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Lemon Chicken Katsu Bowls – sesame and panko breaded chicken pan fried and served over steamed rice with a yummy lemon garlic sauce. Each bowl is topped with crisp cucumber slices and fresh herbs. While the dish is simple, it’s packed with flavor—a meal that family and friends will enjoy any time of year, from spring to winter. Quick, easy, and delicious all around!
Often, it’s the simplest things that spark inspiration. For me, it’s rarely another recipe. Usually, it’s something unexpected—an herb that looks especially fresh, a beautiful piece of seasonal produce, or even a location, flower, or dish that catches my eye.
I find inspiration in the details, and that’s what keeps the creative process exciting.
Today’s recipe, for example, isn’t a traditional Asian-style Katsu. It’s very much its own thing, inspired by something as simple as a bowl of lemons I spotted while scrolling Pinterest for an upcoming shoot. I started brainstorming ways to use them and, somehow, this dish came together!
I wasn’t sure how it would turn out at first, but the end result was even better than expected.
This one is bright, buttery, garlicky, and peppery—flavors that are simple, familiar, and so well-loved.
Here are the details
Ingredients – for the sauce
- salted butter
- garlic
- cumin seeds – use these to your taste, and make sure to give them a light crush before adding to the butter
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- white wine or sake – this is optional
- broth – love to use chicken bone broth
- tamari or soy sauce
- cooked jasmine or basmati rice
- sliced cucumbers
- fresh green onions, basil, and/or cilantro
Ingredients – for the chicken katsu
- chicken cutlets
- panko breadcrumbs
- sesame seeds
- butter or olive oil
Special Tools
You will need a skillet with sides, and a skillet for pan frying the chicken.
Steps
Step 1: make the sauce
This is an easy lemon butter sauce. Start with butter, garlic, cumin seeds, and lemon zest. Cook until the butter is lightly browned and the garlic is golden in color.
To the butter, add the lemon, then you can add a splash of dry white wine or sake if desired. Next, add the chicken broth, then tamari or soy sauce. Season the sauce to your taste with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
Now let the lemon sauce simmer while you make the katsu.
Step 2: make the katsu
Dredge the chicken cutlets through the Panko and sesame seeds. Now, get each cutlet crispy with some oil or butter.
Then season each with salt and thinly slice.
Step 3: serve
At this point in the recipe, you can divide the rice between bowls. I like to use a low pasta bowl. Put the chicken over the rice, then spoon over the lemony butter sauce. I like to serve each bowl with a good amount of sauce.
Add slices of cucumber, then any desired herbs. My favorites are green onions, fresh basil, and cilantro.
Additionally, I do think slices of avocado would be very yummy atop this bowl!
Looking for other easy dinners? Here are some favorites:
Souper Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rice
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole
Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes
Sheet Pan Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sheet Pan Chicken Gyros with Feta Tzatziki
Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup
Lastly, if you make this Lemon Chicken Katsu Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Chicken Katsu Bowls
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 528 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or sake (optional)
- 1 -2 cups broth (I like bone broth)
- 1 tablespoon tamari/soy sauce
- salt and pepper
- chili flakes
- 3-4 cups steamed rice
- cucumber, green onions, basil, and cilantro, for serving
Chicken Katsu
- 6 chicken cutlets or tenders
- 1 cup Panko
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
Instructions
- 1. In a skillet with sides, set over medium-high heat, add the butter, garlic, cumin, and lemon zest. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant and the garlic is golden. Add the lemon juice and wine (if using), cooking for 1 more minute. Pour in the broth, using more as desired. Add the tamari. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.2. Meanwhile, make the Katsu. Place the Panko and sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Season with salt. Dredge both sides of the chicken through the Panko, pressing to adhere. Place the chicken on a plate.3. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and season with salt. Slice into thin strips.4. Serve the chicken over bowls of rice. Spoon over the lemon sauce. Top as desired with slices of cucumber, green onions, basil, and cilantro. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on May 19, 2025
My chicken turned out good, but the sauce, no bueno, was very watery after simmering for 20 min. Such a waste of money and ingredients when things don’t work out the way the video shows
Hi Sheri,
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy the recipe, the sauce is definitely on the thinner side. Thanks for giving it a try! xx
Very tasty as always! You have a great sense of which flavours work together!
