Butterfly each chicken breast and open it flat, then pound between two sheets of plastic wrap to an even 1.5 cm (about half an inch) thick. An even cutlet is the whole game here, thin spots dry out before the thick center is done. Season both sides with the salt and pepper.

Set up three shallow bowls: flour in the first, beaten egg in the second, panko in the third. For a deeper golden crust, dry-toast the panko in a pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until light gold, stirring often, then let it cool. The air fryer browns less aggressively than oil, so pre-toasted crumbs make a real difference.

Coat each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, dip fully in the egg, then press firmly into the panko on both sides so the crumbs really stick. Press, do not just sprinkle.

Preheat the air fryer to 200C (400F). Spray the basket, then spray both sides of the cutlets generously with oil. Any dry panko patches stay chalky, so be thorough. Air fry for 7 minutes.

Flip the cutlets, spray the top again, and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until the crust is deep gold and the internal temperature reads 74C (165F) at the thickest point.

Rest the katsu for 3 minutes, then slice across into finger-width strips. Serve over a pile of shredded cabbage with tonkatsu sauce, and rice on the side.