Description
A comforting and crispy Japanese-inspired dish featuring breaded chicken cutlets served with a rich, flavorful curry sauce and steamed rice. Packed with traditional flavors like curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, and honey.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), about 1/2 lb each
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- Steamed rice, for serving
- Fukujinzuke pickles, optional
Instructions
- For the chicken: Pat the chicken dry on both sides. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and pound until about 1/2-thick. Rinse and pat dry again. Season again with salt and pepper.
- Set up a dredging station: Place the flour in a shallow dish. Whisk the eggs in a second shallow dish with 1 teaspoon of water. Place the panko in a third shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the panko, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the chicken.
- Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with about 2 inches of oil and heat to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches until golden and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Cut chicken into strips or keep whole. For the curry sauce: In a large skillet or pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions, carrots, and a pinch of salt. Cook until soft and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute more.
- Sprinkle flour and curry powder over the vegetables, cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly. Whisk in chicken stock gradually to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, honey, and soy sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Slice the chicken and place over rice. Laddle curry sauce over top. Serve with fukujinzuke if desired.
Notes
For extra crispiness, double-fry the chicken briefly at the end. The curry sauce gets better as it sits, so make ahead if you can. Adjust sweetness and spice to taste with more honey or curry powder.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Method: Main Course
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 15g
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Protein: 45g