This chicken katsu curry recipe includes a crispy chicken that is coated in light flaky panko breadcrumbs. The crispy chicken is served with a sweet curry sauce which can be served with rice or noodles for a tasty lunch or dinner.

This chicken katsu curry recipe is inspired by my favourite dish from a Japanese restaurant called Kokoro. I love this dish so much that I decided to learn how to make it so I can make it at home anytime I want and we also get to save money.

The chicken is crispy and flavoursome which goes perfect with the delicious curry sauce. The curry sauce is definitely what makes this recipe extra special as its creamy and slightly sweet with an aromatic flavour which comes from the ginger.

This dish is fairly quick to make and much easier than you’d probably think. It goes perfect with sticky rice or stir fry noodles and it’s perfect for a midweek or weekend meal.

What Cut of Chicken for the Crispy Chicken?

For this chicken katsu recipe, I always use boneless skinless chicken thighs which is readily available in most supermarkets. You can use chicken breasts instead but I find that thighs contain much more flavour than chicken breasts and because the thighs are boneless, they cook much faster than thighs on the bone.

Ingredients For Chicken Katsu Curry

For the full list of ingredients and measurements, scroll to the recipe card below.

Crispy Chicken Ingredients

Chicken – use skinless boneless chicken thighs.
White pepper – to season the chicken.
Salt – optional ingredient to season the chicken.
Garlic paste – or garlic puree.
Ginger paste – or ginger puree.
Flour – use plain flour to coat the chicken.
Eggs – use to bind the breadcrumbs to the chicken.
Breadcrumbs – use panko breadcrumbs.
Oil – use and neutral flavoured vegetable oil for cooking.

Curry Sauce Ingredients

Vegetable oil – use any neutral flavoured oil to sauteed the vegetables.
Onion – I use a red onion for the sweetness.
Garlic – fresh garlic cloves.
Ginger – fresh root ginger.
Carrot – I use carrot to give the curry colour and some sweetness.
Plain flour – use flour to thicken the sauce.
Turmeric - adds flavour and colour to the sauce.
Curry powder – for this recipe, I use mild curry powder
Chicken stock – use ready made stock or a cube dissolved in water.
Coconut milk – you can use light or regular coconut milk.
Soy sauce – use light soy sauce.
Honey - you can use brown sugar instead if you prefer.
Spring onion – to garnish.

How to Make Chicken Katsu Curry

Prepare the Chicken

Pound the chicken to flatten

Place each piece of chicken between some clingfilm and use a rolling pin or flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken and flatten it. Once flattened, the boneless thigh should be larger in size as pictured below.

Season the chicken

Season the chicken with white pepper and salt (optional) then add the garlic and ginger paste and rub them into the chicken. Set aside while you prepare the breading.

Prepare the breading station

Gather 3 shallow bowls and add the plain flour to one. Add the eggs to another and whisk them together then add the panko breadcrumbs to the third bowl.

Bread the chicken

Dip each piece of chicken into the flour and fully coat then into the egg. Turn if necessary to ensure both sides are well coated. Lastly, dip the chicken into the panko breadcrumbs ensuring you turn the chicken so both sides are coated. Place the breaded chicken onto a plate and set aside to rest while you make the curry sauce.

Make the Curry Sauce

Cook the vegetables

Add the oil to a medium saucepan on a medium heat and once heated, add in the onion, garlic, ginger and carrots. Cook for around 4 minutes or until the vegetables softened.

Add in the remaining sauce ingredients

Mix in the the plain flour and allow to cook for 1 - 2 minutes while stirring. Now, mix in the turmeric and curry powder. Pour in the chicken stock, coconut milk, soy sauce and honey then stir and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Blend

Carefully pour the content of the pan into a blender and blitz until smooth then pour it back into the saucepan. Allow to simmer further on a low heat until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

Cook the Chicken

Heat the oil

Place a large frying pan or skillet on a medium to high heat then add the cooking oil and allow to heat up.

Add chicken to the pan

Once the oil starts to sizzle, add the chicken to the pan and cook for 10 - 12 minutes turning halfway through. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165^oF/74^oC once cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate lined with kitchen towels to soak up any excess oil.

Serve

To serve the katsu chicken, slice the chicken and serve with sticky rice. Pour on the curry sauce and garnish with spring onions.

Recipe Tips

The sauce will thicken as it cools. Reheat to loosen but only reheat once.

Storage

This recipe is best served immediately. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days but the chicken will lose its crunchiness once reheated.

Nutrition

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Chicken Katsu Curry

This chicken katsu curry includes a crispy chicken that is served with a sweet curry sauce. Serve with rice or noodles for a tasty lunch or dinner.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Author: Andrea

Yield: 4 servings

Calories: 473kcal

Ingredients

Crispy Chicken

4 raw chicken thighs skinless and boneless
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon salt optional
2 tablespoon garlic paste
2 tablespoon ginger paste
45g plain flour
2 medium eggs
100g - 120g panko breadcrumbs
Oil for cooking

Curry Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large red onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 piece ginger around 4cm (peeled and chopped)
1 large carrot peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon plain flour
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 - 2 tablespoon curry powder mild or medium
400ml chicken stock you can also use a stock cube dissolved in 400ml water
200ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Honey
Spring onion to garnish - optional.

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken: Unfold the chicken thighs and lay them out flat. Place each piece between some clingfilm and use a rolling pin to pound the chicken and flatten it. Once flattened, the boneless thigh should be larger in size as pictured above.
Place the chicken on a plate then season with white pepper and salt (optional). To the chicken, add the garlic and ginger paste then rub them into the chicken. Set aside while you prepare the breading.
Lay out 3 largish bowls and add the plain flour to one. Add the eggs to another and whisk them together then add the panko breadcrumbs to the third bowl.
Dip a chicken thigh into the flour and fully coat then dust of any excess and dip it into the egg. Turn the chicken if necessary to ensure both sides are well coated. Lastly, dip the chicken into the panko breadcrumbs ensuring you turn the chicken so both sides are coated. Place the breaded chicken onto a plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken thighs. Set aside to rest while you make the curry sauce.
Make the Curry Sauce: Place a medium saucepan on a medium heat and add in the oil. Once the oil has heated, add in the onion, garlic, ginger and carrots then cook for around 4 minutes or until the vegetables softened.
Mix in the plain flour and cook for 1 -2 minutes while stirring then mix in the turmeric and curry powder. Pour in the chicken stock then mix in the coconut milk, soy sauce and honey and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce into a blender and blitz then pour it back into the saucepan and allow to simmer further on a low heat until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
Cook the Chicken: Place a large frying pan or skillet on a medium to high heat then add the cooking oil. Allow the oil to heat up then once the oil starts to sizzle, add the chicken to the pan.
Cook the chicken for 10 - 12 minutes turning halfway through. If the chicken begins to brown too quickly then reduce the heat. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165^oF/74^oC once cooked. If your pan is small, cook 2 at a time. Once the chicken thighs are cooked, remove them from the pan and place on a plate lined with kitchen towels to soak up any excess oil.
To serve the katsu chicken, slice the chicken and serve with sticky rice. Pour on the curry sauce and garnish with spring onions.