There’s something undeniably comforting about Katsu Chicken Curry, that perfect combination of crispy, golden fried chicken and rich, velvety Japanese curry sauce. It’s a dish that manages to be both indulgent and homely, deeply satisfying yet wonderfully simple. My kids could not get enough of it when they were growing up.
The good news is, it is very easy to make and perhaps more importantly, get right, at home.

What Is Katsu Chicken Curry?
Katsu Chicken Curry (or Chicken Katsu Kare in Japanese) is a hugely popular Japanese comfort food that brings together two of the country’s most popular dishes: katsu (breaded and fried cutlet) and kare (Japanese-style curry).
- “Katsu” is short for katsuretsu, which means “cutlet”, typically made with chicken or pork, coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crisp.
- “Kare” refers to Japanese curry, thicker, sweeter and milder than Indian curries.
When you put the two together, you get something out of this world delicious: a crisp, juicy chicken breast served over fluffy rice, smothered in a rich, savoury curry sauce that’s both comforting and addictive.
A Brief History of Katsu Curry
Although it’s considered a Japanese classic, curry actually arrived in Japan from Britain in the late 19th century. During the Meiji era, the British introduced curry powder, itself inspired by Indian flavours, to Japan through naval trade. The Japanese embraced it wholeheartedly, adapting it to local tastes with less heat and more sweetness.
By the early 1900s, curry rice (kare raisu) had become a national comfort food, served in schools, homes, and canteens. Later, during the post-war years, fried cutlets like tonkatsu (pork katsu) became popular. Eventually, someone had the genius idea to combine the two, crispy katsu cutlet with curry sauce, creating katsu curry.
Ingredients
Get all your ingredients prepared and ready before you start cooking. It's a lot easier that way. The exact ingredient measures are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

See recipe card for quantities.
- Rapeseed (canola) oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Carrot
- Plain (all purpose) flour
- Curry powder
- Turmeric
- Chicken stock
- Think coconut milk
- Honey
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Chicken breasts
- Black pepper
- Eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Lime wedges
Step by step photos
Check out my step by step photos to see just how easy it is to make Chicken Katsu Curry at home! The exact ingredient measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

- Step 1: Heat the oil over medium high heat in a wok or large saucepan until it begins to shimmer. Add the chopped onion and carrot and fry until the onion soft and translucent. This should take five to seven minutes.

- Step 2: Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another minute.

- Step 3: Sprinkle in the flour, curry powder and turmeric and stir well to combine with the chopped onion mixture.

- Step 4: Now slowly add the chicken stock and the coconut milk, stir constantly as you do.

- Step 5: Pour in the soy sauce and add the honey. I used two tablespoons of each but you should add to taste so you get the right salt and sweet ratio for you taste.

- Step 6: Blend the sauce until creamy smooth. I usually then pass the blended sauce through a fine sieve to make it silky smooth. This additional step is optional.

- Step 7: Return the sauce to the pan and add lime juice to taste. All of this can be done a couple hours before serving if you wish.

- Step 8: Pound each of the chicken breasts with a meat mallet so that they have a uniform thickness. You still want the chicken to be thick but more uniform.

- Step 9: Combine the flour, salt and pepper and then roll each of the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour.

- Step 10: Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the eggs and whisk. Dip the flour dusted chicken breasts into the egg mixture.

- Step 11: Roll the chicken in the panko bread crumbs. Press lightly so that the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken breasts.

- Step 12: Heat about a litre (4 cups) rapeseed (canola) oil over medium heat until it reaches 180c (350f). If you don't have a thermometer, your oil is ready when it begins to shimmer and a small piece of chicken sizzles immediately when added to the oil. Cook the chicken in batches so that you don't cool the oil down too much.

- Step 13: Fry each chicken steak individually for about 5 minutes or until crispy and brown. Transfer to paper towels or a wire rack to drip any excess oil.

