Japanese Chicken Curry Recipe S&B

Delicious Japanesechicken curry recipe for a weeknight dinner! Tender pieces of chicken, carrots, and potatoes cooked in a rich savory currysauce, this Japanese version of curry is a must-have for your family meal.

This may come as a surprise, but Japanese Curryaka Curry Rice (Kare Raisu, カレーライス) is an exemplary comfort food and one of the most-loved home-cooked dishes in Japan. I grew up on curry rice as my mom would make it as frequently as I can recall.

The bite-sized chunks of meat, the thick-cut vegetables, the rich and creamy brown curry sauce, and the fluffy rice are what makes every bite so comforting and exciting to eat. Not only is it a meal that’s easy to make on busy nights, but it also tastes better the second day.

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So if you wish to master Japanese home cooking, you’ll need to add Japanese curry to your repertoire. Let me show you how to make Japanese Chicken Curry (チキンカレー) today!

Japanese curry is a thick curry with a stew-like consistency and commonly includes a protein, sweet onions, carrots, and potatoes. The sauce is thickened by a roux (a mixture of fat and flour, and an addition of curry spices).

You can find many variations of Japanese curries, ranging from regions to households, but the most basic one uses chicken which is the recipe I’m sharing here.

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Curry was introduced to Japan in the late 1800s by the British and they were originally Western-style stews mixed with curry powder. The Japanese adapted curry to their own version and ‘Curry Rice’ (Kare Raisu, カレーライス) was born soon after. By the 1950s, S&B Foods developed a convenient instant mix — known as curry roux — in block form so everyone could make curry rice easily at home.

Today, curry has become a staple of the Japanese home and is widely available in restaurants and food halls in departmental stores. The popularity even extends beyond Japan, and you can find its presence in many other Asian countries.

Japanese curry is quite different from most other curries of the world— it has a thicker consistency and the taste leans on the sweet and savory side.

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The sauce is similar to a rich and thick demi-glace that’s layered with spices and earthy flavors. Some would describe Japanese curry more like a hearty stew than a typical curry like Thai or Indian curry. It is a lot less spicy, which is why it is suitable for children.

The reason why we can make Japanese curry in a short time is that we use the convenient Japanese Curry Sauce Mix (curry roux カレールー) that comes in a box. The curry roux imparts a unique depth of aromatic spice flavor and creaminess to the dish. I’m not a big fan of “instant” or boxed food, but I have to say Japanese Curry Roux is an exception!

Each brand of curry roux usually comes with 3 levels of spiciness — Mild, Medium, or Hot. Since these are packaged for Japanese taste, the hot level is not nearly as spicy as Thai or Indian curry.

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Some of you may find the pre-boxed curry roux salty, and I don’t disagree. It does have a strong (salty) taste, which is why it goes well with plain steamed rice. The Japanese palate, in general, is gravitated to salty, savory foods.

Although the boxed stuff may spare you some time in the kitchen, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make your own Japanese Curry Roux at home. And just like all curries, curry roux is best made from scratch. The other good reasons for homemade roux?

If you decide to make the Curry Roux from scratch, it only takes a quick 30 minutes. Click here for the recipe.

Japanese Style Chicken Curry Recipe

My mom always adds some grated apple and different condiments to the curry. She says, “If you use just the boxed curry roux, your curry will always taste the same. It will not be different from your neighbor’s curry.”

So she taught me two tricks. 1) Use 2 different brands of curry roux– you can even mix the spice level, like mild and medium spicy together 2) Use additional seasonings.

My mom and I would use a few combinations of the following ingredients to enhance the flavor and give some complexity to the curry.

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* Bold items are our frequently used condiments. * Use 1-3 tsp of secret ingredients to start. These are supposed to be “secret” ingredients and you don’t need to add a lot of it. * Add the secret ingredients with the broth/water and cook together.

The nicely browned onions add a ton of flavor to the final curry. If you have an additional 5-10 minutes, caramelize the onion.

When you add the broth/water, be sure the ingredients are covered with just enough water, and not submerged completely. The “barely covering” situation is called

Japanese Chicken Curry チキンカレー • Just One Cookbook

Get a fine mesh skimmer and fill up the measuring cup with water. Skim the impurities and dunk the skimmer in the water to clean. And repeat until the broth is clean.

Make sure all the curry roux cubes are dissolved completely. You don’t want to end up biting into a chunk of curry cube while eating!

Fill up a ladle with broth and add 2 cubes. Using a spoon or chopsticks, let the roux dissolve completely. Then add 2 more cubes and repeat.

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Always watch the curry after you add the roux. The thick curry sauce gets burnt easily at the bottom of the pot.

Japanese curry is ideal for freezing. I often cook up a big batch of leftovers and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Oh, one more thing! Potatoes will change their texture after freezing so remove the potatoes if you plan to freeze the curry.

How To Make Japanese Chicken Curry

Do you own an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker? You can also prepare this comfort dish using my Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Japanese Curry recipe.

, a relish made of finely chopped vegetables such as daikon, eggplant, and lotus root, pickled in a soy sauce-based liquid. It will warm you right up!

Delicious Japanese chicken curry recipe for a weeknight dinner! Tender pieces of chicken, carrots and potatoes cooked in a rich savory curry sauce, this Japanese version of curry is a must-have for your family meal. 

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Substitutions: You can substitute the chicken with beef, pork, shrimp, seafood, tofu, mushrooms, and other vegetables. Since tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables cook quickly, you may not need to simmer them for 15 minutes, except for dense root vegetables like carrots and potatoes here. You can sauté mushrooms and softer vegetables (squash, zucchini, eggplant, etc.) and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. If you use tofu, you just need to warm it up as it’s is already fully cooked. I recommend draining tofu for 15 minutes prior to use and adding it right after you add the curry roux. Warm it up for the last 5–10 minutes.

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Editor’s Note: The post was originally published onMar 19, 2013. The blog content has been updated, and new images and new video have been added, and the recipe has been slightly revised in October 2021.

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