Air fryer chicken katsu is tender and juicy inside and super crispy on the outside—just like it’s supposed to be. Delicious homemade katsu sauce takes just 5 minutes to make. If you’re looking for bold global flavor, you’ll love this recipe!

Drizzling katsu sauce over air fried chicken katsu

Air Fryer Chicken Katsu: The Ultimate Comfort Food

Name: Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 frozen breaded chicken breasts; 1/4 cup ketchup; 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 Tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; olive oil spray

You know how much I love frozen chicken cutlets. They’re such a great blank slate for quick and easy recipes!

Here, I’ve taken Aldi red bag chicken cutlets and given them a major upgrade by turning them into a super-fast chicken katsu (torikatsu)! This air fryer recipe is ready in minutes and is perfect for those nights when you want something familiar and comforting that’s still a little special.

The outside is super crispy and golden brown—just like you’d find at your favorite restaurant—while the inside is tender and juicy.

To top it all off, I made a quick homemade Katsu Sauce that I just know you’re going to love!

What you’ll love about this torikatsu recipe:

Super Quick: You can make this recipe in just 20 minutes
5 Ingredient Recipe: You’d never guess this bold, flavorful sauce has just a few simple ingredients in it
Easy Clean Up: Starting with frozen chicken cutlets means you don’t have to bread them yourself. Yay for fewer dishes to wash!

Ingredients needed to make sauce for tonkatsu or torikatsu.

Homemade Katsu Sauce Ingredients

Katsu sauce is a Japanese barbecue sauce. It’s absolutely delicious over crispy chicken (torikatsu) or pork (tonkatsu) cutlets. It’s sweet, tangy and oh so good.

To make a simple version of kastu sauce at home, you’ll need:

Ketchup. This forms the base of your sauce and gives it tons of body.

Worcestershire Sauce. Adds sweet and sour flavors and gives this katsu sauce its barbecue-like flavor.

Soy Sauce. Adds an extra layer of rich umami flavor to your sauce.

Apple Cider Vinegar. Katsu sauce is traditionally made with apples. I used a splash of apple cider vinegar to add a similar sweetness and subtle apple flavor.

How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Katsu

Start by lightly misting your favorite frozen chicken breast cutlets with cooking oil spray. (I like to use either Aldi’s red bag chicken or Tyson’s chicken cutlets.)

If you prefer, you could also use fresh chicken breasts. Here’s my recipe for air fryer chicken cutlets.

Pop the chicken into your air fryer and make the sauce by whisking together the ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and vinegar.

That’s all there is to it…I told you it was easy!

Air fried chicken katsu plated over rice.

Frequently asked questions about air fried chicken katsu

What is chicken katsu?

If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine, chances are that you’ve heard of the dish chicken katsu. In fact, this dish is so popular that it’s often referred to as Japan’s favorite comfort food.
Chicken katsu is traditionally made from thinly-sliced boneless chicken thighs or breasts that are breaded with panko and then deep fried until crispy. It’s served with a sweet and tangy katsu sauce and is often accompanied by rice and vegetables.

What’s the difference between torikatsu, tonkatsu, and tonkotsu?

Torikatsu is made with chicken, while tonkatsu is made with pork. Tonkostu, on the other hand, is a rich pork broth. Still delicious, but not the same thing at all!

Can I make this without an air fryer?

Sure, it will just take a little longer. Bake the chicken at 425ºF for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. You could also shallow fry them on the stove top.

What should I serve this recipe with?

I love serving the chicken over rice with a drizzle of the katsu sauce (plus more on the side for dunking!).
You can also serve it on a roll for a delicious sandwich.
Cool cucumber salad or garlicky green beans make a great side dish.

Other recipes you might like:

Air fryer Nashville hot chicken sandwiches
Ginger-soy sheet pan salmon and asparagus
Homemade teriyaki sauce
How to air fry chicken drumsticks
Skillet French onion chicken breasts
Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan