Chicken Katsu Salad
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.
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 vegetable or sunflower oil
For Panko Chicken:
- 1 chicken breast large (approx. 250g)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 egg
- 30 g panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric optional
- 2 tablespoon oil for frying
Salad:
- 1 gem lettuce or 2 baby gem lettuce, shredded
- 80 g cucumber sliced into semi-circles
- 1 medium carrot julliened
- ½ bell pepper thinly sliced
- 100 g 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 548kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 37gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 1284mgPotassium: 960mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2351IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 115mgIron: 4mg
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