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Homemade Crispy Chicken Katsu Bowls with spicy gingery chicken, steamed rice, delicious veggies, and all the best toppings, and our favorite spicy, sweet, and creamy mayo sauce. I top each bowl off with fresh avocado, pan-fried edamame, and a generous side of creamy mayo. Each bowl is colorful and full of flavor. A great family dinner any night of the week.
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Update from Texas! It’s Monday now, but by the time you read this, I’ll be on my way home. I’m excited to get back to family and my daily routines. I’ve loved all this travel, but I think we all know that I’m a homebody through and through!
If all goes planned, I’ll be home in plenty of time today to chill and get organized. I usually get in super late, but I should have some of the afternoon left, which will be a really nice change!
I obviously made this yummy bowl before leaving home and it’s already become a real favorite.
Ingredients
- Tamari or soy sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
- Honey
- Grated ginger
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Chicken cutlets or boneless chicken breasts
- Panko bread crumbs
- Chili flakes
- Frozen shelled edamame
- Rice
- Cucumber, avocado, pickled ginger, and nori sheets
- Salt and Pepper
Spicy Mayo
- Olive oil mayo
- Sriracha
- Soy sauce or Tamari
- Honey
Mom and Asher love a nice rice bowl dinner. So I made chicken katsu for them and it was a huge hit!
Details
I started with the soy sauce marinade, it’s so simple. I mixed tamari (which is what I use, it’s gluten-free soy sauce), a bit of honey, ginger, and green onions. Then I let the chicken sit in the marinade a few minutes before cooking.
You won’t use all of the marinade, so reserve the rest for serving with your katsu bowls.
For the chicken, I made sure to keep it simple and easy. I used chicken cutlets, then simply breaded them in Panko and sesame seeds. Super simple, but when put together with the rest of the ingredients and served over rice…so delicious.
Pan-fry the chicken until crispy on both sides. Then toss some frozen edamame into the skillet with a little soy sauce. The edamame ends up becoming almost “fried” and is so delicious.
Most poke bowls have a spicy mayo on top, so I wanted to add that to these bowls too! It’s usually just mayo and sriracha mixed together, but I also added soy sauce and a small drizzle of honey to balance the sweet.
The only other “must-have” item here is rice. The rest are extra, but I really do recommend toppings!
My bowls almost always include cucumber, avocado, and pickled ginger. However, you can incorporate a variety of vegetables based on your preference. Mushrooms, scallions, carrots, and cabbage would also be great in this dish.
Really fun if you’re looking to switch up your chicken and rice bowls. Of course, over here, it’s all about the sauces, so those are a must. And the crispy chicken is extra delish too!
Looking for other rice bowls favorites?
Red’s Favorite Spicy Tuna Poke Bowls
Skillet Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice
30 Minute Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice
Weeknight Sesame Teriyaki Chicken with Ginger Rice
Lastly, if you make Crispy Chicken Katsu Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Chicken Katsu Bowls
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon, plus 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 4 chicken cutlets, or 2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
- 1 cup Panko
- chili flakes
- 1 bag frozen shelled edamame
- 3-4 cups rice, cooked
- cucumber, avocado, pickled ginger, and nori sheets – for serving
Spicy Mayo
- 1/3 cup olive oil mayo
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- 1. In a medium bowl, combine 2/3 cup tamari/soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, ginger, green onion, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, and chili flakes. 2. Place the chicken in a bowl and pour over 3-4 tablespoons of the sauce, save the rest for serving. Let the chicken sit 10 minutes. 3. Place the Panko and 3 tablespoons sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Dredge both sides of the chicken through the Panko, pressing to adhere by using your fist to pound the crumbs in. Place the chicken on a plate.4. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. 5. Add the edamame to the skillet, cook until thawed, then add 2 tablespoons tamari/soy sauce. Cook another minute, then remove from the heat. 6. To make the Spicy Mayo, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.7. To assemble, slice the chicken into thin strips. Add the rice to bowls, top with cucumber, avocado, chicken, pickled ginger, green onions, and nori. Spoon over the spicy mayo and the reserved tamari/soy sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This was fantastic, everyone loved it. Will make again for sure.
Hey Janice,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
While rhiscKatau us on my list to make, I’m not a fan of edamame. Any suggestions for a replacement?
