Japanese Chicken Katsu Curry
Chicken katsu curry is the ultimate Japanese comfort food. A golden, impossibly crispy panko-crusted chicken cutlet sitting atop fluffy rice, blanketed in a velvety curry sauce that's mildly spiced and deeply savory. It's the dish that every curry house in Tokyo does differently, and this version is one you'll make your own.
The curry sauce is built from scratch with a simple roux, curry powder, and a few pantry staples. It's not fiery. Japanese curry is all about warmth and depth, with a slight sweetness from grated apple and a rich umami backbone from soy sauce. The sauce is silky smooth and coats the back of a spoon perfectly.
The chicken gets a triple dredge, flour, egg, panko, then shallow-fried until shattering crisp. Slice it thick and let the curry pool around it. Serve with pickled ginger and a side of steamed rice for the full experience.
Ingredients
- ● 4 chicken breast
- ● 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ● 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- ● 2 eggs
- ● 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- ● 1 large yellow onion
- ● 1 carrot
- ● 2 cloves garlic
- ● 2 tbsp curry powder
- ● 2 tbsp butter
- ● 2 cups chicken broth
- ● 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ● 1/2 apple
- ● 1 tbsp honey
- ● 4 cups steamed rice
Instructions
- 1Start the curry sauce: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- 2Sprinkle curry powder and 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
- 3Gradually pour in chicken broth while stirring constantly. Add soy sauce, grated apple, and honey. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
- 4While the sauce simmers, set up a breading station: flour in one dish, beaten eggs in another, panko in a third. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, dip in egg, and press into panko.
- 5Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through (165°F internal). Drain on a wire rack.
- 6Slice each cutlet into thick strips. Serve over steamed rice with the curry sauce ladled generously alongside.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 580 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 38g |
| Carbohydrates | 55g |
| Fat | 22g |
