Chicken Katsu Curry Recipe

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Juicy, crispy fried chicken thighs sliced and served with homemade Japanese curry, this Chicken Katsu Curry Recipe is on the table in under an hour and incredibly delicious!

This recipe was originally posted in January 2018. It has been updated for content and photos. 

Seriously though, fried strips of juicy chicken in a sauce of Japanese curry, potatoes and carrots? Can you say ultimate comfort???

This chicken katsu curry recipe is incredible. Just incredible. Love at first taste. 

And even better if you choose to use homemade Japanese curry roux (this recipe is SUPER easy). But don’t worry, even if you use store bought, this Japanese chicken curry is so damn incredible.

The Ingredients

The ingredients for this katsu curry are easy to find at your local grocery store. However, I have included links in the recipe card to purchase some of the ingredients on Amazon if desired (affiliate links).

• Chicken thighs – Chicken thighs are so much juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts. However, you can substitute chicken breasts if desired.
• Panko bread crumbs – Panko breadcrumbs add a light, airy, crisp texture to the chicken.
• Egg – used to dip the chicken in before coating with the bread crumbs.
• Japanese curry roux – a curry made with flour, butter, curry powder and garam masala. make your own Japanese curry roux, or buy it from the store.
• Onion
• Potato
• Carrot
• Chicken stock
• Mirin – Used to add a slight sweetness to the curry sauce.

Why This Recipe Works

1. Chicken thighs are used so the chicken stays tender and juicy;
2. Frying the chicken in panko bread crumbs results in a light and airy texture;
3. Homemade Japanese curry roux really makes the flavor shine, however, store bought will also taste great;
4. A gravy of curry roux, onion, carrots and potatoes add a comforting feel to this dish.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Place 2-3 chicken thighs in a plastic bag, or between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and beat lightly with a mallet until about 1/2″ thick. Repeat for all chicken thighs.

Step 2: Heat cooking oil in a dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Combine the bread crumbs, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Step 3: Dip the chicken thighs in the beaten egg, then dredge in panko bread crumbs and add to the oil. You should be able to fit 2-3 chicken thighs in each batch. 

Step 4: Cook on each side about 3-5 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden brown and chicken is cooked through. Repeat with all chicken.

Step 5: Slice the fried chicken into strips and serve with the curry gravy and steamed white rice.

How to Make Japanese Curry Sauce

Step 1: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the onion until soft.

Step 2: Add the potatoes, carrots, water, stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until vegetables can be easily pierced with a fork;

Step 3: Add the curry roux, salt and mirin and bring to a boil.

Step 4: Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the gravy has thickened. Add additional salt to taste if desired.

**Try serving your Chicken Katsu with this Japanese Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing or this Spicy Bean Sprout Salad from Just One Cookbook. 

Expert Tips

1. If the oil starts to smoke, add additional oil to the pot and reduce the heat slightly;
2. If the curry is too thin, continue simmering, stirring periodically until desired consistency is reached;
3. Chicken breast can be substituted for chicken thighs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can you make chicken katsu in advance? The curry sauce can be made in advance, but I would not recommend making the chicken cutlets in advance as they will get soggy. Store the curry sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days in the fridge over 3 months in the freezer. 
2. Can you freeze katsu curry? You can freeze the curry sauce for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container. I do not recommend freezing the fried chicken as it will be soggy when reheated. 

Favorite Japanese Recipes

• Miso Chicken Thighs;
• Instant Pot Pork Ramen;
• Udon Noodle Soup;
• Japanese Cheesecake;
• Browse all the Japanese Recipes!

All the Curries!!

For those of you that just can’t get enough curry (welcome to the club), here are some other great curry recipes:

• Chicken Curry Stew;
• Green Curry Shrimp & Grits;
• Red Curry Mac & Cheese;
• Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup;
• Beef Rendang;
• Browse ALL the Curry Recipes!!

Did you make this Chicken Katsu Curry Recipe? Rate the recipe and leave me a comment to let me know how it turned out!

Chicken Katsu Curry Recipe

Juicy, crispy fried chicken thighs sliced and served with homemade Japanese curry, this Chicken Katsu Curry Recipe is on the table in under an hour and incredibly delicious!

4.97 from 26 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lbs. chicken thighs boneless & skinless (8 thighs)
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 4 tbsp. flour
• ▢ 2 eggs beaten
• ▢ 1/4 cup cooking oil
• ▢ 1 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Katsu Curry Sauce:

• ▢ 6.5 oz. Japanese curry roux
• ▢ 1 small onion chopped
• ▢ 1 white potato peeled and diced
• ▢ 2 carrots chopped
• ▢ 3 cups water
• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock
• ▢ 2 tsp. salt
• ▢ 2 tsp. cooking oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp. mirin

Instructions

• Beat the chicken with a mallet until it's about 1/2" thick.
• Heat the cooking oil in a cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Dredge the chicken thighs in the egg wash, then in the breadcrumb mixture.
• Add to the pan and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. If bread crumbs start to burn, turn the heat down to medium. Add additional oil between batches of chicken.
• Remove from heat, let cool slightly and slice into strips.
• Serve the chicken with steamed white rice and Japanese curry sauce (below).

Katsu Curry Sauce:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Add the potato, carrot, stock and water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables can be pierced with a fork.
• Add the curry roux, mirin and salt and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until sauce has thickened. Add additional salt to taste if desired.

Video

Expert Tips:

1. If the oil starts to smoke, add additional oil to the pot and reduce the heat slightly;
2. If the curry is too thin, continue simmering, stirring periodically until desired consistency is reached;
3. Chicken breast can be substituted for chicken thighs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6323IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg

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