Description

Golden-fried pork or chicken cutlets served over fluffy Japanese rice, drizzled with rich tonkatsu sauce and garnished with fresh herbs—these Japanese Katsu Bowls are a weeknight dinner hero that feels like restaurant comfort at home.

Ingredients

2 boneless pork cutlets or chicken thighs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, whisked

1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs

2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice

4 tablespoons tonkatsu sauce

1 tablespoon chopped parsley or green onion (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook Japanese short-grain rice according to package instructions; keep warm.

2. Flatten pork or chicken to ½ inch thickness using a mallet or rolling pin. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Set up 3 shallow bowls for flour, eggs, and panko. Coat meat in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko.

4. Heat oil to 340°F–350°F in a deep skillet. Fry cutlets 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

5. Transfer cutlets to a wire rack to drain.

6. Slice cutlets and serve over rice in bowls.

7. Drizzle with tonkatsu sauce and garnish with chopped herbs if desired.

Notes

For extra crunch, double-coat the meat by repeating the egg and panko step once.

Don’t overcrowd the pan—fry in batches to maintain oil temperature.

Use a meat thermometer if unsure: internal temp should be 165°F (chicken) or 145°F (pork).