Japanese panko breaded and baked chicken cutlet served with homemade ponzu

and grated daikon. This Baked Chicken Katsu recipe is 100% gluten-free. A delicious treat for those who love this classic Japanese dish but can't take gluten.

Gluten-Free Baked Chicken Katsu

INGREDIENTS

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (11 oz, 314 g)
• ▢¼ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• ▢⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For Breading

• ▢1 cup gluten-free panko
• ▢1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for toasting panko)
• ▢2 Tbsp rice flour
• ▢1 large egg (50 g w/o shell)

For Garnish

• ▢3 inch daikon radish
• ▢1 green onion/scallion
• ▢ponzu (homemade recipe below)

For Homemade Gluten-Free Ponzu Sauce

• ▢3 Tbsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (0.1 oz, 3 g; 1 package)
• ▢1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (0.1 oz, 3 g; 2” x 3”, 5 x 7.6 cm)
• ▢¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce (4 Tbsp)
• ▢¼ cup lemon juice (4 Tbsp; I used 3 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice; I like the combination of lemon/orange/grapefruit/yuzu juice)
• ▢1 Tbsp mirin

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  

To Make Homemade Ponzu (1-2 days in Advance)

• In a liquid measuring cup, zest the lemon so you can have about ¼ tsp lemon peel. Then squeeze the lemon (and orange) till you get 4 Tbsp (60 ml). I use 3 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice.
• In a mason jar, add the soy sauce, mirin, and lemon juice with the zest.
• Add katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and kombu, and close the lid and shake it to combine. Refrigerate for a day or two before you make the chicken katsu. If you make a big batch, you can save it for a long time as long as you keep it properly in the refrigerator.

To Make Chicken Katsu

• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
• Combine the panko and oil in a frying pan.
• Toast the panko over medium heat until golden brown. Try not to touch too much as panko can break into powders. Transfer the toasted panko into a shallow dish and allow to cool.
• Butterfly and cut the chicken breast in half. I also separate out the chicken tender. Pound the chicken to equal thickness with the back of the knife.
• Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides of the chicken.
• Dredge each chicken piece in the rice flour to coat completely and pat off the excess rice flour.
• Then dip into the beaten egg and finally coat with the toasted panko. Press on the panko flakes to make sure they adhere to the pork.
• Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or even better if you have an oven-safe wire rack (as air goes through on the bottom so panko doesn’t get crushed). Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) until the chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
• Remove the chicken katsu from the oven and cut into 1-inch pieces so you can eat with chopsticks.

To Serve

• Peel and grate daikon. Gently squeeze the water out and set aside.
• Cut the green onions into small pieces.
• Serve the grated daikon and green onion on top of the chicken katsu (or on the side if you prefer) and pour the ponzu sauce to enjoy!

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for a month. Reheat the baked katsu in the oven or oven toaster instead of microwaving to make it crispy. Bake at 350ºF (177ºC) until warm.

https://www.justonecookbook.com/gluten-free-baked-chicken-katsu/