Entree: Brazil – Brazilian Japanese – Tori Katsu com Farofa (Japanese-style breaded fried chicken served with Brazilian toasted cassava flour called farofa)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 10 min

Total 30 min

Ingredients

- 4 boneless chicken cutlets, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
- 2 cups (100 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) tonkatsu sauce or Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Farofa
- 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter
- 4 oz (115 g) bacon, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped, approx. 4 oz (115 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (120 g) manioc (cassava) flour (farinha de mandioca)
- 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken: lightly flatten cutlets to an even 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thickness if needed. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Set up a breading station: place flour in one shallow dish, beaten eggs mixed with milk in a second, and panko in a third. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg mixture, then press into panko to coat thoroughly.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a drop of water sizzles. Fry cutlets in batches 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C). Transfer to a rack or paper towel-lined plate and keep warm.
4. Make the farofa while chicken cooks: melt butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp and fat rendered, 4–5 minutes. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in manioc flour. Toast, stirring constantly, 3–5 minutes until the flour is fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Slice or serve whole chicken cutlets with a generous scoop of farofa, a drizzle of tonkatsu sauce, and lemon wedges on the side.