Crispy, golden panko chicken meets fresh, crunchy veg in this easy and flavour-packed Chicken Katsu Salad. Made with simple ingredients, it's a fun twist on the classic katsu chicken - lighter, quicker, and just as satisfying. Unlike most Asian salad dressings, we sauté the aromatics first, which softens the sharpness of raw garlic and onion. The result is a rich, mellow flavour that won't linger long after your last bite.
Jump to:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!
Looking for a more traditional meal that you can serve with white rice? Try our easy coconut crusted chicken, chicken katsu recipe or chicken katsu poke bowl!
Ingredients and Substitutes
Here's everything you will need to make this delicious Chicken Katsu Salad:
- aromatics: garlic clove, ginger, brown onion (red onion or shallot) and bird's eye chilli (or red chilli pepper).
- curry powder: we used mild curry powder.
- rice vinegar: or white wine vinegar, if that's what you have.
- mango chutney.
- soy sauce: we used light.
- vegetable or sunflower oil.
- chicken breast: 1 large chicken breast will serve two.
- flour: plain (all-purpose) flour.
- egg.
- panko breadcrumbs.
- turmeric: optional, but gives the chicken coating a golden brown colour.
- salad veggies: lettuce, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, and edamame beans (we used frozen edamame). But you can add pretty much anything you have in the fridge.
Find the ingredient quantities, detailed method and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
Step 1: Make The Dressing
1. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil (taken from the total oil amount for the dressing) in a small frying pan over low heat.
2. Add the chopped garlic, onion, ginger and chilli, and sauté gently for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring often to avoid browning.
3. Stir in the curry powder and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant, then remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
4. Transfer everything to a pestle and mortar (or food processor), add the rice vinegar, and grind into a coarse paste - some texture is good.
5. Scoop the mixture into a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add mango chutney, soy sauce and water, and stir to combine.
6. Pour in the remaining oil, screw the lid on, and shake the jar vigorously until the katsu salad dressing emulsifies. Set aside until ready to use.
Step 2: Prepare Panko Chicken
1. Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthways to create two thinner pieces. Dab them with paper towels to remove surface moisture.
TIP: If you want very thin chicken pieces that cook in a flash, bash them with the flat side of a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin.
2. Place the flour, beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs (mixed with turmeric, if using) into three separate shallow bowls.
3. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, then dip into the egg wash, and finally coat in the panko breadcrumbs.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
5. Add the chicken to hot oil and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until golden brown and crispy. The internal temperature should reach 74°C.
6. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and set aside to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Step 3: Assemble
1. Place the shredded lettuce, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, and edamame beans into a large bowl.
2. Give your dressing a good shake to re-emulsify, as it likely separated while resting.
3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing to the salad and toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
4. Divide the dressed salad between serving bowls.
5. Slice the cooked chicken into thin strips and arrange on top of the salad.
6. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the chicken and serve immediately. Top your Chicken Katsu Salad with chilli flakes, sliced spring onions and sesame seeds if you wish!
Leftovers and Storage
For best results, store the chicken, salad, and katsu salad dressing separately in an airtight container. Reheat the chicken gently if you like, give the dressing a good shake to re-emulsify, and toss everything together just before serving. But this salad is great cold too.
More Chicken Salad Recipes
Chicken Katsu Salad
Ingredients
For The Dressing:
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon brown onion about ¼, finely chopped
- ½ bird's eye chilli deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon curry powder we used mild
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mango chutney
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 50 ml (⅕ cups) vegetable or sunflower oil
For Panko Chicken:
- 1 chicken breast large (approx. 250g)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 egg
- 30 g (0.5 cups) panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric optional
- 2 tablespoon oil for frying
Salad:
- 1 gem lettuce or 2 baby gem lettuce, shredded
- 80 g (2.82 oz) cucumber sliced into semi-circles
- 1 medium carrot julliened
- ½ bell pepper thinly sliced
- 100 g (⅔ cups) edamame beans
Instructions
Make The Dressing:
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil (taken from the total oil amount for the dressing) in a small frying pan over low heat.
- Add the chopped garlic, onion, ginger and chilli, and sauté gently for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring often to avoid browning.
- Stir in the curry powder and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant, then remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Transfer everything to a pestle and mortar (or food processor), add the rice vinegar, and grind into a coarse paste - some texture is good.
- Scoop the mixture into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add mango chutney, soy sauce and water, and stir to combine.
- Pour in the remaining oil, screw the lid on, and shake the jar vigorously until the dressing emulsifies.
- Set aside until ready to use.
Prepare Panko Chicken:
- Slice the chicken breast in half lengthways to create two thinner pieces.
- Place the flour, beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs (mixed with turmeric, if using) into three separate shallow bowls.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, then dip into the egg, and finally coat in the panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until golden and crispy. The internal temperature should reach 74°C.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a chopping board and set aside to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Assemble:
- Place the shredded lettuce, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, and edamame beans into a large mixing bowl.
- Give your dressing a good shake to re-emulsify, as it likely separated while resting.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing to the salad and toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
- Divide the dressed salad between serving bowls.
- Slice the cooked chicken into thin strips and arrange on top of the salad.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the chicken and serve immediately.
Leave a Reply