If you’re a sucker for crispy foods – like me and the rest of the world – then you’ll love this easy chicken katsu curry with a quick homemade katsu curry sauce. This is better-than-takeout comfort food at its best!
Better than a takeaway
I’ve always been impressed with the little Japanese lunch restaurants that you find all over Australia. They’re kind of ‘cheap and cheerful’ but the food feels nourishing, appetizing and really good value for money.
I’ve been known to pop in when I’m out and about around lunch time. Sometimes I order a simple chicken katsu (also very delicious), and other times something very similar to the katsu curry recipe in this post. AKA the ultimate Japanese comfort food.
For those times when you don’t want to eat out (or can’t), what do you know, this chicken katsu curry is much easier to make at home than you might think!
Why make a homemade Japanese curry sauce?
I’d heard a rumour that Japanese people usually buy pre-made curry sauce for a chicken katsu curry. But I wasn’t keen on the long list of ingredients I saw on the back of packets of katsu curry sauce at the supermarket.
I’m going to carry on making a homemade curry sauce for my chicken katsu. curry – and I hope you give it a try too!
What you need to make this
You’ve probably got most of the ingredients you need to make your chicken katsu curry already.
For the crispy chicken you need:
- chicken thighs
- flour, an egg and some panko breadcrumbs for coating the chicken
- a few tablespoons of oil for pan frying
For the fuss free katsu curry sauce you need:
- an onion and some garlic and ginger
- a spoonful of flour and curry powder
- good quality chicken stock
- a bit of soy sauce and honey to balance out the flavours
This recipe also works with chicken breasts and tenders. Find cooking instructions/times in the recipe notes below!
How to make a chicken katsu curry step-by-step
Don’t be put off by the fact you have to coat the chicken in breadcrumbs AND make a curry sauce. Both steps are quick and easy.
Here are the basic steps:
- Coat chicken thighs in breadcrumbs and pop into the fridge.
- Make the easy curry sauce on the stove top.
- While your sauce is simmering away, brown the crumbed chicken in a pan, then let it finish cooking in your pre-heated oven.
- If you prefer, skip number 3 and ‘fry’ in your air fryer (see below!).
To assemble your meal:
- Blend the sauce (a hand-held blender is great for this) and reheat in the pan.
- Slice the crispy chicken into slices. Arrange over rice and pour over some sauce.
Got an air fryer?
If you’ve got an air fryer, you can ‘fry’ the chicken in it. In this case the air fryer isn’t really faster than the oven, but it means you don’t have to brown the chicken first in a pan.
Simply spray your breaded chicken all over lightly with oil, then air fry for 25 minutes at 200C/390F.
Personally I love air fryers because you don’t need to turn on your oven, and for many other yummy reasons such as air fryer banana bread, easy baked chicken thighs and Greek smashed potatoes!
There are many highly rated air fryers available of course, but we currently have a cheap Kmart air fryer, which works pretty well!
How to serve this
This is supposed to be a simple every day kind of meal, so I don’t complicate things.
I simply arrange the sliced chicken on top of some rice and drizzle over some sauce.
I serve with fresh and crunchy lettuce leaves and extra sauce on the side. Perfect!
If you want a bit more vegetable action, feel free to serve some steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.
If you like this recipe, you may also like to try my simple chicken katsu recipe. It’s very similar but served with an even simpler sauce called a tonkatsu sauce (no cooking!).
More better-than-a-takeaway recipes
- 15 minute Thai basil pork stir fry (delicious!)
- Perfect Thai chicken and butternut squash curry that’s on the table in 40 minutes and makes a TON. We ALWAYS have some of this in our freezer!
- Sticky and delicious 15 minute Shanghai chicken
- Perfect Mee Goreng (spicy Indonesian noodles)
- Delicious but very simple chicken with peppers and cashew nuts
- Or take a look at all my Asian recipes!
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Easy chicken katsu curry (with air fryer version)
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
For the chicken
- ¼ cup flour seasoned with plenty of salt & pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- ¾ cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs approximately
- 4 chicken thighs (large skinless boneless)
- 3 tablespoons oil approximately, for cooking
For the curry sauce
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped finely or crushed
- 2 cm piece of ginger peeled & chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 tablespoon curry powder mild or medium
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar if you don’t have honey
To serve
- 2 cups rice (⅓ to ½ cup per person)
- 4 big handfuls crispy lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Roll each chicken thigh first in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.
- Place crumbed chicken on a plate, cover and refrigerate while you make the curry sauce.
- Add a splash of oil to a medium saucepan and cook the onion, garlic & ginger for a couple of minutes until softened.
- Add the flour and curry powder and cook for another minute while stirring continuously.
- Slowly add the chicken stock, then stir in the soy sauce and honey. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened a little.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/355F. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place a wire rack on the top if you have one.
- Heat up about 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan, then fry the chicken for a few minutes on each side until golden. Place on the wire rack on the baking tray, then finish off cooking in the oven for 20 minutes. [If you prefer to cook your chicken in an air fryer, skip this step and refer to recipe notes for cooking instructions]
- Cook the rice according to packet instructions while chicken is baking. When the sauce is ready, blend it with a handheld blender or in a food processor until smooth. Then pour back into the pan and re-heat ready to serve.
- Slice each crispy chicken thigh into about 4 thick slices length-wise, then serve over rice. Drizzle a little sauce over each dish. Serve with the crispy lettuce leaves and extra sauce on the side.
