Simple Chicken Curry チキンカレー Recipe

4
15 mins
75 mins

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or beef, pork, seafood, tofu, or vegetables)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 carrots
2 onions
1-2 potatoes
1/2 Tbsp. ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 QT (4 cups/1000ml) chicken broth (or water if you use store bought curry roux)
1 apple (I used Fuji apple)
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. salt
Homemade Japanese curry roux or 1 box (7 oz, 200g) store bought Japanese curry roux
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Ketchup
Soft boiled egg
Fukujinzuke (pickles)

Preparation

Step 1

Make the Curry Roux from scratch

Soft boiled egg

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onions until they become translucent.

Add the ginger and garlic.

Add the chicken and cook until the chicken changes color.

Add the carrot and mix.

Add the chicken broth (or water).

Bring the stock to boil and

Add the honey and salt and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, and turn off the heat. Meanwhile you can make homemade curry roux.

When the potatoes are ready, add the curry. If you use the store-bought curry roux, put 1-2 blocks of roux in a ladle and slowly let it dissolve with spoon or chopsticks. Continue with the rest of blocks. Then go to Step #17.

If you are using homemade curry roux, add a ladleful or two of cooking liquid from the stock and mix into the curry paste. Add more cooking liquid if necessary and mix well until it’s smooth.

Add the roux paste back into the stock in the large pot and stir to combine.

Add soy sauce and ketchup. Simmer uncovered on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the curry becomes thick.

Serve the curry with Japanese rice on the side and garnish with soft boiled egg and Fukujinzuke.

add one

Japanese curry is my favorite….and I even love that store bought SH brand. So yummy. But I would love to try to make my own homemade curry roux one day. I am drooling now eventhough it is already bedtime now.

wooow thats so interesting, I use curry roux a lot when making curry but i don’t add so many extra things to it, like honey or ginger. Thank you so much for sharing! I will defenately try it out

Best to replace it with a newer one. I forgot that I had it in my pantry.

Hi Nami – I am so excited to see you write about this! Japanese curry is so delicious. I just bought a box of the S&B curry to try so I’ll definitely follow your guidelines when I do! I’d never realized it was a sauce mix where you add liquid, etc. I had always bought the super-convenient type that comes in a pouch you can simply heat by boiling and then pouring over your rice! I have to say I love those! : ) I’m looking forward to trying this.your version and maybe eventually moving over to homemade…

Love curry rice!!! I haven’t made it from scratch in years. I usually buy the already made packet that you just boil in water. I know…lazy. lol..

The addition of apple is really interesting!

Thicker and sweeter sounds good to me! Thank you for sharing both this and that delicious poundcake. I’m going to make it for my baby shower. As always, a bright and delicious spot in my day. I hope you have a wonderful and warm Spring week!

Any kind of curry is a great curry for me. I have had this in a restaurant but never made it. A shortcut boxed sauce can be a time saver. But will have to make my own sauce some time soon too. Lovely dish.

Hello Nami! Thanks as always for the wonderful recipes! I have made this before but with instant curry mix (S&B Golden Curry), and I’ve had problems with getting the flavor of the curry to penetrate the chicken properly. It might be the quality of the chicken, but I really don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Would you recommend marinating the chicken? If so, what should I put in the marinade? Thank you!!

cutting method – more open surface), pricking the chicken with fork (make holes so seasonings go in), seasoning the chicken first (salt is necessary), and cooking a little longer (day 2 might be better). I don’t think marinade is necessary. Hope all or some of these will help!

Nami!! I’m doing a happy dance because you’ve shared this recipe. We love love love — really love Japanese curry. I make it from the box because I could never find a recipe from scratch — until now:) My husband loves the package apple honey one. I can’t wait to make your curry from scratch. Thanks so much for sharing!xxx

Love Japanese curry! My husband is not as in love with it so I never make it at home. There’s a box full of unused curry roux in my pantry right now that I always make a sad face at when I see it. Might have to just make some for myself and eat it when he’s not home.

I love Japanese Curry’s, they have such a unique flavour. I usually get the green packet mix! My Japanese student showed me how to make them… I noticed that you use a apple in the curry too, at first I thought this was strange but it is perfect for the sweet flavour of the curry. Great winter dish, thank you for reminding me to make this

This is the way that I make curry…using the “magic” box…I heard of adding apples, but have yet to give this a try…beautiful pictures Nami.

Anne ~ Uni Homemaker

Yum! I love Japanese curry. It’s always my go-to meal whenever I want to make something simple for dinner. I love the addition of the hard-boiled egg. Delicious!

Love love love japanese curry! hehe And what a good tip to combine a few different brands and add things to oomph it up! hehe Shall try that next time! hehe thank you for sharing dearie! Beautiful as usual! x

I wonder if it is possible to make this from scratch? It’s quite unique though!