- Step 14: To serve, heat the sauce up. Place some rice on four serving plates and top with the chicken followed by the sauce. Garnish with a little coriander and serve with lime wedges.
Popular Variations of Katsu Curry
One of the great things about Katsu Curry is how flexible it is. The basic formula, crispy cutlet + curry sauce + rice can be adapted in endless ways. Here are a few popular variations:
- Pork Katsu Curry (Tonkatsu Kare): The traditional version in Japan, made with pork loin or fillet.
- Prawn Katsu Curry: Juicy prawns coated in panko for a lighter seafood twist.
- Vegetable Katsu Curry: Perfect for vegetarians. Use aubergine, sweet potato or cauliflower steaks.
- Tofu Katsu Curry: A great vegan option using firm tofu pressed and breaded.
- Air Fryer Katsu Curry: Skip the oil and cook the chicken in an air fryer at 190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes.
Useful Equipment
While you don’t need fancy gear to make this dish, a few tools make things easier:
Heavy-bottomed frying pan or wok: for even oil temperature during frying.
Instant-read thermometer: to ensure your oil is at the right temperature (around 170°C).
Wire rack: keeps your chicken crispy after frying.
Blender or immersion blender: for silky smooth curry sauce.
Rice cooker: for perfect, fluffy Japanese rice every time.
Storage and Reheating
If you’ve got leftovers, here’s how to store and reheat them properly:
Storing
- Chicken: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months.
- Curry Sauce: Store separately in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze in portions for easy reheating.
Reheating
- Chicken: Reheat in an air fryer or oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes to regain crispiness. Avoid microwaving. It makes the coating soggy.
- Sauce: Gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave until hot. If it thickens too much, add a splash of stock or water.
When serving leftovers, always reheat the chicken and curry sauce separately for the best texture.
Top Tip
Don’t overcrowd the pan: Fry in batches so the oil temperature stays consistent. If you try to fry too many chicken breasts at once, the oil heat will dip and your chicken won't be crispy but rather soggy.
FAQ
Yes! While the curry itself is Western-influenced (via British naval cuisine), the combination of katsu and curry is distinctly Japanese.
Traditional Japanese curry is quite mild. If you like heat, add more curry powder, chilli powder or Japanese chilli flakes.
Yes. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes or air fry for 12–15 minutes. You’ll lose a little crispness, but it’s a lighter option.
Related
Looking for more popular Japanese recipes? Try these:
Pairing
Chicken Katsu pairs very nicely with these dishes!
Have you tried this Chicken Katsu Curry recipe?
If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.
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Chicken Katsu Curry - Authentic Japanese Style

If you like chicken katsu curry, you've got to try this! It's so easy to prepare at home.
Ingredients
- FOR THE SAUCE
- 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1 large brown onion - finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
- 1 x 2.5cm/1 inch ginger - roughly chopped
- 1 carrot - skinned and grated
- 2 tbsp plain (all purpose) flour
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- 250ml (1 cup) think coconut milk
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Salt to taste if needed
- FOR THE CHICKEN
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 2 cups plain (all purpose) flour
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 eggs - whisked
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs or other bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp coriander (cilantro) finely chopped to garnish
- Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a wok or large saucepan until it begins to shimmer. Add the chopped onion and carrot and fry until the onion soft and translucent. This should take five to seven minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another minute and then sprinkle in the flour, curry powder and turmeric.
- Stir well to combine and break down any flour lumps that form with your spoon.
- Now slowly add the chicken stock and the coconut milk, stir constantly as you do.
- Pour in the soy sauce and add the honey. I used two tablespoons of each but you should add to taste so you get the right salt and sweet ratio for you taste.
- Blend the sauce until creamy smooth. I usually then pass the blended sauce through a sieve to make it silky smooth. This additional step is optional
- Return the sauce to the pan and add lime juice to taste. All of this can be done a couple hours before serving if you wish.
- To prepare the chicken, combine the flour with the salt and pepper.
- Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, followed with the egg wash and then the bread crumbs.
- Then heat about a litre (4 cups) rapeseed (canola) oil over medium heat until it reaches 180c (350f). If you don't have a thermometer, your oil is ready when it begins to shimmer and a small piece of chicken sizzles immediately when added to the oil.
- Fry each chicken steak individually for about 5 minutes or until crispy and brown. Transfer to paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
- To serve, heat the sauce up. Place some rice on four serving plates and top with the chicken followed by the sauce. Garnish with a little coriander and serve with lime wedges.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1298Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 213mgSodium: 9999mgCarbohydrates: 188gFiber: 16gSugar: 13gProtein: 69g































