What is chicken katsu?

If you haven’t tried chicken katsu before, you are in for such a treat! Chicken katsu is a popular Japanese dish of deep-fried, panko breadcrumbed chicken which is often served with an aromatic curry sauce and rice. It has a gloriously golden colour and deliciously crispy, crunchy texture which is just too good to resist. I love thinking of ways to put twists on classics, so I came up with these Japanese chicken wraps as a new way to try the iconic staple.

What are panko breadcrumbs?

Panko breadcrumbs are the most delicious Japanese-style breadcrumbs made from white bread that has been blitzed into crumbs and dried (so they absorb less oil than traditional breadcrumbs giving lighter, crunchier results). They are typically used in Japanese dishes like Tonkatsu and Chicken Katsu, but are equally delicious on Chicken Kyiv or Schnitzel. They are my go-to when I want to add a bit of crunch, such as in my Crispy Panko Prawn Tacos with Avocado Cream, Crunchy Slaw and Sriracha Drizzle and Four Cheese Macaroni Cheese with Panko Breadcrumbs .

Can I prep these Chicken Katsu Wraps in advance?

Yes! You can do all the coating of the chicken breast and keep it covered in the fridge ready to bake later if you want to serve your Chicken Katsu Wrap hot. If you don’t mind serving it cold, you can make the whole katsu wrap recipe, then cover and chill it in the fridge (ideal in a lunchbox if taking to work), ready to enjoy when you feel peckish! The sriracha mayonnaise is great to make in advance, I keep any leftovers in the fridge ready to use as a dip for veggie crudités or crisps when I start to feel hungry.

What other sauces, salads and fillings can I add to these Chicken Katsu Wraps?

This katsu wrap recipe is super versatile, so please don’t feel you have to follow it to the letter. You can switch up the fillings depending on what you want to use up/already have in your fridge and adjust them to suit your personal taste. I find gem lettuce adds a good crunch, but rocket or mixed leaf salad works really well too. Equally, I love the smoky, spicy flavour of sriracha mayonnaise, you could use other toppings like sour cream and chives, garlic aioli (I would go for a cheats version that just mixes garlic through mayonnaise), zesty lemon mayonnaise or a plain mayonnaise. A drizzle of sweet chilli sauce would also be delicious. You could even make your own katsu curry sauce and spoon that over the top for a more authentic katsu experience. If you want to make this Chicken Katsu Wrap a more substantial meal, you turn it into a katsu burrito by adding a layer of cooked rice to the base before rolling. You can use home cooked basmati rice or reheat one of those super handy microwavable pouches - this is supposed to be an easy chicken katsu wrap after all!

Can I make a plant-based version of this Chicken Katsu Wrap?

Yes! Obviously it would no longer be a Chicken Katsu Wrap, but vegetarians can still enjoy a katsu curry wrap… Simply swap the chicken breast for extra firm tofu - it takes on the flavours so well and is perfect when you want a vegetarian version of a healthy chicken katsu wrap. It isn’t as simple to make a vegan version as this recipe uses egg in the crispy golden breadcrumb coating so I wouldn’t recommend trying it without. Let me know in the comments if you would like me to work on a vegan version of these Japanese chicken wraps…

Chicken Katsu Wrap

Name: Chicken Katsu Wrap
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 chicken breast; 75g panko breadcrumbs; 50g plain flour; 1 large egg, beaten; 1 tsp curry powder; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; ¼ red cabbage; 1 carrot; ¼ red onion; 1 lime; Salt, to taste; 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 2 tbsp sriracha; 2 tortilla wraps; 1 baby gem lettuce, shredded; Jalapeños, sliced; Freshly chopped coriander

Chicken Katsu Wrap

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Everything you love about chicken katsu curry, transformed into an easy chicken katsu wrap! Imagine crispy curry-panko breadcrumbed chicken breast pieces, nestled amongst crunchy gem lettuce, zesty lime slaw and spicy sriracha mayonnaise, all wrapped in a soft tortilla wrap. So good…

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 1x
Category: Lunch
Method: Pan Fried
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Scale

For the chicken katsu:

1 chicken breast

75g panko breadcrumbs

50g plain flour

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp curry powder

2 tbsp sunflower oil

For the slaw:

¼ red cabbage

1 carrot

¼ red onion

1 lime

Salt, to taste

For the sriracha mayonnaise:

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp sriracha

To assemble:

2 tortilla wraps

1 baby gem lettuce, shredded

Jalapeños, sliced

Freshly chopped coriander

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C Fan.
For the chicken katsu: butterfly the chicken breast length ways to create two thin pieces.
Place the breadcrumbs, flour and egg into 3 separate bowls. Mix the curry powder through the flour until well combined.
Place the chicken in the curry-flour mix, turning to coat completely. Next, pop into the bowl with the egg, once again, turning to completely coat. Finally, pop into the bowl with the breadcrumbs, making sure it is well coated on all sides.
Place on a baking sheet, then brush each side with a little sunflower oil.
Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through, or until golden and crispy on the outside and cooked all the way through on the inside (there should be no pink remaining) - the exact length of time will depend on the size, shape and thickness of your chicken katsu.
Meanwhile, prepare the slaw: shred the cabbage and carrot, then finely slice the onion. Place into a large bowl and squeeze over the juice of the lime. Season generously with salt and scrunch using your hands to mix together and help it soften.
For the sriracha mayonnaise: simply mix together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl to combine. Taste and adjust depending on how spicy you like it.
To assemble your katsu curry wrap: place a wrap onto a flat serving plate. Top with a generous dollop of sriracha mayonnaise and spread in an even layer. Top with a handful of shredded lettuce, followed by a spoonful of slaw. Slice the chicken katsu into strips, then place half on top. Sprinkle with jalapeños and coriander then tightly roll up the wrap folding the sides in first. Repeat with the other wrap. Slice both in half and tuck in!

Notes

Make it vegetarian: I know this is Chicken Katsu Wrap but vegetarians can still enjoy a katsu curry wrap! Simply swap the chicken breast for extra firm tofu - it takes on the flavours so well and is perfect when you want a vegetarian version of a healthy chicken katsu wrap.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/chicken-katsu-wrap/