But my real reason for writing is that I keep trying to get to the recipe from Friday for the carrot cake with the brown butter frosting. But, so far, all I get is a page stating that the page isn’t available! Sad face! I was hoping the link would be fixed over the weekend but there’s no joy there either. I’d love to check it out as it sounds perfect for Easter.
Hi Terry,
Do you like green beans? That would work nicely and they are delicious when pan-fried.
Hey Terry,
You can use another veggie you like in place of the edamame, broccoli or green beans would be great!! So sorry about the cake, you can email contact@halfbakedharvest.com for help getting the recipe! xxT
Hi there! I am a long time follower of yours and watching your wonderful business grow and evolve has been such a delight!!! Good for you! Congratulations on your success, I will be buying your cookbook for everyone I love! xoxox Heather
Hi Heather,
Thank you so much for following along and your super kind message! I hope you love the cookbook! xTieghan
Hands down this was the BEST meal! Prepping and baking were easy (used an Air Fryer to bake the chicken), flavors were bold and left me wanting more. My husband’s plate was empty in what seemed like seconds before he was filling it back up. Thank you for a delicious meal!
Hey Sara,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
This is the most delicious chicken ever!
Hey Henry,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
I can’t say how good this is! I often make changes due to my family’s tastes. Only thing this time is I used regular mayo instead of mayo with Olive Oil. Didn’t have any because not my favorite mayo. Might be our favorite.
Hi Sally,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
Made this recipe tonight, everyone loved it! Will definitely make again.
Hi Kim,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
Can you recommend a substitute for rice? I really want to try this but my family really doesn’t like rice.
Hi Lisa,
You could serve this over really anything you want. Noodles or veggies would be great. Please let me know if you have any other questions. xTieghan
Run don’t walk and make this recipe! So good!
Hey Elizabeth,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
Honey is listed twice, so I thought the first tablespoon was for the marinade. But the directions for the marinade don’t include honey. Is it just the teaspoon for the spicy mayo? Thanks for clarifying. Making this now! Can’t wait to surprise the kids.
Hi Jane,
Sorry for the confusion, yes you will also want to use honey in step 1. I will fix that:) Thanks for giving the recipe a try! xTieghan
Hi!
So excited to try this tonight. I saw your note about sour cream or greek yogurt in lieu of mayo. I have light mayo at home (not olive oil based). Was wondering if you think that would make a big difference (if so I have both sour gream and greek yogurt).
Congrats on your new book! I love your food!
Hey Jen,
Light mayo is just great to use! I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Can I prepare this a few hours in advance and serve cold or at room temperature? Thanks!
Hi Karen,
I would serve hot or room temp:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Is it okay to use Japanese-style panko (I’m thinking particularly the Trader Joe’s brand) instead of regular panko?
Hey Bertha,
Sure, I bet that would be just great to use! I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, let me know if you give it a try! xx
Can the chicken be made in an air fryer?
Hey Ann,
Sure, I bet that would work well for you!! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I am super jazzed to try this for dinner tonight. This may seem like a ridiculous question, but what kind of oil do you use to fry the chicken? I have read that some oils burn faster than others and want to be sure I get it right. I have a choice of avocado, sesame, canola and vegetable. Thanks!
Personally, I would use avocado for frying. It has a very high smoke point and neutral taste. Sesame should not be cooked at a super high eat. Again personally, canola and vegetable are inflammatory oils I avoid.
Same, avocado oil does the job perfectly!
Hey Chris,
I like to use olive oil or avocado oil! I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I’m so excited to try this! My husband orders this out all the time and really enjoyed your katsu ramen. He really does not like mayo though. I see I should have reserved marinade to serve him, but would you recommend any other topping to keep it saucy? Thank so much!
You could give him the traditional Katsu dipping sauce. After living in Hawaii for many years, this was always served with any type of Katsu.
1C ketchup, 4tsp dry mustard, 1 1/2tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2tsp black pepper and 3TBSP Worcestershire sauce. Mix together and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors mix. Dip and enjoy.
Thanks so much for sharing LeeAnn!!
Thanks, I may try that… anything white and creamy he’s not into!
Hi Miranda,
You could do sour cream or greek yogurt in place of the mayo. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope it turns out amazing for you! xTieghan