This Chicken Katsu Curry is a copycat version of one I had on my trip to Hawaii. The combination of crispy chicken, Japanese curry, and warm rice is so comforting, and I guarantee it will be one of the best bites of your life.
Can't get enough of Katsu dishes? Try my Shrimp Katsu and Chicken Musubi next!
๐ About This Recipe
Chicken Katsu Curry has to be one of my favorite comfort foods. It consists of a deep-fried chicken cutlet served with a sweet and savory Japanese curry on a bed of freshly steamed rice.
Nowadays, almost all Japanese curries are made using prepackaged sauce bases. You can buy them at any Asian market, and they have many flavors to choose from. Here are some of the ones I have at home:
S&B or House Vermont are probably the most popular brands, but you can use whatever one you want. Kokumaru is also good. It really comes down to personal taste so you can experiment to figure out your favorite. Most people will customize the curry bases with additional ingredients, and I do the same in this recipe. I add extra vegetables and soy sauce.
๐ง Ingredients
- Chicken Katsu: We will need boneless skinless chicken thighs, all-purpose flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs. We will also need enough oil to fill a large pot about 1 inch high for deep-frying.
- Curry: The curry is made with a prepackaged sauce base, carrots, onions, ginger, garlic, shredded apple, chicken stock, and soy sauce. For the sauce base, I am using S&B brand today, but you can use your favorite brand. Regardless of your choice, you will need one full block, which is anywhere from 200 to 230 grams depending on the brand or flavor. For the chicken stock, I am using chicken bouillon powder mixed with water.
- Rice: This dish is not complete without freshly steamed rice. I am using my favorite jasmine rice.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ginger, and saute for 5 minutes until the onions are softened and translucent.
STEP 2: Increase the heat to medium-high, add the apple and carrot, and cook for another 5 minutes.
STEP 3: Add the chicken stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, add the curry cubes, and stir until they dissolve completely. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness.
If it is too thick, you can add extra water to thin it out. Let the curry sit on low heat while you prepare the chicken katsu.
STEP 4: In three separate shallow dishes, place the breadcrumbs in one, the beaten eggs in another, and the panko breadcrumbs in the last one.
To bread the katsu, coat both sides of the chicken with flour. Dip into the egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs. Gently press the breadcrumbs into the chicken so they stick. Transfer the breaded chicken to a baking sheet while you bread the remaining pieces.
STEP 5: Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF. Place 1-2 pieces of chicken in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil. Serve immediately with steamed rice and the curry.
The leftover curry will keep well for 5 days in the fridge. If you get bored of chicken, you can use other proteins! Some options are pork, steak, cauliflower, eggplant, and cheese.
๐จ๐ปโ๐ณ Variations
Here are a few variations you can try.
- Air-fried: I know not everyone likes deep-frying, so you can use an air fryer if you have one. Make sure you brush with a lot of oil, or it will not taste right. Brush one tablespoon of oil on top of each katsu and air fry for 6-8 minutes at 400ยฐF. Flip them over, brush with another tablespoon, and air fry for another 6-8 minutes.
- Curry Udon: Instead of serving this dish with steamed rice, you can serve it with udon noodles. I prefer the frozen udon noodles because they are chewier. Just boil them for 1 minute to loosen them up, then they are ready to eat. No need to cook longer or they will lose their chewiness.
๐ Recipe
Hawaii Chicken Katsu Curry
Ingredients
For the Curry
- ยผ cup neutral oil
- 2 large onions (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 2 Fuji apples (grated)
- 2 carrots (chopped)
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 block Japanese curry mix (200-230g block. S&B or House Vermont brand, any flavor.)
For the Chicken Katsu
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (pounded to ยฝ-inch thickness)
For serving
- cooked rice
- katsu sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
For the curry
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ginger, and saute for 5 minutes until the onions are softened and translucent.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, add the apple and carrot, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, add the curry cubes, and stir until they dissolve completely. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Add extra water as needed.
For the katsu
- In three separate shallow dishes, place the breadcrumbs in one, the beaten eggs in another, and the panko breadcrumbs in the last one.
- To bread the katsu, coat both sides of the chicken with flour. Dip into the egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs. Gently press the breadcrumbs into the chicken so they stick. Transfer the breaded chicken to a baking sheet while you bread the remaining pieces.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF. Place 1-2 pieces of chicken in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil. Serve immediately with steamed rice and the curry.
Shalonda Barber
What were the apples for?
Grump
For flavor! Mostly sweetness, but that hint of fruitiness goes a long way