Nami, I’m a big fan of Japanese curries – introduced to me by my Japanese friends Mika and Ryoko in Edinburgh. I wasn’t able to make them for years, but there’s a small Japanese café/shop in Tallinn, Estonia, now, so I can stock up on the curry. (They stock the S&B and Vermont curries). Meanwhile, I learnt to make decent alternative using miso paste and Indian curry powder

I have seen the box of Golden Curry in the markets before but didn’t realize it was for making a Japanese curry. Your recipe and photos make me think I must try it.

Thanks for sharing this recipe! I really liked your tip about adding a few other condiments to supplement the flavor of store-bought curry roux. I usually just throw in the blocks from a package of Vermont Curry, but I’ll try your suggestion next time I make a batch. =)

I’ve also heard that some people like to add chocolate to their curry. I’ve never tried it myself, but I wonder if you have an opinion on it?

Hi Kimmi! From time to time I do that too, but I get bored with the same flavor so it’s fun adding and see how we get the additional savory flavor by adding extra things.

Yes! I thought of adding it too, some also put coffee too. It adds “koku” in Japanese (if I translate it’s “savory”…). Just more deep dimension to the flavor.

This is very interesting… I did not know you make curries in Japan. I have learned to make chicken curry from an Indian taxi driver in Singapore, funny story but his recipe was really good and I am still using it.

Thank you Darlene! Hope you enjoy making homemade curry roux! I always eat curry udon the next day lunch. Ahhh I need to make curry again so I can eat curry udon!

And I like the fact that you can make it today and eat it tomorrow!!

I’m definitely adding the tonkatsu sauce etc for a flavour boost as well.

This is one of family’s old standby favorites. I usually buy the “House”brand Japanese curry the mild flavor… You know the one with the pictures of the apples on the front of the box. Adding additional shredded apples and tonkatsu sauce or ketchup/soy is a great idea to give it that extra homemade taste and depth of flavors. If there are any leftovers the next day, I like to make curry udon. Nice photo Nami-San you make even brown food taste good. How do you do that? Ja Mata, BAM

i mush prefer a japanese curry to traditional curries. i make this uqite often cos its simple and can always take to work the next day too!

I love that you add apple and honey for a little sweetness to the curry – my mom made this dish all the time growing up, and I used those bars of curry roux to cook it for myself in college. It always reminds me of home. =) I want to try your homemade curry roux recipe, just have to get some garam masala. Thanks for sharing, Nami!

Nami, If I wasn’t sitting in front of the computer…I would be jumping up and down!! I love these S&B curry packets. I have used them several times and I actually bought one recently to make a Japanese curry for the blog.

I love Japanese style curry. I used to make it very often with the store bought roux. Although adding the soy sauce and ketchup at the end is new to me but I think I will kick up the flavor. Great comfort food that can be prepared easily and quickly. Thanks for sharing, Nami.

My husband isn’t a fan of curry and I love it. When he’s off on his fishing trips I make all my favorite dishes. I’ll be including this dish on my list of treats while he’s gone on his next trip.

I am drooling looking at your curry, so delectable! I would add more chilli flakes to give it more heat

Turned out fantastic! I used a can of coconut milk with a bit of chicken powder mixed in instead of using just chicken broth. Was really flavorful and creamy

Golden Curry is always my family’s favorite brand when it comes to Japanese style curry. I love the right amount sweetness of the roux. Well, one of these days, I will make my own Japanese curry from scratch and of course I will use your recipe. I love the addition of eggs and that is what I will add next. Thank you, Nami!

Very interesting! I’ve never added apple, honey, or ginger to curry before. I will definitely be giving this a try. Thanks, Nami! =D

The golden curry mix IS great, even though I don’t usually like boxed mixes!

Love Japanese curry. I usually add apple and honey too, gives it a lovely sweetness. Thanks for sharing the recipe for the curry roux….I’m surprised how simple it is! Looks yummy!

Hi Nami! I had no idea there was a Japanese curry. I love the idea of a make ahead meal. I’ve been spending the last month resting (well as much as possible) and reorganizing our meal plans. Make ahead meals are essential these days. This would be a big hit in our house. The kids I know would especially enjoy this dish. I think we’ll have to give it a try. Hope all is well. Kristy

The only brand I have tried before is S&B but I like your tip about mixing 2-3 different brands. That reminds me…I have not cooked Japanese curry for a long long time

What an interesting and delicious curry! It is a little sweeter curry, you’re right, but the sweetness comes from the apple which really caught my interest. I love using apple in savory dishes! If I could find some of that instant curry roux, this would definitely become one of my go to meals as well. We both are curry fans of all kinds of curries. Every time I come here, I add something else to my list for the Asian market.

I love your idea of adding a bit of honey and ketchup to it… I’ll remember that for next time – thanks

This looks wonderful. I tend to buy the S&B curry in pouches where I just boil the curry and pour it over my rice. Hehehe. I didn`t realized you could do so much with the curry roux blocks!

This is one of my favourite types of curries!!! But wow i had no idea that you were able to make the curry roux at home