Katsu Sando

Name: Katsu Sando
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 8 slices white toast; 40 grams kewpie mayo; 40 grams tonkatsu sauce; 250 grams chicken breast; 1.5 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 egg; 3 tbsp panko bread crumbs; 3 tbsp regular bread crumbs; 50 grams clarified butter; 150 grams red cabbage; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1/2 tsp sesame oil; 1/4 tsp salt; 4 butter lettuce leaves

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Katsu Sando – Crispy Chicken Japanese Sandwich

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JUNE 29, 2024 BY KIMBERLY

Sink your teeth into the ultimate Katsu Sando - the most popular Japanese sandwich! Crispy chicken, tangy red cabbage, and creamy kewpie mayo nestled between soft bread – every bite is a flavor explosion!

READY IN40 minMAKES4 servingsDIFFICULTYyou got thisDIETmeat & fish

your own shopping list, swaps, a plan for the leftovers and what to serve with it: it’s all in the recipe below.

EVERY RECIPE DESERVES

A little love letter

Dear katsu sando,

You are a sandwich with excellent posture. Soft white toast, everything stacked so neatly that cutting you in half feels like a little reveal.

And what a reveal. Golden panko chicken, crunchy and juicy at the same time, a bright red cabbage slaw with rice vinegar and sesame oil, a leaf of butter lettuce, kewpie mayo, and that sweet, tangy tonkatsu sauce creeping just slightly over the edge.

You're the lunch that makes a regular Tuesday feel like a small event. You're also brunch, tea time, and a very good excuse to fry something at noon. I always tell myself I'll save the second half for later. Later has never once happened.

Let’s make this piece of happinessxo, Kimberly

saved you a seat

p.s. wrap it tight and let it rest under a cutting board for 10 minutes before cutting. cleaner edges, nothing slides.

FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN

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Katsu Sando

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GOOD TO HAVE ON HAND sharp knife cutting board medium-sized bowl plastic wrap meat mallet two plates three shallow dishes for breading large frying pan measuring spoons

GOOD TO KNOW

READY IN40 minMAKES4 servingsDIFFICULTYyou got thisDIETmeat & fishSTART ATON THE TABLE AT

From my kitchen to yours

Hi, I’m Kimberly. The kitchen is my happy place. Everything I cook there ends up here, step by step, so it can make you happy too. more about me

come say hi

that’s me

INGREDIENTS

UNITS

SCALE

something to drink?

INSTRUCTIONStap the number when a step is done

1Cut the red cabbage into eighths and finely shred or slice one eighth. Place it in a medium-sized bowl and marinate with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt. Set aside.

2Detach 4 leaves from the head of lettuce and wash thoroughly. Pat dry and set aside.

3Halve the chicken breast lengthwise, then cut each half again crosswise. Place each piece between two layers of plastic wrap and pound to about 0.5 cm / 0.2" thickness using a meat mallet. Lay the flattened meat on a plate.

4Set up a breading station with three shallow dishes or bowls. Fill the first dish with 1.5 heaped tablespoons of wheat flour, crack an egg into the second dish and whisk it. In the third dish, mix together 3 heaped tablespoons each of panko and breadcrumbs. Coat each piece of chicken first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the egg, and finally, press into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring it's well coated on all sides. Place the breaded pieces side by side on a plate.

5Heat clarified butter in a large frying pan and fry the breaded chicken pieces on both sides until crispy, about 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Let the meat drain on kitchen paper.

6Place half of the slices of bread flat on a clean work surface, then place a lettuce leaf on each. Top each with a piece of cooked chicken, followed by a zigzag pattern of Kewpie mayo and Tonkatsu sauce. Add about 2 tbsp of red cabbage salad on top of the sauces. Finally, top the sandwiches with another slice of bread. If desired, trim the edges all around and cut the sandwiches in half in the middle with a sharp knife.

Leftovers & pairings

what to do with the rest of the red cabbageyou used one eighth. seven to go.

easy red cabbage saladquick

spicy red cabbage soupcozy

what goes with this sando

garlic soy edamameto snack

vegan dumplings in sesame miso soupmake it dinner

ASKED & ANSWEREDtap a question

What is tonkatsu sauce?

A thick, sweet and tangy Japanese sauce, a bit like a fruity barbecue sauce. Asian supermarkets have it. In a pinch, mix ketchup and Worcestershire sauce 1:1 with a pinch of sugar.

Can I pack it for lunch?

Yes. Let the chicken cool completely, assemble and wrap the sandwich tight. The lettuce leaf keeps the bread from getting soggy.

Do I have to cut off the crusts?

No, it’s just the classic look and makes it softer. Dry the crusts and blitz them into breadcrumbs for next time.

How do I know the chicken is cooked through?

After about 3 minutes per side the crust is golden and the meat is white all the way through, no pink. Thin 0.5 cm cutlets cook fast, so don’t leave them longer than needed.