Easy Chicken Katsu Curry

This is a recipe for an easy and delicious recipe for Japanese-style Chicken Katsu Curry with baked breaded chicken, served on steamed hot rice. It comes together in about 30 minutes, which makes it a great weeknight meal.

Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Janes Foods. Opinions in this post are my own.

My kids aren't terribly fond of veggies, but if there's one way to get them to eat them, it's in a curry.

But not just any curry.

It has to be Chicken Katsu Curry.

What is Chicken Katsu Curry?

Chicken katsu is Japanese for fried/breaded chicken cutlet.

It's the same as Pork Tonkatsu, with the difference being the type of meat.

Chicken Katsu Curry is a thick Japanese-style curry with a breaded chicken cutlet served on top of steamed rice.

For the chicken cutlets, I'm using Janes ultimates Breaded Chicken Fillets, which have no preservatives, no artificial colours or flavours, and are made with premium whole muscle meat. My kids love this chicken (they're always begging for more!), and you can really taste the quality in the ingredients. 

The whole meal comes together in roughly 30 minutes, which makes it great for a weeknight dinner.

What is a Japanese curry roux?

As you may already know, there are many different types of curries, ranging from blended powders to pre-packaged blocks.

Japanese curry sauces begin with a curry roux, which gives it its signature thick and glossy texture.

A "roux" (French) is a flour and fat mixture used in cooking to thicken up sauces or soups. 

Japanese curries use this same technique in their instant curry roux, which are commonly found as pre-packaged blocks. You can find these pre-packaged/instant curries in Asian supermarkets. 

Ingredients in Japanese curry roux

The Japanese instant curry roux contains a mixture of:

• yellow curry powder
• flour/starch
• oil/fat
• flavourings

What's in the sauce?

There's only 5 ingredients in this delicious and savoury sauce.

You can tailor the curry sauce and add any vegetables you like, but most Japanese curries will include:

• onions: diced, you can use white or yellow onions; yellow onions will give a sweeter taste.
• carrots: diced, use 1 large carrot or 2 medium-sized ones.
• potatoes: diced, a Yukon Gold or a thin-skinned potato will be optimal.
• Japanese/instant curry roux: 1 block (about 100g), which is half of a box; there are many brands available in Asian supermarkets.
• water or chicken broth: for added flavour, I used chicken broth, but you can certainly use water.

It's best to keep the onions, carrots and potatoes cut at about the same size so they cook uniformly.

You can certainly omit the vegetables if you prefer just a thick curry sauce with the chicken, but the vegetables definitely add some sweetness to the curry.

What does Japanese curry taste like?

Japanese curry has a sweeter and much milder taste, compared to Indian-style curries. 

The instant curry roux usually comes three intensities: mild, medium, and hot -- however, I would say they are not spicy at all, which makes this curry perfect for kids or people who can't tolerate spice.

How to make this katsu curry

This is an easy and delicious way to elevate your weeknight dinners at home. 

First, by using Janes ultimates Breaded Chicken Fillets, I don't have to worry breading and frying the chicken. 

The chicken is already cooked, and ready in about 22 minutes, which means you can get this restaurant-worthy dinner on the table in about half an hour. 

Prepare Janes ultimates Breaded Chicken Fillets according to package instructions.

Next, we're going to use an instant Japanese curry roux, which takes the guesswork out of making the curry sauce.

How to cook the sauce

In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat over medium-high heat.

Add in the diced onions and carrots and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes.

Next, add in the diced potatoes and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. 

Pour in about 3 C of water or chicken stock (for more flavour) and bring to a boil.

Once it comes to a boil, lower to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Break up 1 square block of instant Japanese curry roux (100g), and stir it into the pot, until it dissolves.

Once the curry roux dissolves, the curry sauce will begin to thicken and become shiny and glossy.

Remove the curry sauce from heat. 

Serve the Chicken Katsu Curry

Slice the baked Janes ultimates Breaded Chicken Fillets on a diagonal.

Place about 1 C of hot steamed Japanese rice onto a plate.

Add the curry sauce onto the rice.

Place the sliced chicken katsu on top of the rice and curry.

Enjoy immediately.

How to store the curry

I recommend storing the chicken separately from the curry and rice.

This way, the chicken will stay crisp when you reheat it.

How to reheat

To reheat the Chicken Katsu Curry, bake the breaded chicken fillets at 350F for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.

Reheat the curry sauce and rice until steaming hot (you can use either the microwave or stovetop).

Other recipes you may like

Pork Tonkatsu

Curried Turkey Buns

Easy and Delicious Tempura Egg Miso Udon Noodle Soup Bowl

Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below! Have you tried Chicken Katsu Curry before?

Print Recipe

5 from 13 votes

Easy Chicken Katsu Curry

An easy yet elevated Japanese-style Chicken Katsu Curry made with baked breaded chicken, and thick curry sauce served over steamed rice.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time22 mins

Total Time32 mins

Course: Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Japanese

Servings: 4

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Michelle

For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

Ingredients

Japanese curry:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or light vegetable oil
• 1 large white onion diced
• 2 medium potatoes diced
• 2 medium carrots diced
• 3 C chicken broth or water
• 1 Japanese instant curry roux/block/cube about 100g

For serving:

• 4 C hot, cooked Japanese short-grain rice or long-grain rice
• 4 Janes ultimates Breaded Chicken Filets baked and cut into slices on the diagonal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the Japanese curry:

• In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat over medium-high heat.
• Add in the diced onions and carrots and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Next, add in the diced potatoes and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in about 3 C of water or chicken stock (for more flavour) and bring to a boil.
• Once it comes to a boil, give everything a stir, lower the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
• Break up 1 square block of instant Japanese curry roux (100g), and stir it into the pot, until it dissolves.
• Once the curry roux dissolves, the curry sauce will begin to thicken and become shiny and glossy.
• Remove the curry sauce from heat.

Serve the Chicken Katsu Curry:

• Slice the baked Janes ultimates Breaded Chicken Fillets on a diagonal.
• Place about 1 C of hot steamed Japanese rice onto a plate.
• Add the curry sauce onto the rice.
• Place the sliced chicken katsu on top of the rice and curry.
• Enjoy immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 1422mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5205IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

Did you try this recipe?Mention @siftandsimmer or tag #siftandsimmer!