Chicken Katsu Curry is a Japanese-style homemade dish that boasts a crispy breaded and fried chicken topped with a rich and creamy curry sauce.
The chicken breasts have been thoroughly seasoned with milk and salt, and the flour mix that coats them is made with chili powder and soy sauce to ensure not only a crispy katsu but also a flavorful one.

The curry that covers the chicken katsu when you serve this dish is just as flavorful with the most luscious sauce you can ever imagine. Its sauce does not merely rely on the curry powder for the flavor as it is made up of honey, ketchup, and other ingredients that ensure the best quality curry for this dish.
What a perfect addition to lunch this hearty dish is! Enjoy a fulfilling lunch with a serving of this dish. A touch of Japanese food at home is always a good thing for family dinners as well when everyone is at home after a long tiring day at school or work. Be sure to get all the ingredients for this recipe and try it out at home to experience the goodness of each bite from this dish.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
This Japanese Chicken Katsu Curry recipe has gone viral over the internet these past years after food vloggers and chefs have made their various styles of preparing it. Not only is this recipe filled with delicious taste, but it also scratches that sensitive itch for something new and foreign. Here are some of the reasons why you have to try this recipe at home as soon as possible:
- A simple recipe to expand your recipe preference. This recipe will allow you to try an effortless Japanese-style dish without failing because the instructions are so easy to follow.
- Excellent comfort food that you can enjoy when you are feeling down or when you just simply want to eat something crispy and savory at the same time.
- This is a flexible recipe that you may serve for all mealtime. A leftover of this dish can be a good quick breakfast. Lunch and dinner will be equally satiating when you serve this dish as well.
- An authentic curry dish from Japanese cuisine that is easy and flavorful.
What's in This Chicken Katsu Curry Recipe?
Chicken Breasts. Chicken breasts may as well be the most suitable chicken part for making chicken fillet that you can use for your chicken katsu. Make sure you remove the skin to have a better texture.
Milk. Dipping your chicken breasts in milk before frying them will tenderize the meat of the chicken, giving it a better texture once fried.
Plain Flour. The plain flour helps coat the chicken to create a crispy texture. Plain flour also allows the browning of your chicken katsu later on.
Eggs. The eggs help put the coating and the chicken stay together even when the outer coating sticks to the bottom of the pan while frying.
Panko. Panko bread crumbs are the perfect addition to coat your chicken as they easily create a crispy outer layer for fried dishes, especially chicken fillets.
Chili Powder. Add chili powder to your flour mix to make sure that your chicken katsu does not taste bland.
Light Soy Sauce. Another seasoning to your flour mix is soy sauce. Make sure to add some for better taste.
Sunflower Oil. Fry your chicken in sunflower oil or you can use vegetable oil.
Katsu Curry Ingredients
Butter. Cooking curry with butter in the mix ensures a subtle and delicate texture that is almost creamy and absolutely saucy.
Carrot. A curry recipe seems lacking if the carrot is not on the list of ingredients. It is one of the most classic veggie additions to curry, and you should certainly add a few cuts!
Onion. Onion is added to curry recipes as it provides a thicker consistency for the sauce. Make sure to add onion for a richer and thicker curry sauce!
Garlic. A deeper flavor for your curry is sure to be observed once you use garlic in this recipe so do not forget to add some!
Ginger. Ginger has become a staple in Asian recipes. Your curry will have a warmer note of taste when you add ginger to the mix.
Curry Powder. Make your curry taste bolder and richer with the use of curry powder to maximize every taste in its saucy, savory, and almost sweet glory.
Honey. A scrumptious and thick curry will taste even better once the unique sweetness of honey is added to the mix.
Ketchup. Ketchup gives color to your curry, and it also helps thicken the sauce.
Chicken Broth. Chicken broth helps give the curry a taste that is complementary to the chicken katsu. You can use chicken stock instead.
How To Make Chicken Katsu Curry - Step By Step
One: Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Put each chicken cutlet between two sheets of parchment pepper or plastic wrap and beat with a rolling pin to flatten a little bit.
Two: In a bowl, mix milk, salt and chicken fillets. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Three: Now, tip the eggs, flour and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls.
