Chicken Katsu Curry
Curry is one of Japan's favourite dishes and chicken katsu actually refers to the fried chicken element (we've baked ours instead). This chicken katsu curry is Japanese-inspired, more aligned with the katsu curry that's familiar to many in the UK.

Our katsu curry sauce uses coconut milk, chicken stock, soy sauce and curry powder. A simple take on everyone’s favourite restaurant or takeaway dish.

MAKES:
4
PREP TIME:
0 HOURS 40 MINS
TOTAL TIME:
1 HOUR 10 MINS
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SAUCE
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp. medium curry powder
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tbsp. plain flour
400 ml tin coconut milk
300 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. runny honey
FOR THE CHICKEN
100 g plain flour
2 large eggs, beaten
100 g Panko breadcrumbs
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
TO SERVE
350 g Jasmine rice
600 ml water
Lime wedges
Stir-fried vegetables or salad

DIRECTIONS
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Once softened, add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric and flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until aromatic, lowering the heat if needed. Add the coconut milk, stock, soy sauce and honey. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat and cook until thickened and the flavour has intensified, 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and add more soy or honey if you like.
Preheat your oven to 220ºC (200º fan) and line 2 large shallow baking trays with foil. Pop the flour onto one plate and season with salt and pepper. Add the beaten egg to another plate then the panko to a third plate. Working one at a time, coat a chicken thigh all over in the flour then into the egg and finally into the panko breadcrumbs. Transfer to a lined baking tray and repeat with the remaining chicken. Drizzle the oil over the breaded chicken then season with salt and pepper. Bake the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 30-35 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the rice. Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear then pop into a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil with the lid on then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 10-15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Once absorbed, set aside with the lid on until ready to serve.
If you prefer the katsu sauce to be smooth you can use a handheld liquidiser to blend it until smooth. When everything else is nearly ready, reheat the katsu sauce. Slice the chicken pieces into strips then divide between plates with the rice and sauce. Serve with lime wedges and stir-fried vegetables or salad, if you like.