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Jump to Recipe | Save RecipeThis dynamic recipe for katsu chicken curry combines two popular Japanese comfort foods into one delicious entree. The crunch of the chicken katsu provides a beautiful contrast to the mildly sweet, melt-in-your-mouth beef curry. Who’s hungry?
It’s been rainy here and it’s really been putting me in the mood for comfort food. This dish two of my favorites, Japanese curry and Chicken Katsu [チキンカツ], together into one glorious meal. Imagine biting into a juicy piece of chicken with a perfectly crispy breading and, with your next bite, savoring a rich, melt in your mouth morsel of beef coated in a luscious, rich, almost sweet curry sauce. My oh my. Next time your craving a meal that will warm you to your core, try this katsu chicken curry.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Curry Recipe
This recipe is so fun because it has many different components. There is a lot to love about it, but here are some things that stand out to me.
- Dynamic. Two delectable concepts in one? Yes, please! Every bite will be an adventure as different flavors and textures excite your senses.
- A full meal. Protein, carbs, and veggies all play a strong role in this entree, bringing you a wide variety of nutrients. You won’t need to scurry to get side dishes on the table to complete the meal…unless you want to of course.
- Simple. It might seem intimidating to make two dishes at the same time, but both the curry and the chicken katsu are actually quite easy to make. Just take it step by step and enjoy the process.
- Great for picky eaters. We all have that one picky eater in the family. Maybe it’s your young one, maybe it’s your visiting uncle. This recipe is perfect because, if someone doesn’t like curry, they can have the chicken and vice versa.
What Is Katsu Chicken?
Katsu is a Japanese dish that usually stars either chicken or pork. The name refers to the way in which the protein is prepared. It is coated in Japanese breadcrumbs and then fried to a crispy golden brown. It is extremely popular and is often served over rice with katsu sauce or in a sandwich.
Recipe Ingredients
Here is a list of ingredients required to make this delicious, dynamic katsu chicken curry. Scroll to the recipe below for details on measurements and amounts.
For the curry:
- Chuck roast. It can be tempting to skimp and just grab “beef stew meat”. Don’t do it. The beef is the star of the show here, so make sure to pick a good cut. Chuck is by far the best choice.
- Onion
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Celery
- Low-sodium beef stock or broth
- Curry cubes
- Salt and pepper
For the chicken katsu:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- All-purpose flour – Gluten intolerant? Use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour. I like King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Flour.
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs – If you can tolerate gluten, I highly recommend using Pankobut. If you can’t feel free to use almond flour to bread the chicken.
- Vegetable oil
Easy Variations
Feel free to play around with this recipe. Here are some variations that I have been enjoying.
- Use pork. If you are a pork lover, feel free to use pork instead of chicken in the katsu (see my recipe for pork katsu). You can even swap the chuck out for pork if you’d like.
- Use different or additional veggies. It can be fun to add mushrooms to the curry or to swap the potatoes out for sweet potatoes. Pick your favorites and add them in with the rest of the veggies.
- Gluten-free. If your body doesn’t tolerate gluten, it’s ok to use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour in place of the conventional flour and to use almond flour in place of the panko bread crumbs. The texture will be different, but your body will be happier.
How to Make Katsu Chicken Curry
This recipe might seem intimidating because you are making two dishes at once but fret not. It’s actually quite simple. I have broken the instructions into sections to make it easier for you. Here is a basic rundown on how to make katsu chicken curry. Scroll to the recipe below for more details.
For the curry:
- Brown the beef. Heat some olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chuck roast cubes. Transfer them to a plate and set them aside.
- Sautee the veggies. Add the onions to the pan and saute until translucent before tossing in the potatoes, carrots, and celery and cooking for a few minutes.
- Add the stock…and everything else. Add enough stock to cover the veggies and bring to a boil before adding the curry cubes followed by the browned chuck. Bring everything back to a boil, turn the heat down, and simmer for 30-40 minutes. The curry should be nice and thick.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the chicken katsu:
- Pound the chicken. Place the chicken in a plastic bag and pound to an even thickness.
- Arrange your breading station. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl, beat 2 eggs in another bowl, and place the panko in a third bowl. Line the bowls up with flour on one side, eggs in the middle, and panko on the other side.
- Prepare the pan. Heat some vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Bread the chicken. Coat a piece of chicken in the flour, then dip it in the eggs before covering it in breadcrumbs.
- Fry the chicken. In the prepared pan, fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes on either side until golden brown, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Repeat. Remove any panko from the pan and repeat the breading and frying process with another piece of chicken.
To assemble:
- Put it all together. Over a bed of cooked white rice, ladle a serving of curry. Slice a piece of katsu into thin strips and arrange it next to the curry.
Tips for Success
Follow the recipe carefully and you should come out with a pretty magnificent dish. That being said, I do have some tips and tricks to set you up for success.
- Use the two-hand technique. In order to avoid a mess when dredging and frying the chicken katsu, use the two-hand method. With one hand (we’ll call it the dry hand), coat the chicken in flour before transferring it to the eggs. With your other hand (we’ll call it the wet hand) coat the chicken in eggs and then in panko. Finally, use the dry hand to place the panko-coated chicken in the frying pan. You will avoid a gummy mess by keeping one hand dry and one hand wet. Trust me.
