Recipes are just better when they come from friends, am I right? My childhood best friend and her husband are big foodies just like myself (and probably you, as well!), and her husband is quite talented in the kitchen. So, it’s no wonder that when she told me several times about this recipe that he created, I had to find out what all her hype was about.
It’s important with this dish to use panko breadcrumbs, as opposed to regular breadcrumbs, to achieve that optimal crunchy texture. Together with the Chinese Five Spice, this combination creates a complex flavor that will literally rock your socks. If you are unfamiliar with Chinese Five Spice, it’s a spice blend (found at many grocery stores, including Sprouts and Whole Foods) composed of Star Anise, Fennel Seeds, Szechuan Peppercorns, Cloves, and Cinnamon.
“Chinese Five Spice was used in traditional Chinese medicine, and is based on the five elements – fire, water, wood, earth, and metal.”
– feasting at home, 2018
Five Spice Chicken Katsu
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breast (approx. 2 chicken breasts)
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp Chinese Five Spice Powder (amount to taste)
- 1/2 cup Katsu Sauce (found at Asian grocery store)
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry chicken breast. Then, tenderize on both sides before adding salt and pepper.
- Prepare three separate bowls; in the first bowl, add flour. In the second bowl, whisk your eggs together. In the third bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs and Chinese Five Spice powder (add amount to preference).
- Dip the chicken breast to coat in each bowl, shaking off the excess ingredients as you go.
- Heat up your oil on medium to medium high heat in a stainless steel pan (this helps with browning). Once the oil is hot, add your chicken – be careful, as the oil can “jump” when you place your chicken in the pan.
- Flip chicken when the panko on the underside is golden brown. Once both sides have come to a nice crisp and the chicken is cooked the full way through, remove immediately from oil and let your meat rest before cutting into slices.
- Top with katsu sauce and serve over rice.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
