CHICKEN KATSU ROLL

A Fusion of Two Japanese Classics

The chicken katsu roll is a fantastic example of how you can blend two traditional Japanese dishes into one, combining the crispy, savory goodness of chicken katsu with the fresh, delicate elements of sushi rolls. This unique fusion roll offers a satisfying balance of textures, with crispy chicken sushi rolls wrapped in soft, cooled sushi rice and nori sheet. It’s a great option for those who prefer seafood-free sushi but still crave bold Japanese flavors. Whether you’re new to sushi or a longtime fan looking for something different, the katsu sushi roll is sure to be a hit.

What is Katsu?

Katsu, which comes from the Japanese word “katsuretsu” (meaning cutlet), is a popular dish in Japan that involves coating chicken breast fillets in panko breadcrumbs before deep-frying it to golden perfection. The use of rice bran oil, canola oil, or soybean oil for frying gives the breaded chicken its signature crunch while keeping the inside juicy and tender. It is often served with tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage, and hot rice, making it a comforting and satisfying meal. A classic accompaniment is tonkatsu sauce, a rich, flavorful sauce that pairs beautifully with short grain sushi rice.

Other Ways to Enjoy Katsu

While the chicken katsu roll is a fun and delicious way to enjoy katsu, there are many other ways to savor this crispy delight! Chicken katsu curry is a favorite, where the fried cutlet is served over a bowl of rice smothered in curry sauce. Another popular dish is katsu donburi, featuring slice chicken breast fillets simmered in a soy sauce and vegetable broth mixture with onions and eggs, then served over rice.

For a sandwich twist, katsu sando is a must-try—featuring a crispy cutlet tucked between fluffy white bread with teriyaki sauce or tonkatsu sauce. Whether served as katsu sushi, over rice, or in a sandwich, this dish is a versatile and delicious option.

Bringing Chicken Katsu into Sushi

By incorporating chicken katsu into sushi rolls, this dish brings a fun and flavorful twist to traditional sushi-making. The contrast between the crispy chicken sushi rolls, the sticky, slightly tangy sushi rice, and the umami-rich nori sheet creates an irresistible combination. Some variations include adding spicy mayo, hot chili flavored oil, or sriracha chili sauce for an extra kick. A drizzle of eel sauce or tonkatsu sauce enhances the flavors even further. Whether served as an appetizer or a main dish, such sushi rolls are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

 

Ingredients for Chicken Katsu Roll

• 1-2 chicken breast fillets

• Half sheets of nori

• 2 cups of sushi rice (Learn how to make sushi rice here)

• Romaine lettuce

• Spicy mayo

• Eel sauce

• Panko breadcrumbs

• 2 beaten eggs

• Plain flour, wheat flour, or corn flour

• Corn starch

• Garlic powder

• Sesame seeds

• Red chili pepper

• Lemon juice

• Vegetable oil (soybean oil, canola oil, or rice bran oil for frying)

• A bamboo mat for rolling

• Plastic food wrap to prevent sticking

• A sharp knife for slicing

• Pickled ginger for serving

Preparing the Chicken Katsu

Set your cast iron skillet/wok on the stove and pour the vegetable oil in until the depth reaches approximately 3 cm (or 1.5 in). Bring the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) on a medium heat. Make sure to keep an eye on your oil so it doesn’t burn!

While the oil is heating (which shouldn’t take long- 5-10 min.) we need to do is prepare our chicken.

Slice chicken breast fillets into bite-sized pieces. The ideal size is 2 cm (approx. 3/4 in.) in diameter.

Set up a large mixing bowl with plain flour, a small ceramic bowl with beaten egg, and another with panko breadcrumbs.

Test your oil to see if it has reached the proper temperature. You can do this by either using a cooking thermometer, dipping a chopstick into the oil, or by dropping a small piece of panko into the oil. Below, you can see that I’m using the chopstick method. We are looking for small bubbles to come off the chopstick to indicate that the oil is ready for frying.

Notice how there is smoke coming from the oil? This means that the oil is about to burn. If this happens, remove the oil from the heat until it stops smoking. Also, using ventilation is recommended so you don’t set off your fire alarm!

