Easy Oven-Baked “Fried” Chicken

What you eat is an important part of staying healthy in addition to regular exercise and getting good rest. We believe that healthy food doesn’t have to be bland and tasteless. We strive to find recipes that are both good for us and tasty, which includes healthier takes on popular recipes. One of our goals is to cut down on the amount of fried foods we eat. Eating fried food in excess has been linked to health problems, including cardiovascular issues and weight gain.

My mom found a recipe for Japanese baked chicken (katsu) that tastes like it was fried! We like to eat it with a side of veggies and rice along with tonkatsu sauce that you can make at home or buy at the store. We thank Just One Cookbook for this great recipe! Click on the video below to see my mom show us how to make it.

My mom doubles the amounts for the panko bread crumbs (2 cups instead of 1) and egg (2 eggs instead of 1).

Here’s the recipe that serves 4:

KEY TOOLS

• Baking or cookie sheet

• Aluminum foil

• Wire rack (that you can place on the baking/cookie sheet)

• Pan

• Two shallow dishes

INGREDIENTS

For Pre-toasted Panko

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs (we use 2)

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oils (we 2); use more to effectively brown the panko

  For the Katsu

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

• Salt

• Pepper

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)

• 1 large egg (we use 2)

• 1 Tbsp water (we use 2)

Optional tonkatsu sauce

• 1 Tbsp ketchup

• 2.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1.5 tsp oyster sauce

• 1 1/8 tsp sugar

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Gather all ingredients. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25 degrees F (15 degrees C). Line rimmed baking or cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup

2. Place a wire rack on the sheet so the chicken will cook evenly top and bottom.

   Brown the panko

3. Combine the panko and olive oil in a pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer panko to a shallow dish and cool.

   Prepare the Katsu

4. Butterfly the chicken breast and cut in half. Season with salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.

5. In a shallow dish, add flour and in another shallow dish, whisk the egg and water together.

6. Coat each chicken piece in the flour and shake off excess. Dip into the egg mixture and then coat with the browned, toasted panko.

7. Place the chicken pieces on the wire rack on the baking/cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) until the chicken is not longer pink inside (internal temperature should be 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

8. Serve with vegetable side and tonkatsu sauce.

Like this recipe? Try Aiko’s favorite sukiyaki recipe!

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