Low Calorie High Protein CHICKEN KATSU DON Recipe

Hey everyone! Looking for a delicious and satisfying Japanese meal that won’t break the calorie bank? Today, I’m sharing my recipe for a low-calorie, high-protein Chicken Katsu Don (Chicken Cutlet Bowl) that’s packed with flavor and surprisingly healthy. This recipe uses a clever technique to reduce the amount of breading and oil, without sacrificing that crispy, satisfying katsu experience. Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients (Serves 1):

Chicken: 160g (5.6 oz) (Chicken tenderloin, breast, or thigh meat. Tenderloin recommended)
Salt and Pepper: To taste
Batter:
- Flour: 2 tsp
- Water: 2 tsp
  (Mix the flour and water together to create the batter.)
Panko Breadcrumbs: 1 tbsp
Oil: 1 tbsp
Egg: 1 large
Onion: 30g (1 oz), thinly sliced
Sauce:
- Water: 3 tbsp
- Sake: 1 tbsp
- Mirin: 1 tbsp
- Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Sugar: 1 tbsp
- Dashi Powder: A pinch
Rice: 100g (3.5 oz) cooked Japanese rice (Try adding shredded cabbage or other veggies under the rice to increase volume and reduce carbs!)
Optional Toppings: Beni Shoga (red pickled ginger), Aonori (dried green seaweed flakes)

Instructions:

Prepare the Onion: “First, let’s thinly slice the onion.”
Prepare the Chicken: “Next, remove the tendon from the chicken tenderloins and cut them into bite-sized pieces. You could also use chicken breast or chicken thighs – either one would be amazing.”
Season the Chicken: “Now, let’s season the chicken with salt and pepper. Make sure to season both sides really well.”
Make the Batter: “Put 2 teaspoons of flour in a small bowl, add the same amount of water, and mix it well.”
Batter the Chicken (One Side Only!): “Then, spread this batter on just one side of the chicken that we seasoned with salt and pepper earlier. Putting it on only one side is key!” “After roughly placing about the same amount on all the chicken pieces, use a spoon or something similar to spread it out thinly.”
Add the Panko: “Place the panko on top of the batter we just spread. You can adjust the amount of panko to your liking, but as a guide, use enough to cover the batter so you can’t see it anymore. Be careful not to use too much – add them little by little using a small spoon or something similar.”
Cook the Chicken Katsu: “Heat the frying pan well, add the oil, and then place the chicken in the pan with the panko-coated side down.” “By the way, just 1 tablespoon of oil is all you need!” “You don’t want the panko to burn before the chicken is cooked through, so keep the heat on the lower side (somewhere between medium and low heat, maybe?).” “Cook for 3 minutes on that side, letting the panko get nicely golden brown. Then, flip it over. Cook the other side for about 2 and a half minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, take it out of the frying pan for now.”
Make the Sauce: “Now, we’ll make the sauce in the same pan – no need to wash it! Make sure the heat is off before adding the seasonings. Add water, sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and dashi powder, and mix it all well. Once the seasonings have dissolved, add the sliced onions and turn on the heat. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until it thickens.”
Prepare the Egg: “While the sauce is simmering, let’s prepare the eggs. It’s okay if the yolk and white are still a little separate – just a rough mix is fine.”
Finish the Sauce and Add the Chicken: “The sauce has probably reduced to about half the amount it was before. Tilt the frying pan – if there’s only a small amount of sauce left like this, then it’s good. Now, add the chicken katsu we cooked earlier. Let the katsu soak up the sauce lightly. It’s even better if you flip it over and let the panko side soak up the sauce too.”
Add the Egg: “Then, immediately pour in the egg. You could add all the egg at once, but since the whites take longer to cook, I’m adding them in stages. Just roughly scoop up the whites with chopsticks and pour them into the frying pan. Cover the pan and cook for about 30 seconds, then remove the lid and add the yolk. Cook until the egg reaches your desired consistency, and then it’s done!”
Assemble the Katsu Don: “When putting the rice in the bowl, reduce the amount of rice by putting a layer of shredded cabbage or other vegetables underneath. Doing this helps to lower the carbs and keeps it low-calorie. “Spoon the chicken and egg mixture over the rice.
Top it Off: “Add some beni shoga (red pickled ginger) as a topping. Aonori adds a fantastic aroma and goes perfectly with katsu-don.”