After verifying that your oil is ready, its time to start preparing your chicken for the fryer. Dredge each chicken strip in plain flour, Be sure to shake off any excess flour.  

Then dip into beaten egg making sure to cover the entire slice of chicken.

Afterwards, coat the chicken thoroughly in panko breadcrumbs.

Carefully slide your breaded chicken into the oil. Be careful not to drop it! Hot oil splashing is never a good time. Fry the breaded chicken until golden brown.

Using a pair of chopsticks or tongs, remove the chicken katsu from the oil after it turns a light, golden-brown color. Place the piece on a plate with paper towels. The paper towels will absorb any excess oil while the chicken continues to cook/turns darker in color.

Repeat this process until you have fried all of your chicken. Be careful not to overfill your oil with the chicken pieces, as this will lower the temperature of your oil. I typically only fry 2-3 pieces at a time.

After all of the pieces have been fried, allow 3-5 minutes for the chicken katsu to cool down before you use them in a roll.

 

PREPARING TEMPURA CRUMBS

To make the tempura crumbs, you will want to mix:

• 1 cup (240 mL) of cold water

• 1 egg

• 1 cup  (240 mL) of flour

Make sure that you have 2 bowls, some paper towels, and a fryer strainer ready before you get started.

This is actually the recipe I use for tempura batter. You can tempura fry anything from shrimp, vegetables, mushrooms to poultry! For tempura crumbs, however, we will just be frying the batter.

1. Whisk the egg into the water and remove any foam from the top.

2. Pour in the flour and mix together with a fork until all of the clumps have dissolved.

3. While the oil is still hot, use the fork to drip the batter into the oil.  If you use cold water and only drip a little bit of batter in at a time, the batter will float to the top and create these types of “crumbs.”

If you use cold water and only drip a little bit of batter in at a time, the batter will float to the top and create these types of “crumbs.”

4. Using a fryer strainer, scoops out the crumbs once they have turned a golden-brown color. Place them into a bowl with paper towels to allow any excess oil to drain. Its important that these little guys are nice and crispy.

5. Finally, use your hands to crush the tempura crumbs into tiny pieces. Personally, I think the smaller the pieces, the better it looks on a chicken katsu roll.

Rolling the Chicken Katsu Roll

After the chicken has been fried, the tempura crumbs prepared, and your rolling station setup, we are almost ready to roll. The last bit of preparation involves simply cutting and rinsing off your Romaine lettuce.

Make sure that you have all of your ingredients ready! The tempura crumbs are not shown below, but they are on a countertop nearby.

This roll is made as a half-futomaki, but with the rice on the outside instead of inside. To do this, apply the cooled sushi rice to the rough side of the nori sheet on a bamboo mat – leaving approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) of the nori exposed on the top.

Flip the nori sheet and bamboo mat over, making sure that the exposed side of the nori is facing you, and place some lettuce and chicken katsu towards the center. Try to make the amount of ingredients as consistent as possible.

Using your thumbs under the makisu and your fingers to hold the ingredients in place, slowly roll from the bottom towards the top. As soon as the rice touched the smooth side of the nori, you can give the roll a gentle squeeze to make sure that the roll is tight.

Next, place the chicken katsu roll into the bed of tempura crumbs and roll it around. You want to get as much of the rice cover with tempura crumbs as possible.

Use your makisu to gently press the crumbs into the rice. This will help prevent the crumbs from falling off while you cut the roll.

Slice your chicken katsu roll into 6 pieces using a sharp knife and place it on a plate.

Lastly, drizzle some spicy mayo, eel sauce, or teriyaki sauce. Enjoy!

Final Touches

Serve your chicken katsu roll with a side of pickled ginger and a bit of wasabi. For an extra crunch, sprinkle some tempura topping over the roll.

Enjoy this delightful chicken katsu roll, a perfect fusion of crispy cutlets and fresh sushi flavors!

Connect on Social

If you make the Chicken katsu roll recipe, please tag Secrets of Sushi on instagram so we can see your success! I love seeing my students happily making delicious sushi rolls!