Chicken Katsudon (Memories from Japan)

Chicken Katsudon is one of my favorite Japanese dishes. I spent most of my childhood in Japan as an MK (missionary's kid), and sometimes still crave some of the Japanese dishes from my past. Katsudon is a dish probably made with pork most often, but I just love it prepared with chicken, too.

It had been so long since I had made this recipe. In my search online for Chicken Katsudon, I came across the most amazing blog where I found the recipe that I wanted to try! Click here to find the original version of this recipe, at justonecookbook.com. I am looking forward to trying more of her authentic Japanese recipes in the future!

COVID-19 has us all at home more, and in the kitchen more. This delicious recipe was on my menu during the first week of staying home.

Below is my slightly edited version of the original, adapted to use ingredients that I have on hand.  

Print Recipe

Chicken Katsudon

Course: Main - Special/Holiday

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless chicken breast or chicken tenders
• salt & pepper
• ¹⁄₂ cup all purpose flour
• 6 large eggs divided
• 1-2 cups panko bread crumbs
• canola oil
• 1 onion medium
• 4 servings of rice cooked
• parsley
• SEASONING SAUCE:
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp mirin
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp sugar

Directions

PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS:

1. If using chicken breast, cut into about 1 inch slices, pounding to even thickness first if needed.
2. Beat two eggs in one small bowl, and four eggs in another small bowl.
3. Prepare three bowls for dipping the chicken ... (1) flour (2) two beaten eggs (3) and the panko bread crumbs.
4. Slice the onions.
5. Mix together the ingredients for the SEASONING SAUCE: chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar.

COOKING STEPS:

1. Sprinkle the chicken slices with salt and pepper, then coat with flour, then beaten egg, then with the panko.
2. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan (I used my 10-inch cast-iron skillet) and deep fry until golden brown, turning until evenly browned. Take out the chicken and set on plate lined with paper towels. Drain oil, leaving enough for frying the onion next.
3. In the frying pan, bring the Seasoning Sauce and the onion to a boil.
4. Lower the heat to medium and cook onion until wilted.
5. Add the cooked chicken to the frying pan and turn the heat to medium high.
6. Pour the four beaten eggs evenly over the cooked chicken.
7. When the eggs are half cooked, add the parsley and turn off the heat.
8. Serve the rice into the donburi bowls, and carefully dish a portion of the chicken and egg mixture on top of the rice.
9. NOTE: Best served with authentic Japanese rice (Nishiki medium grain rice is what I use), and best with chopsticks!

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The photo grid below shows the various steps of preparation, beginning clockwise with the top right photo. 

And sharing a few more photos showing the authentic donburi bowls that I used to serve this dish.

Here's my collection of special donburi bowls from Japan ... some purchased for myself, and some were inherited from my dear mother.

These bowls are perfect for this recipe, but any kind of dish will work. The rice is placed in the bowl first, then the chicken egg mixture on top. The lid keeps it warm until serving.

And finally, sharing a fun little note about this recipe! Our oldest granddaughter & her husband just left a month ago for Japan, serving with World Venture. They love this dish, as well, and made it over there, shortly after I shared this recipe with her. How fun is that!

Happy cooking in your kitchen these days!

I'm sure you will enjoy this dish 

if you decide to serve it at your table! 

What to Do in Hard Times and in Every Time

What is my first response

when an unexpected hardship

enters my day, my life, my world?

When I hear difficult news, when

my world is enveloped with concern

and fear? My response is often the

same, and I become immobilized by

fear, and concern for those I love.

But by His Grace, and the gentle 

reminders of His Spirit within ...

we can turn our thoughts to Him.

Instead of first turning to the news,

we can begin to speak His truth and

His words to our troubled hearts.

Writing out His Words, speaking them

aloud, voicing them as a prayer,

taking time to memorize each word ...

Let all that I am wait quietly before You,

for my hope is in You.

You alone are my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will not be shaken.

My victory and honor come from You alone.

You are my refuge, a rock

where no enemy can reach me.

O my people, trust in Him at all times.

Pour out your heart to Him,

for God is our refuge.

(Psalm 62:5-8 NLT)

Our Daily Joy

Good news

for today, for each day ...

whatever is before us,

the good and the hard,

the beautiful, the heartbreaks.

We take the next step, and we

do the next thing, we persevere.

And above all, we guard our

hearts, we fix our gaze on JESUS.

For He is the pioneer and perfecter

of all that we long for.

In the Kitchen: Cupcakes, a Few Main Dish Recipes, and Bosch Machine Bread

It seems the weeks and months just fly by, and finally ... I'm taking some time today to post a fun collection of a few of the things that happened in my kitchen during the month of February!

Marshmallow-Filled Banana Cupcakes

My favorite cupcake recipe! I made them for the first time a few years ago with the help of one of our sweet granddaughters! Click here to see the recipe. They were perfect for a daughter's birthday last month!

Here you see one of the steps to making these very yummy marshmallow filled cupcakes.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

A new recipe that I tried for the first time ... and it is SO delicious! I pulled out my 9x13-size crock pot that I actually hadn't used for awhile ... perfect for this lasagna recipe! Click here for the recipe from the "Tastes Better from Scratch" blog where I've been finding some great recipes recently.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Another new recipe I tried in February, also from the "Tastes Better from Scratch" blog ... click here for the recipe. We loved this recipe, as well! I recently had ordered an immersion blender (at no cost to me, with rewards points!)and it worked just great to use with this recipe.

Homemade Bosch Machine Bread

Here's a little peek into a very fun thing that happened in my kitchen, using my brand new Bosch machine (a Christmas gift from my dear hubby, purchased for a great price on Black Friday last November)! 

I'll be sharing more in the coming weeks about this amazing machine that mixes up enough dough for six loaves of bread at a time!

Chicken Quesadillas

Another new recipe that has made it into my collection of favorite recipes ... and another one from "Tastes Better from Scratch"! Click here to access this creamy cheesy quesadillas recipe.

That's it for now - I hope this has been a bit of encouragement for you in your times "In the Kitchen"!