Name: What To Serve With Chicken Katsu
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion chicken katsu

If you’re wondering what to serve with your chicken katsu, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 17 of the most popular side dishes for chicken katsu.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with chicken katsu are seasoned Japanese rice, Japanese coleslaw, sesame soba noodles, and miso soup. For more light options, try cucumber salad, pickled carrots and radish, or spaghetti squash yakisoba. For less traditional sides, try mashed potato or macaroni gratin.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Seasoned Japanese rice

You can’t have chicken katsu without a big bowl of rice.

Steamed rice is fine, but if you want to go the extra mile, make some yummy Japanese rice instead.

The dish has multiple layers of flavor thanks to ingredients such as rice wine vinegar, scallions, sesame oil, and furikake.

Try this umami-packed seasoned Japanese rice today – you won’t regret it.

Japanese coleslaw

A bright slaw is a perfect summer partner for some crispy chicken katsu.

Unlike your traditional mayo-based slaw, this Japanese version features a vinegar-based dressing with light soy sauce and a dash of sugar.

The combination of salty and acidic flavors will undercut the greasiness of your katsu wonderfully.

And the recipe only takes 5 minutes to make!

Sesame soba noodles

Aside from rice, another classic side for katsu chicken is noodles.

And soba noodles are my favorite.

They have a slightly nutty taste (helped along by the toasted sesame seeds sprinkled all over them).

And you can serve these sesame soba noodles warm or cold – so they’re a great on-the-go lunch option.

Miso soup

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Miso soup is one of the first dishes that comes to mind when I think of Japanese food.

It’s cozy, comforting, and tasty. Which makes it the ideal starter before a heavy meal of katsu chicken.

If you’ve never tried making it yourself – you’re missing out. It’s way easier than you think.

Check out The Pickled Plum’s detailed miso soup recipe for the download.

Shredded brussel sprout and kale salad

Sprout and kale are probably two of the most hated vegetables on the planet.

But don’t let that put you off this salad from Kelly.

Shredded cabbage is a traditional side for katsu dishes, so this salad draws inspiration from that.

It’s got a lemon dressing, which adds a hint of brightness to the otherwise earth vegetables. Plus it’s jam-packed with nutrients (everyone should eat more kale!).

Quick pickled carrots and daikon radish

A serving of pickled carrots and radish is an excellent accompaniment to your fried chicken katsu.

They’ll add a vibrant pop of color to your dish, and their sweet and tangy combination provides a nice contrast to the milder chicken.

You’ll need to plan a few hours ahead for this dish, but it’s worth the wait.

And you can make a big batch because the pickles will last a while in the fridge.

Japanese potato salad

Fun fact: potato salad has been popular in Japan for over 125 years.

This version features carrots, corn, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, and ham.

Then everything is coated with a creamy dressing made from kewpie mayo (psst… don’t try to substitute this for normal mayonnaise).

You might never want regular potato salad once you taste this Japanese potato salad.

Mac and cheese gratin

I’m all for a bit of culinary creative license.

But believe it or not, this is actually a Japanese dish!

The linked recipe uses chicken and shrimp, but you can swap these out for vegetables when you’re going top the gratin with some katsu chicken.

The cheesy sauce is a perfect dipping partner for your chicken.

Sesame spiced edamame

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Edamame is a simple dish, but it can pack a flavorful punch depending on the seasonings you use.

You could stick with a classic like salt or soy sauce.

Or be a little more inventive with sesame oil and togarashi (like in this recipe).

Another flavor option I really like is garlic and chili.

Miso butter mushrooms

Jazz up your chicken katsu with a generous helping of these miso butter mushrooms.

Mushrooms are naturally loaded with tons of umami goodness – so adding the miso butter takes them to another level!

The mushrooms soak up all the butter so they’re unbelievably juicy too.

Want to give these a try?

Head to The Endless Meal for the complete recipe.

Creamy mashed potatoes

Pair your chicken katsu with some creamy mashed potatoes for some delicious American-Japanese fusion.

The mashed potatoes velvety texture will contrast perfectly with your crispy, juicy chicken katsu.

Plus, just think about smothering the spuds with some addicting katsu sauce.

There are loads of different recipes for mash, but XO & So’s ultra rich and creamy mashed potatoes are standout!

Cucumber salad

Light, refreshing, and vibrant.

This cucumber salad (also known as sunomono salad) is all three.

The acidic dressing means you can use the cucumber as a palate cleanser between bites.

And the best part? You can chuck it together in 10 minutes and you likely already have the ingredients to hand.

Spinach salad gomae

This is one of those small side dishes served in Japanese restaurants that I just can’t get enough of.

I always end up having 2nd and 3rd helpings of it.

The nutty sauce is so moreish.

And you don’t have to stick to spinach, it works really well with green beans and even broccoli too.

Add some green to your katsu meal with this spinach salad gomae.

Sesame miso ramen

Looking for something warm and cozy?

Why not try this quick and creamy miso ramen?

But note – this is not a traditional recipe.

But by using umami-filled ingredients like miso and porcini mushrooms, you can get a deeply flavored broth in just 30 minutes.

Surprisingly, this dish doesn’t have any coconut cream – want to know what makes it creamy?

Visit Half Baked Harvest’s creamy sesame miso ramen recipe to find out.

Japanese curry

You’ve probably already thought of this so I won’t say much… but just in case you forgot.

Katsu chicken is DELICIOUS with a massive bowl of comforting Japanese curry.

So well in fact, this curry has come to be known as ‘katsu curry’.

Here’s a recipe.

Spaghetti squash yakisoba

Want a light and healthy pairing for your chicken katsu?

Ditch the noodles and use roasted spaghetti squash instead.

Spaghetti squash absorbs any flavor you put on it so well, so this faux yakisoba is guaranteed to be extra tasty.

Enjoy this guilt-free spaghetti squash yakisoba style for your next Japanese-themed meal.

Vegetable tempura

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These vegetable tempura will add another crispy layer to your meal.

And they’re a fun way to sneak some hidden veggies onto the plate.

There are no rules on what vegetables you can use for these.

But there are a few rules for the batter. You must keep it cold, use sparkling water, and remember: don’t overmix the batter.

Whip up a quick ginger ponzu dipping sauce to complete your vegetable tempura platter.

The best side dishes for chicken katsu

Seasoned Japanese rice
Japanese coleslaw
Sesame soba noodles
Miso soup
Shredded brussel sprout and kale salad
Quick pickled carrots and daikon radish
Japanese potato salad
Mac and cheese gratin
Sesame spiced edamame
Miso butter mushrooms
Creamy mashed potatoes
Cucumber salad
Spinach salad gomae
Sesame miso ramen
Japanese curry
Spaghetti squash yakisoba
Vegetable tempura