Air fryer frozen chicken katsu

Name: Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Katsu
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 frozen chicken katsu; oil spray

This air fryer frozen chicken katsu recipe is the best way to cook one of your favorite freezer foods to extra crispy and juicy perfection, every time! Panko breaded chicken breast cutlets air fry in only 10 minutes, and are terrific to serve with your favorite Japanese food-style side dishes for a delicious, quick and easy meal any night of the week.

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Chicken katsu is a classic Japanese dish that was originally influenced by European recipes, and has since become wildly popular in the US and around the world. And with this easy air fryer frozen chicken katsu recipe, it is sure to be wildly popular in your house, too!

Crunchy, moist and delicious chicken katsu cutlets are pieces of lean chicken breasts that are coated in panko breadcrumbs. This used to be a main dish most often seen only in Asian-influenced restaurants.

Now you also find the breaded breasts in the frozen foods section at most major grocery store chains! They are super convenient to grab from the freezer for a foolproof heat-and-eat entree.

the only ingredient needed for this recipe

We almost always have a package (or two!) in our kitchen. They're handy for those nights when you simply don't have the time - or energy - to cook a "real meal." But hey, you still want and deserve a dinner that satisfies AND tastes good!

The cutlets cook from frozen in the air fryer and are ready to serve hot and crispy in 10 minutes or less. No extra ingredients, prep work, or precooking needed!

Quickly air fry a package of chicken katsu and serve with any of your favorite Asian-inspired side dishes... The tender, flavorful, lean-yet-meaty cutlets with panko breading are especially great to pair with fluffy rice and raw or steamed veggies. Make it a (slightly) more authentic Japanese meal and enjoy with a side of some tangy tonkatsu sauce, too!

raw chicken katsu in the air fryer before cooking

Frequently asked questions

Can frozen breaded chicken be cooked in the air fryer?

Yes! Air friers are notoriously great for cooking the crispiest pieces of breaded chicken from frozen. Without any extra oil needed!

Is frozen chicken katsu precooked?

Yes, most times breaded chicken katsu is precooked before being packaged and frozen. But like all chicken - fresh or frozen - be sure to reheat the pieces to an internal temperature of 165 degrees before eating.

Is frozen breaded chicken already fried?

Katsu chicken is typically par-fried before packaging... So, kinda. The sliced pieces of chicken breasts are breaded and cooked at a high heat - much like how air frying works. So they are not "fried" with oil but are are baked until the coating is set and crisp.

Can you stack breaded chicken in air fryer?

No, you should not stack or let pieces of chicken overlap in the air fryer. The hot air needs to move around each piece of chicken to cook evenly and get that perfect crunchy coating. Place the breaded cutlets in a single layer so that every piece has at least ½ inch of space around it. I recommend air frying in batches if they seem a bit crowded. This is also a good idea if you are cooking a larger number of chicken breasts.

Do I need to thaw frozen katsu?

Nope, there is no need to defrost first! Breaded chicken katsu pieces go right into the air fryer basket from frozen. The frozen chicken actually cooks more evenly to crunchy and tender perfection... When air frying at a high heat the outside of the frozen chicken is able to cook and get nicely golden brown, without the inside meat becoming overcooked and dry.

Do you need to flip chicken in the air fryer?

The frozen cutlets will cook thoroughly either way. But yes, I do recommend that you flip the pieces of chicken katsu one time about halfway through cooking. This makes the chicken evenly browned on all sides.

Leftovers and reheating

Store chicken katsu leftovers in the air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer until warm and crispy again. Do not overheat or chicken will become dry.

Recipe