- Pound the chicken to an even size. In order to achieve evenly cooked chicken katsu, it is important to pound the chicken pieces to an even thickness. No need to get the measuring tape out, but use your best judgment.
- Don’t crowd the pan. When frying the chicken, give each piece plenty of room to breathe. Use a similar technique with the beef. If you crowd the pan in either case, the temperature will drop, making it harder to achieve that golden brown you are looking for. If your pan isn’t big enough, brown the beef and fry the chicken in batches.
- Get the oil temperature right. When frying the katsu, be vigilant about the temperature of the oil. Too hot will lead to burned breading and too cool will lead to soggy breading. Throw a couple of drops of water in the pan. If the oil sizzles, it’s ready. If not, give it more time to heat up or turn up the heat a tad. If you see smoke at any point, turn the heat down and add a bit more oil.
What to Serve With Katsu Curry
This katsu chicken curry really is a meal in and of itself. That being said, it is traditionally served over steamed white rice with Katsu sauce. Want to play a little more in the kitchen and enjoy a nice side dish? Here are a few that go well with this heartwarming entree.
- Garlic Roasted Green Beans
- Chilled Garlic Soy Cucumbers
- Easy 15-Minute Miso Soup
- Veggies. I enjoy steamed broccoli, cabbage, and Japanese pickled vegetables (tsukemono)
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Katsu chicken curry makes for great leftovers. I suggest storing and reheating the components separately so as to prevent sog (the sauciness of the curry will seep into the katsu if the two are stored together). Here is how to properly store and reheat.
- Storing. Seal the katsu chicken in one container and the curry in another. Place both in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating. When ready to reheat, put the curry in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. At the same time, place the katsu in a toaster oven (or an oven heated to 375 degrees F) and bake for 6-7 minutes. Serve the curry and the katsu together over rice.
Can I Freeze This Japanese Curry?
You can! Seal the katsu and the curry in separate airtight containers and place them in the freezer. They will keep there for up to 2 months. When you are ready to reheat, allow both components to thaw in the refrigerator before following the reheating instructions above.
More Easy Curry Recipes:
Many cultures have their version (or multiple versions) of curry. They are such flavorful, heartwarming dishes. This katsu chicken curry is one of my favorites, but here are a couple of other ideas for you to try at home.
- Tofu and Shiitake Coconut Curry Bowls
- Coconut Curry Ramen
- Thai Chicken Curry Noodles
- Chicken Butternut Squash Red Curry
Katsu Chicken Curry
Ingredients
For the curry:
- 1 pound cubed chuck roast, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 large potatoes, quartered into 1 inch quarters
- 3 large carrots, sliced into thick rounds
- 3 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch long pieces
- 2 ½ – 3 cups low-sodium beef stock or broth
- 2 curry cubes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the chicken katsu:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- Couple pinches of kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil
The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.
Instructions
For the curry:
- In a large heavy-bottom pan, such as a dutch oven, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat then brown chuck roast cubes but do not cook all the way through. Remove from heat and put on a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the onion and sauté until softened.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes then add the beef stock (start with 2 1/2 cups) until it covers the ingredients. Bring to a boil then add the curry cubes. They dissolve themselves so don’t worry about them. Just throw them in. Add the chuck roast back into the pot. Once mixture comes to a boil, stir, then cover and let simmer for 30-40 minutes until mixture is nice and thick. If you see the mixture is too thick, add more liquid/beef stock to thin it out but we kind of like it thicker so it’s all preference.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
For the chicken katsu:
- While the curry is cooking, in a plastic bag, pound your chicken breasts to a thin filet, one at a time, with the flat end of a meat tenderizer. If you're using thin sliced, you may not have to do this step as it's already thin enough. Make sure to have padding underneath your plastic bag so you don't break your countertops!
- In a shallow dish, add in flour, salt, and pepper. Mix around.
- In another shallow dish, beat 2 eggs.
- In yet another shallow dish, put your panko in.
- Assemble the shallow dishes in the following order: flour, eggs, panko.
- In a skillet, turn the heat on medium high and add a thin layer of vegetable oil to the pan, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Take one of your chicken filets, dredge it in flour on both sides, then egg, then cover it in panko and shake off any excess.
- Test the oil to see if it’s hot by flicking some water in it. If it sizzles, you’re good.
- With tongs, put your breaded chicken in and cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes or until it’s brown (don’t burn it).
- It shouldn’t take long for the chicken to cook all the way through since they’ve been pounded out so thin.
- Before you start on another filet, I would clear out the skillet of straggling panko crumbs. Just take a spatula and scrape them out. They'll burn if you keep them in there for your other filets and your house will smell like disaster :)
To assemble:
- Put some cooked white rice on a plate then ladle curry over top. Slice the chicken katsu into thin strips (as seen in photos) then place next to the curry.
NUTRITION FACTS
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.
Photography by Eat Love Eats