you want plain air fried chicken follow my recipe for air fryer chicken breasts.
Yes, you can use a different type of curry paste, such as Thai green curry paste or tikka masala paste.
Yes, you can make the katsu curry sauce in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Just reheat it in a saucepan or microwave before serving.
😋 More easy air fryer recipes
You might also like my easy peanut butter chicken curry recipe!
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Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Katsu Recipe
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Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts boneless and skinless
- 4 tablespoon Plain Flour
- 1 Egg beaten
- 100 g Panko Breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Oil Spray olive oil or sunflower oil
For the homemade katsu curry sauce
- 2½ tablespoon Korma Curry Paste
- 2 tablespoon Cornflour
- 4 tablespoon Ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 300 ml Boiling Water
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350F) and spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray.⅛ teaspoon Oil Spray
- Put the flour, egg, and seasoned panko breadcrumbs in 3 separate wide shallow bowls. Coat each chicken breast in flour, then egg, then the breadcrumbs.Pro Tip - If your chicken breasts are very thick in the middle, you can pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before breading and air frying. Use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to do this.4 Chicken Breasts, 4 tablespoon Plain Flour, 1 Egg, 100 g Panko Breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Air fry for the required time (see below). Cooking times will vary depending on the size and weight of your chicken breasts. Always test with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should have reached 75°C (165F).170g (6oz) chicken breast - 15 -16 minutes total cooking time225g (8oz) chicken breast - 18 -19 minutes total cooking time280g (10oz) chicken breast - 20 -21 minutes total cooking time340g (12oz) chicken breast - 22-23 minutes total cooking time
- Whilst the chicken is cooking, place the curry paste in a saucepan on a low heat and whisk in the cornflour so no lumps remain.2½ tablespoon Korma Curry Paste, 2 tablespoon Cornflour
- Mix in the ketchup, soy sauce and honey.4 tablespoon Ketchup, 2 tablespoon Honey, 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- Pour in the boiling water, turn the heat up, and whisk until the sauce boils.300 ml Boiling Water
- Turn down the heat to low and continue to stir until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve the crispy coated chicken cut into slices and drizzled with the katsu curry sauce.
Notes
- Use Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and airier than regular breadcrumbs, which makes them perfect for getting a crispy coating on the chicken katsu. They're also more absorbent, so they soak up less oil and stay crispy for longer.
- Pound the chicken evenly: If your chicken breasts are very thick in the middle, you can pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before breading and air frying. Use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to do this.
- Make the katsu curry sauce in advance: The katsu curry sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This not only saves time, but also allows the flavours to develop and intensify.
- Double coat the chicken: For extra crispy chicken katsu, double coat the chicken by dipping it in the egg and breadcrumb mixture twice. This will create a thicker coating that's extra crispy and golden brown.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer: To ensure that the chicken katsu cooks evenly and gets crispy on all sides, don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary, leaving some space around each piece.
- Make it veggie with extra firm tofu. Cut the tofu into thick slices, dip them in the flour, then the egg, and finally the panko breadcrumbs. Air fry the tofu for about 10-12 minutes until it's crispy and golden brown.
- Substitute the chicken with pork tenderloin or pork loin. Cut the pork into thick slices, pound them to an even thickness, dip them in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Air fry the pork for about 12-15 minutes until it's crispy and golden brown
- Add a chopped cooked onion to the katsu curry sauce for more flavour.
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Katherine
Such a great idea to get the chicken nice and crispy in the air fryer! I love this katsu.
Dana
I love that this is made in the air fryer. People underestimate the amount of crisp you can get in there! These are fantastic!
Wanda
I'm crazy about chicken katsu but never thought to make it in an air fryer. Such a great idea, thanks for sharing!
Tara
Oooh, such a delicious and easy dinner. This looks fantastic with that panko breading and how quickly it comes together in the air fryer.
Stephanie
I loved this recipe! Next time, though, I'm doubling the sauce so I have more for my rice 🙂