Chicken Katsu Curry – Crispy and Comforting! (VIDEO)
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Chicken Katsu Curry is the ultimate comfort dish – the crispy, juicy fried Chicken Katsu with the savory Japanese curry and a side of steamed rice is so delicious and satisfying!
Watch the Chicken Katsu Curry Video Recipe!
A Note from CJ
Chicken Katsu Curry is my comfort food!
I absolutely LOVE Chicken Katsu Curry – it is one of my favorite meals! It’s also one of the first videos of mine that went viral on social media and started my career as a content creator and recipe developer – so it’s extra special to me!
If you love Chicken Katsu (you can also make Air Fryer Chicken Katsu) or Pork Katsu with Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce, you can also serve it island-style with Tuna Poke, Mochiko Fried Chicken, Coconut Shrimp, and Hawaiian Mac Salad!
So easy to make and so delicious!! It was our first time attempting curry and this was so easy to follow and it came out absolutely perfect!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- curry cubes -I like the “hot” or “extra hot” Golden Curry cubes. You can use whatever brand / spice level you prefer.
- vegetables – I used carrots, onion, and potatoes (what you most commonly see in Japanese curry) but you can use whatever vegetables you prefer. Make sure to cut the vegetables into similar 1″ pieces so they cook evenly in the curry – note, if the vegetables are too large, it will take too long for them to cook and the curry will reduce too much.
- chicken breast fillets – these should be pounded to 1/2″ thick so they fry quickly and evenly.
- panko breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs are larger and lighter than traditional breadcrumbs, making them absorb less oil and create a lighter and crispier crunch. This is a key ingredient for chicken katsu!
How to Make Chicken Katsu Curry
Pound, Season, and Dredge Chicken – Pound chicken breast to 1/2″ thick and season both sides with half of the salt and pepper. Mix together egg, flour, garlic powder, and remaining salt and pepper to form a wet batter. The consistency should be slightly looser than pancake batter (add water if needed). Add the panko breadcrumbs to a plate or baking sheet next to the wet batter. Dredge chicken completely in the wet batter and let any excess drip off. Transfer chicken into panko breadcrumbs and coat well, making sure there are no bald spots.
Fry Chicken Katsu – Heat a large wok or dutch oven with neutral oil to 350°F. Fry the chicken at 350°F for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F and the chicken is a deep golden brown. Drain the chicken from the oil and set them aside on a wire rack to cool.
Cook Vegetables – In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium high heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds and add carrots, onions, and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes until a light golden brown. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add Curry Cube and Stir; Serve with Chicken Katsu – Turn off the heat and add in your curry cube mix and mix through. Continue stirring and cooking over low heat until desired consistency is achieved. Serve with chicken over some freshly steamed rice and enjoy!
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Storage & Reheating Tips
Store leftover Chicken Katsu cutlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Refrigerated Chicken Katsu will not have the same crispy texture – however, you can restore some of the crispiness by reheating Chicken Katsu in the airfryer for 6-8 minutes at 375°F. You can also reheat leftover Chicken Katsu in the microwave but the Chicken Katsu will be soft.
Store leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat curry in the microwave or on the stovetop – if you find that the curry is thicker than you’d like, add a splash of water to loosen it up. Refrigerated curry will taste even better the next day, as the flavors have continued to meld together; you may find that the vegetables have gotten a little bit softer.
If you tried this Chicken Katsu Curry or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Chicken Katsu Curry (VIDEO)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 chicken breast fillets, pounded to 1/2" thick
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp pepper, divided
- 2 eggs, large
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 quarts neutral oil, for frying; I used avocado oil
Curry
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 carrots, medium, cut into 1" chunks
- 1 yellow onion, medium, cut into 1" chunks
- 2 potatoes, small, cut into 1" chunks
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 quart water
- Japanese curry cubes, 1/2 package
Instructions
- Pound chicken breast to 1/2" thick and season both sides with half of the salt and pepper.
- Mix together egg, flour, garlic powder, and remaining salt and pepper to form a wet batter. The consistency should be slightly looser than pancake batter (add water if needed).
- Add the panko breadcrumbs to a plate or baking sheet next to the wet batter. Dredge chicken completely in the wet batter and let any excess drip off. Transfer chicken into panko breadcrumbs and coat well, making sure there are no bald spots.
- Heat a large wok or dutch oven with neutral oil to 350°F. Fry the chicken at 350°F for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F and the chicken is a deep golden brown. Drain the chicken from the oil and set them aside on a wire rack to cool.
- In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium high heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds and add carrots, onions, and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes until a light golden brown. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Turn off the heat and add in your curry cube mix and mix through. Continue stirring and cooking over low heat until desired consistency is achieved. Serve with chicken over some freshly steamed rice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store leftover Chicken Katsu cutlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Refrigerated Chicken Katsu will not have the same crispy texture – however, you can restore some of the crispiness by reheating Chicken Katsu in the airfryer for 6-8 minutes at 375°F. You can also reheat leftover Chicken Katsu in the microwave but the Chicken Katsu will not get crispy again.
- Store leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat curry in the microwave or on the stovetop – if you find that the curry is thicker than you’d like, add a splash of water to loosen it up. Refrigerated curry will taste even better the next day, as the flavors have continued to meld together; you may find that the vegetables have gotten a little bit softer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Chicken Katsu Curry recipe was originally published in September 2021, and updated in February 2026.
I stumbled across this recipe when I wanted to improve making Chicken Katsu and MAN have my boyfriend and I been blown away each time it is made! It is so good and flavorful. I make it like this every time!
My favorite curry recipe
Instagram tardius_ortu
This is my go to when I am craving Japanese curry
This is the only recipe I use for katsu and my family loves it!! Very delicious and easy to make!!
Found this recipe after eating this at a local restaurant. Oh my word! I’ll fix my own next time and save lots of $$$. My whole family loved this! A definite keeper! A+
My very first time making this recipe! It was so yummy!! Another favourite added to the list! Thank you for sharing!
So nomz!!
Dub of a recipe. I make this all the time and tastes yummy. I usually use the chicken katsu too by itself in other recipes works well too
My family and I love your Katsu recipe. Didn’t make the curry yet but plan on making it soon. This is in my go to recipes. Love all of your recipes can’t wait to try them all.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Diana! I hope you enjoy the others!
The chicken was very delicious and crispy! I added soy sauce, mirin, sake, ketchup, and honey to the curry for a little extra flavor and it paired perfectly with the chicken.
That sounds delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!