Coated with crispy Japanese panko and fried to perfection, this Chicken Cheese Katsu is a favorite among kids and adults alike. The melt-in-your-mouth molten cheese filling makes the fried chicken extra special!

Chicken Cheese Katsu

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb chicken tenders/tenderloins (8 pieces)
• ▢kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• ▢white pepper powder (you can use black pepper)
• ▢4 oz cheese (I used the same Japanese “processed cheese” which was used in Midnight Diner (see blog post). You can use mozzarella, fontina, gruyere, provolone, or any kind of cheese you want to stuff in the chicken.)
• ▢¼ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) (plus more as needed)
• ▢2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
• ▢1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (plus more as needed)
• ▢3-4 cups neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc) (for deep frying)

Serving Ideas (optional)

• ▢shredded cabbage (I use this cabbage slicer to shred cabbage)
• ▢cherry tomatoes
• ▢flake sea salt
• ▢tonkatsu sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  
• Cut the cheese into thin long sticks.
• Lay the chicken tender on the counter, tendon side down. Grab the end of the tendon with your finger, slide your sharp knife under it at a 20-degree angle, and simply pull the tendon toward you. Place your hand flat on top of the chicken tender. Slice into the thicker side and butterfly the chicken without slicing through to the other side. NOTE: A tough white tendon attached to the chicken tender can be left in and cooked; however, it is more pleasant to eat if removed.
• Carefully open the chicken and pound the chicken tender to a uniform thickness using the back of your knife (or a mallet or rolling pin).
• Season the chicken tender generously with salt and white pepper.
• Place long pieces of cheese on each chicken tender. Start rolling from one end.
• Make sure the cheese is tucked in tightly and not visible from the outside.
• Add the oil in a deep pot (I used a 3.5QT Dutch oven) and set over medium-low heat (slowly heat up while you bread the chicken). If you have a cooking thermometer, heat the oil to 340ºF (170℃).
• Whisk 2 large eggs in a bowl and set out flour and panko in separate shallow bowls. Working with one chicken tender at a time, coat it with flour.
• Shake off any excess flour and dredge in eggs.
• Then coat with the panko, pressing firmly, and shake off any excess panko (excess crumbs will get burnt in the oil).
• When the oil is heated at 340ºF (170℃), or small bubbles appear around chopsticks inserted in the oil, gently add the chicken to the oil. Do not overcrowd (oil temperature will drop significantly) and fry in several batches.
• Fry chicken cheese katsu until the exterior is golden brown, the interior is just cooked through, 3 minutes total.
• Transfer the chicken to a wire rack or a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Between batches and as needed, clean the oil with a fine-mesh skimmer. It’s important to keep the oil clean; otherwise, the oil gets darker with burnt crumbs. Continue the rest of the batches.
• Slice the chicken cheese katsu in half diagonally.
• Serve with shredded cabbage and cherry tomatoes. Optionally, you can serve with flake salt and Tonkatsu sauce. Enjoy!

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to a month. Reheat the katsu in the oven or oven toaster at 350ºF (177ºC) until heated through and avoid using a microwave.

https://www.justonecookbook.com/chicken-cheese-katsu/