Chicken Katsudon
This is now one of my ultimate comfort foods right next to lugaw with egg. Honestly, it’s the kind of dish I would want to come home to after a long, exhausting day. I still remember my last day in Bangkok. I was completely drained, and my body was starting to protest every step I took. Even though I wanted to keep exploring, I could feel myself running on empty. At that point, I felt the need to order something comforting, and Japanese food came to mind and then I ordered katsudon by mistake. It ended up being the best katsudon I’ve ever had.
The onions were soft and sweet, melting into the dish in a way I never appreciated before. Before that, I used to avoid katsudon because I didn’t like onions, but now, I realize that was probably the reason I never loved it. I was missing the very thing that made it good. I remember sitting there, so tired, quietly eating, I started to feel comforted, like the dish was made with love just for me. It sounds dramatic, but I swear, I almost cried.
Ingredients
Boneless chicken breast cut (butterfly cut)
Salt & black pepper
All-purpose flour
1 egg (beaten)(for coating)(enough for coating 480g chicken 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper)
Panko breadcrumbs
Oil (for frying)
Sauce (1 serving)
3 tbsp water
1/4 tsp dashi granules
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sake
1/2 white onion (thinly sliced)
1 egg (not fully scrambled)
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt & pepper
- Coat: Flour → Egg → Panko
- Fry for 5–7 min until golden and crispy then slice into strips
- Make the sauce base. In a small pan (medium heat), add: water, dashi granules, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sake and onion
- Bring it to a simmer first and let it bubble for 2 minutes
- Place chicken into simmering sauce for 2 mins
- Add egg (low heat) and cover pan 1–2 min
- Put hot rice in a bowl and slide everything on top
- Garnish with green onions (Optional) or pair it with Shibazuke & Takuan like in the featured image.
Maybe comfort food really is not just about the ingredients or how you cook it. It’s about the moment you eat it. It’s that small pause in your day, and somehow, something warm in your hands makes everything feel a little lighter even when you’re tired or overwhelmed.
This katsudon will always be that for me. A gentle reminder that even in unfamiliar places, even when you feel completely drained, there are still small, unexpected things that can hold you together.