Japanese Katsu Curry with Crispy Panko Chicken and Sweet Apple Curry
By Emma Collins
Prep
30 min
Cook
30 min
Total
60 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Prepare curry and chicken dishes to serve. Prepared curry sauce and warm, crispy panko-coated chicken can be served together. Japanese katsu curry consists of sweet and savory curry sauce with grated apple and honey and soy sauce and fried chicken cutlet served over hot white rice.
Butterflied chicken breast is pounded to 1/2 inch thick and dredged in flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs. Flour helps dry the chicken; egg helps the breading stick; and panko gives the dish a crispy texture. Ingredients for curry include onion and garlic for flavor and potato, carrot, broth, soy sauce, honey, apple, Japanese curry roux, and chicken stock for the sauce.
Heat the frying oil to 340 degrees Fahrenheit to thoroughly cook the panko and chicken. The chicken cutlet will be browned. Place the cutlet on a wire rack to cool before serving to keep the breading from becoming soggy. Do not serve the cutlet directly on a plate or other flat surface. The breading will become soggy. When making the curry, do not add the roux to the pot with the other vegetables until the potatoes and carrots are cooked. Stir the roux often while it cooks.
For preprepared meals, keep chicken katsu and curry in separate airtight containers to avoid sogginess of the breading on the chicken katsu. Rewarm the curry on the stovetop and the chicken katsu in the oven or air fryer until warmed through and crispy. Serve with fresh white rice and cabbage or pickles, if available.
Why this recipe works
- Storing curry and fried chicken separately prevents panko breadcrumbs on the fried chicken from becoming soft and soggy with curry when the two dishes are stored together overnight.
- The curry is eaten with rice because potatoes, carrots, and other thickening ingredients in the curry keep it from running off the rice.
- Separately freeze chicken katsu and curry so the fried chicken will become crispy again in the oven or air fryer when reheated and served.
- Batch cooking of these two dishes is relatively simple because the curry simmers in one pot while the breaded chicken is fried. The breaded chicken can be placed on a rack to cool.
- Individual servings can be prepared using cooked rice and chicken strips and a dollop of curry for leftovers that are easy to eat without reheating.
- Reheating methods include separate reheating steps for curry and chicken to crisp the chicken in dry heat.
Ingredients
- •2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (lightly pounded)
- •1 tsp salt
- •pepper (to taste)
- •all-purpose flour
- •egg (lightly beaten)
- •panko breadcrumbs
- •vegetable oil (or neutral oil, for frying and cooking vegetables)
- •potato (peeled and diced)
- •carrot (peeled and diced)
- •onion (peeled and wedge cut)
- •garlic (peeled and minced)
- •apple (grated)
- •chicken stock
- •water
- •soy sauce
- •honey
- •Japanese curry roux
- •white rice (freshly cooked, for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing horizontally along the long side, leaving the opposite side intact.
- 2
Open the chicken and lightly pound it until about 1/2 inch thick, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
- 3
Prepare three shallow dishes: one with flour, one with lightly beaten egg, and one with panko breadcrumbs.
- 4
Coat both sides of the chicken in flour, then egg, then panko, shaking off excess between each coating and pressing the panko onto the chicken.
- 5
Heat about 1 to 2 inches of vegetable or neutral oil in a medium deep pan over medium-high heat to 340°F (170°C).
- 6
Fry one coated chicken cutlet for 3 minutes, flip it, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown.
- 7
Cool the chicken slightly on a wire rack, then slice it into strips.
- 8
Peel and dice the potato and carrot into pieces about 1 inch thick, then soak the potato in water for about 10 minutes.
- 9
Peel and wedge cut the onion, mince the garlic, and finely grate the apple.
- 10
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium pot over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until lightly browned and fragrant.
- 11
Add 1/2 tablespoon oil and the carrot, mix thoroughly, and cook over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
- 12
Add 1/2 tablespoon oil and the potato, mix thoroughly, and cook over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
- 13
Add the chicken stock, water, soy sauce, honey, and grated apple. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potato and carrot are soft, about 15 minutes.
- 14
Add the curry roux and stir gently to blend it with the vegetables.
- 15
Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
- 16
Serve sliced chicken katsu over white rice with a large scoop of Japanese curry.
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