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Chicken Katsu with Miso Mash

Crisp panko chicken, a quick tangy sauce, shredded cabbage, roasted sweet potatoes, and buttery miso mash make a balanced katsu supper.

Golden chicken katsu with katsu sauce, shredded cabbage, roasted sweet potatoes, and white-miso mashed potatoes.

This plate brings the crunch of chicken katsu together with familiar roast-and-mash comfort. Sweet potatoes roast beside Yukon Golds, while a simple ketchup-based sauce and cool cabbage keep the meal bright.

Build an even panko crust

Pounding the cutlets to an even thickness helps the chicken cook through before the crumbs become too dark. Let the flour coat lightly and allow excess egg to drip away before pressing on the panko, which keeps the finished crust craggy instead of gummy.

Roast two potatoes together

The Yukon Gold chunks and sweet-potato wedges share the hot sheet pan, but their different shapes serve different purposes. Once tender, the Yukon pieces mash into a rich side while the wedges keep their browned edges and sweet center.

Panko-coated chicken cutlets wait beside a sheet pan of Yukon Gold chunks and sweet-potato wedges. — Cutlets are coated in panko as the potatoes roast on the sheet pan.

Keep sauce and cabbage fresh

The quick ketchup, Worcestershire, soy, and brown-sugar sauce brings sweet-savory tang without a separate simmer. A mound of finely shredded cabbage gives each bite a cool, crisp contrast to the hot chicken and soft mash.

Watch the frying oil

A steady oil temperature browns panko evenly while giving the cutlets time to cook through. If the crumbs darken quickly, lower the burner; verify the thickest part reaches 165 F before serving.

Crisp panko crust and tender sliced chicken katsu beside white-miso mash and cabbage. — A crisp golden cutlet sits beside browned wedges, miso mash, and finely shredded cabbage.

Chicken Katsu with Miso Mash

4 servings

55 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into four cutlets
• 1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 1/4 lb sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 cups panko
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil, for shallow-frying
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup whole milk, warmed
•
• 4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp packed light brown sugar

Method

Heat the oven
Set a rack in the center and heat the oven to 425 F. Set out a rimmed sheet pan for the potatoes and a large skillet for frying.
Look for: The oven is fully preheated before the potatoes go in.
Start the potatoes
Toss the Yukon Gold chunks and sweet-potato wedges separately with the olive oil and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Spread them in one layer on the sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, leaving space for the edges to brown.
Look for: Both potato types have a light oil sheen and are spaced in a single layer.
Season the chicken
While the potatoes roast, pound the chicken cutlets between parchment sheets to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Season both sides with the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt and the black pepper.
Look for: Each cutlet is evenly thin, with no very thick center or ragged edge.
Bread the cutlets
Put flour, beaten eggs mixed with water, and panko in three shallow dishes. Coat each cutlet in flour, egg, then panko, pressing the crumbs gently so they cover the surface without bare patches.
Look for: The panko forms an even, dry-looking coat and stays attached when lifted.
Mix sauce and prepare cabbage
Stir the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar together until smooth. Pile the finely shredded cabbage on a serving platter and keep it cool and crisp.
Look for: The sauce is glossy and balanced between sweet, savory, and tangy.
Turn and finish the potatoes
After the first 20 minutes, turn the potato pieces and roast for 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the pan when the Yukon Gold chunks pierce easily and the sweet-potato edges are browned and tender.
Look for: A fork enters the Yukon Gold chunks easily and sweet-potato edges show caramelized spots.
Shallow-fry the katsu
While the potatoes finish, pour canola oil into the skillet to about 1/2-inch depth and heat over medium-high to 350 F. Keep the oil between 325 and 350 F; fry cutlets in uncrowded batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden and 165 F at the thickest point. Rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Look for: Oil bubbles steadily around a crumb without smoking; lower the heat if it darkens too quickly. The crust is deep golden and the thickest part of each cutlet registers 165 F.
Mash with miso
Transfer the roasted Yukon Gold chunks to a bowl and mash with butter and warm milk until thick and mostly smooth. Mix in 2 tbsp white miso; if white miso is unavailable, dissolve 1 tbsp red miso in the warm milk and use that instead.
Look for: The mash is buttery and fluffy, with the miso mixed through rather than sitting in a salty pocket.
Plate and serve
Slice the rested chicken into strips and arrange it with the crisp cabbage, roasted sweet-potato wedges, and miso Yukon Gold mash. Serve the katsu sauce alongside while the coating is hot and crisp.
Look for: The chicken crust stays crisp beside the cool cabbage, warm wedges, mash, and sauce.