Mariana @The Candid Kitchen says
I am so impressed you made this! Hands down my favourite food EVER. I never even thought about trying it because it looks so tricky, thanks for sharing! x
Helen says
Hi Mariana! Katsu is sooo good, isn’t it? I love it’s so simple, it’s crispy … and it’s a curry! Can’t go wrong really. Hope you give this version a go some time!
Molly Kumar says
Great looking recipe.
Helen says
Thank you so much, Molly!
Byron Thomas says
Everything I love about food can be summed up in this plate! YUM!
Helen says
Hello Byron … thank you so much for passing by and commenting. Really happy you like the recipe!
Chi says
I love chicken katsu curry! I usually make the curry sauce with pre-packaged curry cubes from Japanese convenient store, have you tried those? Vermont Curry and Golden Curry mix are the best I’ve had.
Thanks for the recipe!
Helen says
Hello! I haven’t actually tried those cubes, but a Japanese food blogger friend told me about them. She told me Japanese people hardly ever make their own sauce – they just use pre-made. I was happy with this homemade version though as it was so simple. Glad you like this!
Tina Marie says
You had me at fried chicken! Oh, then came the sauce! Sounds so good.
Helen says
Thank you, Tina. This really is good. Glad you like it!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
Wow Helen – this looks incredible. I’m a huge fan of chicken and curry sauce, so this is right up my alley!
Helen says
Hello Kristi! Thank you so much for the compliment. Crispy chicken and curry really does go well … glad you like it!
LydiaF says
You had me at crispy chicken, but the curry sauce just makes it that much better, imo.
Helen says
Thank you, Lydia! 🙂
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect says
I love Chicken Katsu. I had a great one in London at an oriental restaurant. This looks absolutely perfect and I love the pictures.
Helen says
Hello, Angela! Thank you so much for the compliments! I’m not sure my katsu could rival the one you had at the restaurant but it was good enough for me! 🙂
Farha - faskitchen says
give my family anything to do with chicken, they would finish it up.. this one looks just perfect for their treat this weekend
Helen says
Hello Fa! I really hope you do give this a go for your family – let me know how you got on if you do!
Nancy | Plus Ate Six says
I lived in Tokyo for 4 years and this was my hangover go-to food. And now it’s my comfort food hungover or not. I didn’t realise it was so easy to make though. Gorgeous photos too.
Helen says
Hello Nancy! Oh, I really hope you do give this a go for yourself then – I’m sure it will bring back some fun memories! 😉
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
LOVE katsu! Loving how easy the curry sauce is to make as well! Pinning! Thanks for sharing, Helen! 😀
Helen says
Thank you so much Jess! I really hope you give this a go some time! 🙂
[email protected] says
I would eat a flip flop with a good curry sauce on it (maybe not), and yours looks so good. I love panko crusted chicken too, great recipe.
Helen says
hahaha … I think I would too, Janette! Did you ever try chips with curry sauce back in the UK … mmm!
Chrissy says
Land of Eat What you want? I want to go to there! Yummy chicken curry. I’m in the mood for that!
Helen says
I know … I still dream of this place!! Glad you like the curry, Chrissy!
[email protected] says
Katsu with curry is my FAVORITE!!! Eek!! I love this easy homemade version!
SO….when you are in Oz, remind me to tell you where to get the curry sauce from. Secret tip: No japanese home cooks make it. They use a storebought paste and you can even get it at SUPERMARKETS!!! SO GOOD! (I am seriously dangerously obsessed with it)
Helen says
Oooooh, I’m happy that you approve of this, Nagi, even though I’m sure it’s not a very authentic version 😉 Good enough for me, though …
I will definitely ask you about the curry sauce in Oz. Even though this is easy, I bet the paste has more flavour. Great tip!
Kathleen | HapaNomNom says
I LOVE Katsu with curry! But I haven’t had it in ages! I’m going to have to change that as soon as I get my kitchen back 🙂 And your homemade curry sauce sounds incredible!!!
Helen says
Thank you, Kathleen! I bet you can’t wait to get that kitchen back! Hope the move is going well! 🙂
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
Oh my gosh – I used to LOVE The Faraway Tree – Jo, Bessie and Fanny had quite the adventures! And those lands that came to the top of the tree!!! Btw, I’ve never had chicken katsu curry and it sounds fantastic!
Helen says
Oh I knoooowww … wasn’t that book ah-mazing? I could read it again right now! I really hope you try the curry some time Shashi. Bet you’ll like it!
cheri says
Hi Helen, love crunchy chicken….especially with a sauce like this. Sounds like a great book, that would of been my favorite chapter too.
Helen says
Hi Cheri! Glad you like the chicken and curry. It definitely would have been your favourite chapter too. That place sounded seriously amazing – what a shame it’s not real!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Yum! That really is an easy curry sauce too.It’s always good to have some curry powder in stock.
Helen says
Glad you like it, Dannii! The curry sauce is soooo easy!
[email protected] The Gastronomic Bong says
Ohh yummy!!Helen.. I love katsu curry.. something i order regularly when in a japanese restaurant… Can’t believe it is so simple to make.. love it!! Will try soon.. 🙂
Helen says
Hello Arpita! You must try this then if you usually like katsu … it’s sooo easy to make!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
I’m all for the land of eat what I want! So I get a nice big plate of this right? Beautiful! 🙂
Helen says
Ha! Thanks, Marissa! I love that book so much – I could read it again right now even though it’s for kids! Glad you like the curry!