Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork

Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork is one of the most delicious Japanese dishes I’ve ever had. It’s breaded boneless fried pork chops, and the breading consists of eggs, four, and Panko breading. Frying these pork cutlets in the air fryer made them crispy outside, moist and tender inside. The sauce is amazing, and I also use it to marinate any type of meat.

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Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork vs. Tonkotsu

They sound alike but have different meanings. Tonkatsu is breaded pork cutlet then fried, normally serve with shredded cabbage. While Tonkotsu is a type of broth made with pork. Now you know why you shouldn’t order Tonkatsu broth when you go to a Japanese restaurant. If you like to dive into more details about these dishes go to “what’s the difference” by Megan Taylor Stephens.

I love creating new dishes and making them into my version. Tonkatsu is one of my daughter’s favorite fried foods. It’s usually served with shredded cabbage or smothered in curry sauce. I made mine with sweet and tangy sauce, and then for the side dish, I made stir-fried veggies. The sauce is amazingly delicious, it goes very well with the pork. Did I mention I used my air fryer? Yes, it’s air fried, and that means less oil and less mess too. Don’t have to worry about oil splatter and heavy cleaning of pots and pans. This Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork is now the new favorite dinner of my family. You can also check out my Air Fryer Fish Fillets, it’s delicious and perfect with the mango salsa I made. 

Ingredients

• Buy boneless pork chops. However, if you find a great deal for pork tenderloin, then grab it. 
• Panko breading makes your meat a lot crispier. It also tastes better than just regular flour. 
• Flour, eggs, and water are the ingredients for the batter. I decided to make an easy batter instead of just dredging the pork chops into straight flour. This allows the outer layer to get a lot crispier and adds more flavor to the Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork. 
• The sauce is so delicious and very easy to make. I combined soy sauce, oyster sauce, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and brown sugar. 
• A slurry is a mixture of flour and water. This combination helps thickens the sauce and gives a nice glossy finish to your dish. 
• Stir fry veggies are my go-to whenever I need a quick and easy side dish. I like to saute my onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant. For the veggies, it’s a combination of broccoli, carrot, and mushrooms. 
• Stir fry sauce is the flavor enhancer that gives your veggies a boost of flavor. For this dish, I added soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. 

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how to make Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork

1. Prep the Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork.  I like to pound the Panko breading or place them in a food processor and then pulse it for 30 seconds to get a finer texture. I also find that it won’t get a nice golden color unless used for deep frying. Toasting the Panko breading first in a nonstick skillet will give your chops a nice golden color. Immediately remove from the pan once it turns golden brown. 
2. To tenderize the pork chops, I used plastic wraps, lay them on a cutting board or flat surface, and then cover the meat with it. I used the mallet and pounded the meat until it flattened. 
3. Make the batter. In a bowl, combine flour, eggs, and cold water, then season with salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. If the batter is too thick, keep adding water a little at a time to thin it out. 
4. Time to dredge the pork chops. Make two stations, one for the toasted Panko breading (cooled down) and the other for your batter. First, dip the chops into the batter and shake off the excess. Then, dredge into the toasted Panko and firmly press to cover the whole pork chop. 
5. Air fry the pork chops. Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF for 10 minutes. Remove the basket and spray with oil. Place the chops in the basket (2 pieces at a time, to avoid crowding) and fry for 15 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF. Remove from the basket and rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before slicing. 
6. Make the sauce. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, water, and cornstarch. Constantly stir until the sauce thickened. Set it aside. 

7. Stir fry the veggies. 

Heat a wok or wide pan with oil. Saute the onion until tender or translucent. Add the mushrooms, and continue sauteing until tender. For the aromatics, add garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant. Stir in the veggies, and continue sauteing until slightly tender (don’t over cook your veggies). Drizzle the sesame oil at the end of the cooking. 

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Air Fryer Tonkatsu Pork

Jen Paleracio

Breaded boneless pork chops with sweet and tangy sauce. Stir fry veggies for the side dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Equipment

• Air Fryer
• Mallet
• Wok or wide pan
• Nonstick skillet
• Spatula

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups Panko breading, toasted
• 4 boneless pork chops
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

FOR STIR FRY VEGGIES

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cups sliced baby Bella mushrooms
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

 

• Place the Panko breading in a ziplock bag. Use a mallet and pound until finely ground. Or use a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.
• Toast the Panko breading in a nonstick skillet for a minute or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate. Cool for at least 5 minutes.
• Lay a plastic wrap on a cutting board or flat surface. Place the pork chop in the middle, and then cover. Use a mallet and pound the meat to tenderize. Set them aside. Start preheating the air fryer to 375ºF for 10 minutes.
• Make the batter. In a shallow bowl, combine the eggs, flour, and water. Whisk until smooth. Prep two breading stations, one for the batter and the other one for the toasted Panko.
• Dip the pork chop in the batter, and then dredge into the cooled toasted Panko, press firmly to cover the pork chop. Repeat for the rest of the chops. Set them aside.
• Remove the air fryer basket and spray with oil. Fry the pork chops in batches for even frying (place 2 pieces at a time). Fry at 375ºF for 15-20 minutes on each side depending on the thickness or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF. After frying, place them on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Meantime, while the pork chops are in the air fryer, make the sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, water, and cornstarch. Constantly stir until the sauce thickens.
• Stir fry the veggies. Heat a wok with oil. Add the onion, and saute until translucent, then add the mushrooms continue sautéing until tender. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and saute until fragrant, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the rest of the veggies, cook until tender. Drizzle sesame oil at the end of cooking. Serve the Tonkatsu Pork with the stir fry veggies.

Video

Notes

 

 

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Tag @leanbellaskitchen and hashtag #leanbllaskitchen

Keyword cornstarch, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, panko breading, pork chops, slurry, soy sauce, stir fry veggies

frequently ask questions

HOW TO REHEAT THE AIR FRYER TONKATSU PORK:

• Preheat the air fryer for at least 5 minutes at 350ºF. Remove the basket and spray with oil. Place the pork chops in the basket and reheat them for 10 minutes or until heated through. Or sometimes I use the toaster oven.  I try not to use the microwave for breaded foods, they turn chewy instead of crispy. 

WHAT OTHER SIDE DISH TO SERVE ASIDE FROM STIRY FRY VEGGIES:

• Traditionally Tonkatsu is serve with shredded cabbage, I just decided to make the stir fry veggies for some varieties. Honestly, you can serve it with whatever you want, even some mashed potatoes would be good. 

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE AN AIR FRYER:

• No problem. You can use a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet. Add a good amount of oil, and fry the pork chops until golden brown or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF. You can also bake them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease a heat proof wire rack. Place it on top of a baking sheet pan, then place the pork chops on it (it’s for heat circulation for even baking). Bake them for 15 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF. 

recommended equipment

AIR FRYER

TONGS

WOK

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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.

Hello, nice to meet you! I’m Jen, a mom of 2 wonderful girls. I love to prepare home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. For me, cooking more meals at home is worth all the effort. After years of cooking for my family and teaching culinary classes, I can honestly say that I have more control over the quality of the ingredients I use. That means I’m eating a lot better.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to eat the same thing repeatedly. There are ways we can naturally enhance our food’s flavor and enjoy home-cooked meals.

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