Next level chicken katsu curry
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Next level chicken katsu curry

By Barney Desmazery

Make this Japanese-inspired dish of crunchy chicken and a rich, warmly spiced sauce. Our ultimate version is easy to make but packs plenty of flavour

  • Prep:20 mins
    Cook:45 mins
    plus marinating
  • Serves 6
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 579
  • fat 19g
  • saturates 8g
  • carbs 61g
  • sugars 12g
  • fibre 6g
  • protein 37g
  • salt 3.3g

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts
  • 400ml milk
  • 100g plain flour

  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 150g panko breadcrumbs or coarse dried breadcrumbs
  • sprinkling shichimi togarashi or chilli power, plus extra to serve
  • splash of soy sauce
  • sunflower oil, for frying
  • 50g butter
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • large piece of ginger, chopped
  • 2 tbsp mild curry powder
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp red or brown miso paste
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • shredded white cabbage, shredded nori, sesame seeds and cooked rice, to serve

Tip

Mighty miso

Add red or brown miso paste to give your sauce extra depth. If you don’t have any miso, add another splash of soy sauce instead.

Meat swap

This recipe can be made using flattened, boneless pork steaks in place of chicken. Pork loin steaks will give you the most uniformed, fat-free piece of meat to work with.

Freeze with ease

Our katsu and curry sauce both freeze well. Freeze the katsu between sheets of baking parchment to stop it sticking, then fry from frozen. Freeze the sauce in an airtight container and defrost fully before reheating.

Method

  1. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthways, creating four fillets. Put each fillet between two sheets of baking parchment and beat with a rolling pin to even out the thickness.

  2. Pour the milk into a bowl and season with a large pinch of salt, then add the chicken fillets. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 20 mins or for up to 24 hrs (the longer you leave the chicken in the milk, the more succulent it will be).

  3. When you’re ready to coat the chicken, tip the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls, then season the flour with the togarashi and stir the soy sauce into the eggs. Scoop one chicken fillet out of the milk and coat in the flour mix, then dip into the egg mix and coat in the breadcrumbs. Set on a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken fillets. Can be prepared up to a day ahead and frozen for up to a month.

  4. To make the curry sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan and sizzle the carrot and onion for 5 mins, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few mins more. Scatter over the curry powder and cook for 1 min, then stir in the honey, ketchup, miso paste and soy sauce to create a sticky paste. Cook for 1 min more, then pour in 700ml boiling water and crumble in the stock cube. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the carrot is soft. Tip the sauce into a blender and blitz until completely smooth (alternatively, use a hand blender). Season to taste. Can be made up to three days ahead and chilled or frozen for up to three months.

  5. To cook the katsu, heat a good layer of oil in a large frying pan, then add as many of the chicken fillets as you can fit and fry for 3-4 mins on each side until deep golden and crisp. Transfer to a tray and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining fillets.

  6. Mix the cabbage and seaweed and sprinkle over some sesame seeds, if using. Top the katsu with the curry sauce and serve with the rice and salad, if you like.

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