Chicken Katsu Bowls

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Course: Dinner | Serves: 4

Crispy chicken katsu with a honey tamari marinade over rice with avocado, a spicy mayonnaise, cucumber, and edamame. A healthy delicious Japanese-style one-bowl meal inspired by the lovely Tieghan Gerard at Half Baked Harvest https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chicken-katsu-bowls/ 

⅔ cup tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp honey

2 tsp grated ginger

2 Tbsp green onion

1 tsp sesame seeds

Chili flakes, to your taste

4 chicken cutlets, or 2 chicken breasts (sliced in half), or the equivalent of tenders

1 cup panko crumbs

¾ cup avocado oil, for frying

2 cups rice, cooked

1 cup edamame shelled or in pods, precooked

Cucumber slices, avocado slices, carrot shreds, chopped cilantro, and green onion slices for serving

Spicy Mayonaisse:

½ cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp honey

Whisk tamari or soy sauce together in a bowl with sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, green onion, sesame seeds, and chili flakes together. Place chicken in a flat dish and pour ⅓ of the sauce over the chicken to marinate for about 10 minutes.

Heat a large skillet with avocado oil over medium-high heat. Press the marinated chicken in panko crumbs and fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, cooking until it reaches 165* when tested with an insta-thermometer. Remove to a cutting board and slice into strips. 

Mix mayonnaise, sriracha, sesame oil, and honey together and drizzle over the assembled bowl. 

Assemble the bowls by adding a layer of rice, topping with the chicken, avocado, edamame, cucumber, carrot shreds, cilantro, and green onions. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of the tamari sauce and spicy mayonnaise as desired.