Natasha Williams says
Made this tonight with breaded turkey steaks instead of chicken breasts. Easy recipe to follow and made a really nice sauce which the family enjoyed ; maybe could have been slightly thicker and a bit more of a kick for my own preference but would make again 🙂
Dan Toombs says
Thanks for letting me know. I am glad you enjoyed it. Next time play with the recipe a bit to make it suit your own tastes and then hopefully it will be perfect for you!
Dan
Olivia says
THE best katsu sauce I’ve made (and I’ve tried lots, on the hunt to replicate Wagamamas).
I ended up blended the carrots and onions with a hand blender at the end.
Perfect! Highly recommend
Dan Toombs says
Hi Olivia
Great to know, thanks very much.
Dan
Gabriel says
We always just used the "vermont" curry blocks (which for *years* I had no idea was supposed to be 'Vermont' because in Japanese it says "BAAMONTO" which is not exactly intuitive), but since moving back to the states, those have become hard to find and rather expensive. Looking forward to trying out this recipe, because we love Japanese curry, and we love your recipes. Thanks for branching out and sharing! 🙂
Dan Toombs says
Thanks very much, I am glad you enjoy my recipes.
Dan
Debbie says
This is my son's favourite dinner so I thought for his 8th birthday I'd make it from scratch as we can't go anywhere or have a party. The sauce is so easy and definitely the best I've tasted. I used mild curry powder so the kids could enjoy it and us grown-ups can add chili.
Thank you for sharing this great recipe and the tip to pass it through the sieve is brilliant.
Dan Toombs says
Lovely to hear and I hope your son had a great birthday.
dan
Celina says
Tried this recipe because my son loves Katsu curry. Perfect for us. Thanks
Dan Toombs says
I love that recipe too so very glad you did.
Thanks very much.
Dan
Orla says
Amazing recipe, just made it tonight and it was one of the best. Thank you for sharing!!
Dan Toombs says
That's great. Thank you for letting me know.
Dan
Heather says
Love this recipe wow I’m trying to loose weight so cooked the chicken in the oven will make again amazing
Some sauce left so froze it
Dan Toombs says
That's great!
Thanks
Dan
Andy says
Great recipe & a very good sauce. My son had Katsu chicken in a restaurant a while ago & always raves about how good it was so I figured I’d make it myself.
I did tweak your recipe a little. I didn’t have standard curry powder but I had all the elements: Garam masala, cardamom, star anise & curry leaves. I also added a half teaspoon of Chinese five spice.
My son approved!
Dan Toombs says
Sounds perfect!
Thanks
Dan
Garth Sergeant says
Thank you so much! Really enjoy making and eating this recipe! Unfortunately have an onion intolerance so forced to use celery without too much impact on the overall flavour (or so I think!)
Dan Toombs says
Great you could replace the onion with celery, I am very glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks
Dan
alimak says
Excellent! Far, far superior to the Vermont curry roux. I'll add some garam masala and a l'il dash of chili next time (I like 'em hot, which I realise this isn't meant to be, I'm just owning it!!)
Really enjoyed it; thank you so much from NZ!
Dan Toombs says
Good additions, I like mine a bit spicier too. Really glad you enjoyed it.
Dan
Martin Cunningham says
Love your recipes, can I ask what curry powder is preferred for this please?
Dan Toombs says
I use Japanese curry powder which can be found in Asian stores and online. It’s really good so worth sourcing.
Thanks
Dan
Jane King says
Great recipe! Is there a particular brand of curry powder you would recommend? And what types of veg would you recommend being added to the sauce (not blended) sweet potato ?
Dan Toombs says
I don’t have a particular brand of curry powder to recommend so just use your favourite or whatever you can get hold of.
You could certainly add sweet potato if you like it and maybe some bell peppers for even more colour.
Thanks
Dan
alex g says
this has become a staple in our house, mum asks me for it all the time xxx
Dan Toombs says
Good to know, I am glad your Mum enjoys it.
Thanks
Dan
name says
i had to go looking for a katsu curry from scratch because i became gluten intolerant and this recipe is so nice and easy (and easy to make GF when you just use GF flour and GF stock - i don't eat chicken but i imagine using GF flour and skipping the breadcrumbs would work). tysm i can enjoy katsu curry again
Dan Toombs says
Great to hear you have been able to amend the recipe to taste.
Thank you.
Dan
Marek says
@name,
I imagine coconut flour instead of wheat flour would work well and a tip for crumbs without bread (though I love Panko) is pork scratchings/crackling blitzed. I'm sure this would work well with turkey or pork tenderloin if you don't eat chicken. I like the look of this recipe, have much respect for Dan and have used his other Indian curry recipes for years. I'm thinking of trying this with coconut flour and blitzed crispy pork skin to make it more keto/Atkins/Banting friendly.
Dan Toombs says
Your suggestions sound great.
Thanks very much.
Dan
Joy Bonham says
This is the real authentic Katsu curry sauce
Every time I make it, I am reminded of my time in Japan. Best recipe I have found.
Thank you x
Dan Toombs says
That’s really good to hear. Thank you very much.
Dan
Rebecca says
i never ever leave comments on recipes but WOW!
this dish is so good and has turned into a staple dish in my household. thank you so much for the delicious and easy to follow recipe 🙂
Dan Toombs says
Thanks so much, it’s a favourite in my house too.
Dan
Lee Grant says
Hi was wondering what book the recipe is in, I've got three or books, but I can't seem to find it in them.
Thank you
Dan Toombs says
This one isn’t in any of my books yet.
Thanks
Dasn
Neena Cholette says
Hi Dan
I made this last night and was soooo amazingly tasty and sooo easy to make! We are having it again tonight and can't wait!
We like heat so I added ½ portion each of mild and hot curry powder and hot honey. I used the 2 TBSP (vs 2 tsp) honey as you mentioned. I am going to try this sauce with lamb, shrimp etc.
FYI - step 8, you forgot to mention to flatten the chicken breasts with a meat mallet =)
This is a 5-star recipe! Thank you again - I am a consistent follower of you and your recipes. You are the best!!
Dan Toombs says
Thank you so much for your support. I will amend the recipe at site 8.
I like your idea of adding more heat.
Dan