Chicken Katsu Curry
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Crispy chicken katsu cutlet is fried to golden perfection and bathed with rich and thick Japanese curry sauce. Chicken Katsu Curry is sure to quickly become a new family favorite.
If you need to spice up some Japanese curry recipe or having leftover curry at home and do not know what to do, this Chicken Katsu Curry is a great recipe to make at home. Who can resist the pleasure of eating crispy and succulent chicken panko-crumbed katsu on top of steaming rice and smothered with delicious Japanese curry? Chicken Katsu Curry is one of the most popular Japanese foods and it comes as no surprise why.
About Chicken Katsu
Chicken katsu, also known as panko chicken, or tori katsu, is a Japanese fried chicken fillet that is coated with panko bread crumbs, then deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. Chicken katsu is generally served with tonkatsu sauce, but you can found it served in katsu curry and katsudon in Japanese restaurants.
There is nothing quite like chicken katsu when it comes to versatility. The chicken katsu recipe is like a Japanese version of chicken schnitzel. In this recipe, I serve it with Japanese curry but you can eat it by itself or with some mashed potatoes for a change. I believe everyone old and young will love it. After cutting a bite, I always dip my katsu into the curry sauce for extra flavor. The inside is tender and juicy while the outside is coated in a crispy, crunchy shell that retains its bite even when doused with the flavorful curry sauce.
About Japanese Curry
Japanese curry is typically made of onions, potatoes, carrots with a selection of meat, but every family in Japan have their own variations which make it unique. Beef, pork, and chicken are the most popular meat choices. The curry sauce is made by frying together curry powder, flour, and oil, along with other ingredients, and then simmered until thickened.
Fortunately, it is very easy and fast to get that deep flavor by simply using instant curry roux, which is available in block and powder forms. It is a staple of Japanese households and you can find Japanese curry roux at supermarkets across Japan. You can find them sold online. I used the Vermont curry
mix, which has a milder taste.
Tips for Making Chicken Katsu Curry
1. Choosing the chicken part
There is always a debate on which cuts of the chicken are the best for making chicken katsu. The popular choice is boneless skinless chicken breast. You can also use thigh fillets. Some people prefer thighs because it is more tender and flavorful, but when deep-fried it can be too oily. Meanwhile, chicken breast is low in fat and high in protein, but it can become a little dry when it is cooked. I think it all comes down to your personal preference.
2. Thin meat fries faster
In the recipe, I half the chicken breasts and then the meat is pounded flat and thin. Pounding the meat also tenderizes it, making a juicier piece of meat that also cooks faster and more evenly.
3. Fry immediately after crumb coating
I use panko breadcrumbs after dredging and egg washing the chicken. Crumb the chicken right before you cook them as the moisture can come through the chicken and make the crumbs soggy.
4. Make the curry and chicken katsu ahead
Chicken Katsu Curry is as simple as a bowl of steaming rice smothered with curry and topped with chicken katsu. The dish is obviously the variation of the original Japanese curry dish with the addition of chicken cutlet. Do not forget to check out my Japanese Chicken Curry recipe. The recipe features how to make the original Japanese curry dish to serve with rice.
When you are too busy to cook, this recipe makes a good recipe to make ahead of time. The curry sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week or froze for several months, so it is worth making extra. You can also use the leftover curry and toss in more ingredients for this recipe. When you make a big pot of curry, sometimes you are left with leftover curry or get bored with it. Just top it with chicken katsu for the variation.
The chicken katsu will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and freeze well also. However, keep in mind that the breading will no longer be crispy after refrigerating the chicken, so it is best when eaten on the same day.
More Japanese Curry Recipes
If you have any leftover curry or you are into Japanese curry, I think you will love these recipes!
- Chicken Curry Udon
- Curry Croquettes
- Curry Bread
- Spiral Curry Puffs with Japanese Curry Filling
- Curry Omurice
Ingredients
- 4 servings steamed rice
Curry Sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced finely
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into bite-size triangular chunks
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 5 cups (1200 ml) dashi/chicken stock/vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 cubes Japanese curry roux
- 2 tbsp cornstarch, optional
- 2 tbsp water, optional
Chicken Katsu
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup (60 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (90 gr) panko/breadcrumbs
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
Curry Sauce
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and stir in onions until they become translucent.
- Add carrots and potatoes and stir well. Add dashi and bring to boil. Skim the foam from the surface of the soup.
- Simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender while stirring occasionally. Add ketchup, soy sauce, and curry roux.
- Simmer in low heat until the soup thicken. If you want a thicker sauce, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl until well combined. Add the slurry per tablespoon until you get the desired thickness. Keep in mind that the sauce will get thicken when cooled. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Chicken Katsu
- Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to form 2 thin fillets.
- Cover the chicken halves with plastic and pound lightly to an even thickness, about 1/2-inch thickness.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Put the flour, beaten egg, and panko into 3 separate shallow wide plates.
- Place 2 inches of oil into a big frying pan. Preheat the oil in medium-high heat until the oil is 350F/180°C while you dredge and bread the chicken.
- Dredge the chicken with flour and tap off the excess flour. Then, dip it into the egg bath and coat the chicken with panko until well covered.
- Fry the chicken until cooked through and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined dish.
Assemble
- Add a serving of rice and scoop the curry sauce into each serving bowl. Slice a chicken katsu thickly and place it on top.
Just tried the chicken katsu and it comes out perfectly.