Thanks a bunch, Heidi! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well! xx
This unfortunately did not turn out to be a nice dish. Very greasy and mushy. Cucumbers fell flat. The panko didn’t adhere to the chicken. It also was very unpleasant to look at.
Hi Wendi,
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! xx
Hi! Do you think this would work well with pork cutlets? Thanks!
Hey Jenna,
Oh sure, I bet that would work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This did not work for me at all.
Hi Jane,
Sorry to hear you had issues with this recipe. Is there anything that I can help with? Please let me know! xx
I was unsure about this recipe when I saw the ingredient list but I was totally wrong. It is so good! It is like Chinese lemon chicken takeaway but a lot healthier and delicious. I will make it again for sure.
Thanks so much, Alicia!! Love to hear this dish was a hit, I appreciate you making it! xT
I have tried to publish my review multiple times but it seems my review isn’t being allowed. This recipe did not work for me, despite the instructions to “really press the panko into the chicken.” The breading did not work and it was soggy, the flavor was lackluster overall.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it did not turn out for you.
The breading didn’t stick & they turned out soggy. Can you also please clarify why you have a pic of Parmesan cheese above when it isn’t in the recipe?
Hi Kimberly,
Thanks for trying this recipe, sorry to hear the panko didn’t stick to the chicken. The key is to really press it on hard and then heat your skillet with oil first. I hope this helps! xx
When I cut the chicken into slices the panko crust just came right off the chicken. Next time I would definitely dredge it in flour and egg so it sticks better! The cumin was really overpowering also, I would not include it next time.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear you had some issues. I hope you’ll try again! xT
How do you crush the cumin seeds?
Hi Talli,
You can use a spice grinder or just use ground cumin seed. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Don’t you usually dredge the protein in flour, then dip it in beaten egg, then press the panko on? How is the panko going to stick to dry chicken? Also, where is the Parmesan being used? Just want to be clear before I spend money buying all the ingredients. Thanks so much Tieghan.
Hi Laura,
I never do a traditional dredge for my Katsu recipes, but you are more than welcome to if that is what you prefer. There is no parmesan in this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Can you explain why you do the dredge process differently for Katsu? I’m a new chef and trying to learn different techniques so would love to hear more about doing it your way. Also, I have pretty thick chicken breasts in my fridge and I feel like the punching method to get them thin might take a while, is there another way that would work?
Thanks!
Hi Rebecca,
I like my chicken to by light and not feel super heavy, which is why I just use the panko for breading. If you chicken is super thick, you can pound it out first with a mallet or slice in half. I hope this helps! xx
Will powdered cumin work?
Hi Kim,
Totally, that will be just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I’m genuinely asking, how was this recipe not inspired by the other chicken katsu recipes you have on your website?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your question:) Those recipes definitely play a role in the inspiration, but the flavor ideas came elsewhere. I hope this makes sense! xx
If you pat dry the chx won’t the panko not stick to the chicken. thx Debbie
Thanks for sharing, Debbie. You do not need to pat the chicken dry for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions. xx
Tieghan, I think she’s referring to the wedge of Parmesan in the bowl with the lemons and herbs. Is that the inspiration Pinterest inspo photo you mentioned?
Nope, it’s just a photo I took:)
This looks delicious! Cant wait to try! Your recipes are always so good!
Thanks so much, Liv!
I see parmesan cheese in the picture, but its not in the ingredients. Did you reuse an old photo from a different recipe or did you forget to add it to this recipe?
Hi Jean,
There is no parmesan cheese in this recipe. Please let me know if you give this dish a try! xx