Add the chilli powder (or black pepper) to the flour. And add the soy sauce to the eggs.
Four: Take one chicken fillet out of the milk and dredge in the flour mix, then dip it into the beaten egg mixture and coat in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
Five: To make the curry, heat the butter in a skillet or large pot over medium heat, add carrot and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
Six: Stir in curry powder, honey, ketchup and soy sauce, cook for 1-2 minutes, then pour in chicken broth, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the carrot is soft.
Seven: Now, Put the sauce mixture into the blender and beat until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
Eight: To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the chicken fillets (as you can fit) and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Nine: Put the chicken on a kitchen paper towel to get rid of the excess oil, then transfer to a serving plate, top with the curry sauce and serve.
Top Tips!
- The smaller the cuts of your onions are, the thicker the sauce of your curry will be since the onions will caramelize better.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry using a paper towel before using them for this recipe for better texture.
- Make sure that the chicken katsu and curry have completely cooled down before you pour the curry on top of the chicken katsu lest we make the whole dish a soggy pile of chicken and sauce.
- I used mild curry powder; however, you can use hot if you want it extra spicy.
Recipe Variations
- Use buttermilk as the acid in it will tenderize the chicken better with a juicy flavor.
- Add chili powder to the curry mixture as well if you are a spicy lover!
- If Panko isn't available in your pantry, you can use regular breadcrumbs.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Katsu Curry on top of a hot bowl of turmeric rice or white rice seems a wonderful combination for a satisfying meal paired with a simple iced tea or freshly squeezed orange juice.
Storage
To Store: Refrigerate the remaining chicken katsu and curry in separate containers for up to three days. Only top the curry once you are ready to serve the dish again.
To Freeze: Freeze the curry and chicken katsu in separate containers for up to three months. Thaw overnight when you are ready to serve it again.
Recipe FAQs
You may throw in some cut potatoes to complement the carrots.
Thick the sauce of your curry by adding a slurry made of water and cornstarch to your curry mixture.
Yes, you can put the chicken on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes at 200 C / 400 F. However, the original recipe requires frying the chicken.
Recipes you may like
- Baked Honey Glazed Salmon
- Thai Basil Fried Rice
- Cherry Scones
- Devilled Chicken
- Easy Lime Coconut Chicken
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Recipe
Chicken Katsu Curry
Equipment
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts , cut lengthwise
- 400 ml milk
- 1 cup plain flour
- 2 eggs , beaten
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon chilli power
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 3 cups sunflower oil , for frying
For the Katsu Curry
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 carrot , chopped
- 1 onion , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , chopped
- 1 knob ginger , chopped
- 2 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 700 ml chicken broth
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Put each chicken slice between two sheets of parchment pepper or plastic wrap and beat with a rolling pin to flatten a little bit.
- In a bowl, mix milk, salt and chicken fillets. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Now, tip the eggs, flour and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. Add the chilli powder to the flour. And add the soy sauce to the eggs.
- Now, take one chicken fillet out of the milk and dredge in the flour mix, then dip it into the egg mix and coat in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
To make the curry
- Heat the butter in a skillet, add carrot and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Stir in curry powder, honey, ketchup and soy sauce, cook for 1-2 minutes, then pour in chicken broth, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the carrot is soft.
- Now, Put the sauce mixture into the blender and beat until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
To cook the chicken
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then add the chicken fillets (as you can fit) and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden.
- Put the chicken flite on a serving plate, top with the curry sauce and serve.
Notes
- The smaller the cuts of your onions are, the thicker the sauce of your curry will be since the onions will caramelize better.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry using a paper towel before using them for this recipe for better texture.
- Make sure that the chicken katsu and curry have completely cooled down before you pour the curry on top of the chicken katsu lest we make the whole dish a soggy pile of chicken and sauce.
- I used mild curry powder; however, you can use hot if you want it extra spicy.
Variations
- Use buttermilk as the acid in it will tenderize the chicken better with a juicy flavor.
- Add chili powder to the curry mixture as well if you are a spicy lover!
Flora
This was so delicious! A total hit!
Gianna
So crispy and flavourful chicken, and the curry is so delicious. Excellent recipe; I will definitely make it again!