Gluten-Free Baked Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (11 oz, 314 g)
• ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For Breading

• 1 cup gluten-free panko
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for toasting panko)
• 2 Tbsp rice flour
• 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)

For Garnish

• 3 inch daikon radish
• 1 green onion/scallion
• ponzu (homemade recipe below)

For Homemade Gluten-Free Ponzu Sauce

• 3 Tbsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (0.1 oz, 3 g; 1 package)
• 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (0.1 oz, 3 g; 2” x 3”, 5 x 7.6 cm)
• ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce (4 Tbsp)
• ¼ cup lemon juice (4 Tbsp; I used 3 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice; I like the combination of lemon/orange/grapefruit/yuzu juice)
• 1 Tbsp mirin

INSTRUCTIONS

To Make Homemade Ponzu (1-2 days in Advance)

1. In a liquid measuring cup, zest the lemon so you can have about ¼ tsp lemon peel. Then squeeze the lemon (and orange) till you get 4 Tbsp (60 ml). I use 3 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice.
2. In a mason jar, add the soy sauce, mirin, and lemon juice with the zest.
3. Add katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and kombu, and close the lid and shake it to combine. Refrigerate for a day or two before you make the chicken katsu. If you make a big batch, you can save it for a long time as long as you keep it properly in the refrigerator.

To Make Chicken Katsu

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
2. Combine the panko and oil in a frying pan.
3. Toast the panko over medium heat until golden brown. Try not to touch too much as panko can break into powders. Transfer the toasted panko into a shallow dish and allow to cool.
4. Butterfly and cut the chicken breast in half. I also separate out the chicken tender. Pound the chicken to equal thickness with the back of the knife.
5. Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides of the chicken.
6. Dredge each chicken piece in the rice flour to coat completely and pat off the excess rice flour.
7. Then dip into the beaten egg and finally coat with the toasted panko. Press on the panko flakes to make sure they adhere to the pork.
8. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or even better if you have an oven-safe wire rack (as air goes through on the bottom so panko doesn’t get crushed). Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) until the chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
9. Remove the chicken katsu from the oven and cut into 1-inch pieces so you can eat with chopsticks.

To Serve

1. Peel and grate daikon. Gently squeeze the water out and set aside.
2. Cut the green onions into small pieces.
3. Serve the grated daikon and green onion on top of the chicken katsu (or on the side if you prefer) and pour the ponzu sauce to enjoy!