The Japanese have a deep affection for fried chicken. From karaage to chicken katsu to chicken tempura (toriten), we have a lineup of fried chicken that we just can’t get enough of. And one thing they all share in common? Crispy skin and juicy meat. Today I’d like to introduce another Japanese’s crispy fried chicken – Chicken Cheese Katsu (ささみチーズカツ).
You heard it right. This one has melt-in-your-mouth, gooey cheese in it! If you’ve been following the popular Netflix® show – Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (Season 2), you’d see the spotlight on the dish referred to as “Fried Chicken Breast with Cheese” in Episode 2.
Chicken Cheese Katsu may be lesser-known compared to karaage or chicken katsu, but it’s definitely a popular home-cooked dish in Japan. The combo of fried juicy chicken with cheese seems to be the winning factor.
Ready to tackle this recipe? Imagine yourself being the Master of Midnight Diner!
What is Chicken Cheese Katsu?
You probably know Chicken Katsu already. If not, it’s a chicken cutlet (“Katsu” came from this word) that is very similar to Chicken Schnitzel. In Japan, we make cutlets with chicken, pork, beef, tofu, or vegetables.
- Chicken Katsu (Baked Chicken Katsu)
- Tonkatsu (Baked Tonkatsu)
- Gyukatsu – our favorite restaurant in Tokyo
- Tofu Katsu – our favorite restaurant in Hakone
Some Tonkatsu specialty restaurants offer variations with cheese, and that’s Cheese Katsu (チーズカツ). It’s very popular among the kids and ladies that restaurants even offer cheese katsu in “lady’s lunch set” and “children’s lunch set” menus.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy and crunchy on the outside
- Juicy on the inside
- Filled with molten cheese oozing out from the chicken
- Delicious with flaked salt or tonkatsu sauce
- Your new favorite katsu that you don’t typically find at Japanese restaurants
Plus, it’s freezer-friendly, and perfect for bento or emergency dinner menu!
The cooking process is quite simple, and you can make this entire dish in less than an hour.
- Butterfly the chicken tender and season with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the chicken with cheese.
- Coat the chicken with flour, egg, and panko.
- Deep fry till golden brown.
The video above will help you visualize the process, but you can also see my step-by-step pictures in the recipe box below.
3 Cooking Tips
Here are 3 important tips to remember when you make chicken cheese katsu.
- Evenly pound chicken tender. It’s easier to roll up the chicken when it’s evenly flat. Also, it’s faster to cook a thinner piece of meat with even thickness.
- Do not expose the cheese. When cheese is exposed to the oil, it will melt right away. Therefore, it’s important to tuck the cheese in the chicken tightly and coat it well with the breading.
- Check your oil temperature. The right oil temperature will ensure your last path to success. Check my post How to Deep Fry Food and get a cooking thermometer so you don’t have to guess your oil temperature.
Once you have these down, you’ll have great success with the recipe.
Deep Fry vs. Bake
I have shared an oven-baked chicken katsu recipe, but I would recommend deep-frying for this Chicken Cheese Katsu. Deep-frying could be messy, but it is the way to go for the best texture and flavor.
However, if you still like to use the oven, use my Toasted Panko Method and bake the chicken.
The Processed Cheese in Japan
Growing up in Japan in the late 70s to late 90s, the cheese I ate was this creamy yellow cheese called “Process Cheese” (プロセスチーズ).
In Today’s recipe, I used this exact “process cheese” the master of Midnight Diner was using. The local Japanese grocery store here in San Francisco happens to carry it. It’s basically the processed cheese made from 100% cow’s milk from Hokkaido, and the taste is specifically made for the Japanese taste (according to their website).
You don’t have to use this cheese, of course. Mozzarella, fontina, gruyere, provolone, or any kind of creamy cheese would work in this Chicken Cheese Katsu recipe.
Serve with a pile of shredded cabbage, and some cherry tomatoes alongside steamed rice, and enjoy!
Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories Season 1 Recipes
Thank you to all of you who reached out regarding the Season 2 Midnight Diner recipes! For those of you who are interested in Midnight Diner Season 1 recipes, you can click on this link to check them out.
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Chicken Cheese Katsu
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders/tenderloins (8 pieces)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- white pepper powder (or substitute black pepper)
- 4 oz cheese (I used the same Japanese “processed cheese” used in Midnight Diner (see the blog post); you can use any kind of cheese such as mozzarella, fontina, gruyere, or provolone)
- 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 cups neutral oil (for deep-frying; enough for 1½ inches (3.8 cm) of oil in the pot)
For Serving (optional)
- shredded green cabbage (I use a cabbage slicer to shred it)
- cherry tomatoes
- flake sea salt
- tonkatsu sauce
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut 4 oz cheese into thin, long sticks.
- Lay 1 lb chicken tenders/tenderloins 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 pull the tendon toward you to remove. 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 edge of your knife (or a mallet or rolling pin). Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
- Season the chicken tenders generously with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and white pepper powder.
- Place the 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 3–4 cups neutral oil to a deep pot (I used a 3.5 QT Dutch oven) and set it over medium-low heat. Slowly heat up the oil while you bread the chicken. If you have a cooking thermometer, heat the oil to 340ºF (170℃).
To Bread the Cutlets
- Whisk 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) in a bowl and set out ¼ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) and 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) in separate shallow bowls. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, coat with the flour.
- Shake off any excess flour. Next, dip it in the beaten egg to coat completely.
- Then, coat with the panko, pressing firmly. Shake off any excess panko (the crumbs will get burnt in the oil).
To Deep-Fry
- The oil is ready when it registers 340ºF (170℃) or small bubbles appear around chopsticks inserted in the oil. Gently add the chicken to the oil. Do not overcrowd the pot, as the oil temperature will drop significantly. Fry the chicken in several batches.
- Fry the katsu until the exterior is golden brown and the interior is just cooked through, about 3 minutes total.
- Transfer the chicken to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels.
- Between batches and as needed, scoop up the crumbs in 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.
To Serve
- Slice the Chicken Cheese Katsu in half crosswise at a diagonal.
- Serve with shredded green cabbage and cherry tomatoes. Optionally, you can serve it with flake sea 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; avoid using a microwave.
Nutrition
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