Name: Japanese Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 600 g chicken thigh (3 cm pieces); 300 g yellow onion (thinly sliced); 200 g carrot (peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks); 500 g Potato (peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks); 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for cooking); 750 ml Water (divided if needed); 30 g Unsalted butter (at room temperature); 30 g plain flour (sifted); 2 tbsp Japanese curry powder (mild or medium); 2 tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if required); 1/2 piece Apple (peeled and finely grated); 1 tbsp honey (for balancing the sauce); 300 g short-grain rice (rinsed and cooked according to package directions); 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)

How to prepare

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with half of the salt, add it to the pot, and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned but not cooked through.

Add the sliced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly golden. Add the carrots and potatoes, then stir for 2 minutes to coat them in the seasoned oil.

Pour in the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are nearly tender and the chicken is cooked through.

While the curry simmers, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking constantly, until the roux is smooth and lightly toasted. Whisk in the curry powder and cook for 30 seconds.

Remove the roux from the heat. Ladle in about 250 ml of the hot cooking liquid a little at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Stir in the soy sauce, grated apple, and honey.

Stir the curry roux into the pot. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Confirm the chicken reaches 74°C at the thickest piece, then taste and adjust the salt.

Glossy Japanese curry sauce coating tender chicken, potatoes, and carrots

AI-generated image

Rest the curry off the heat for 10 minutes so the sauce settles and thickens. Spoon the hot curry beside or over steamed rice and serve immediately.

Japanese chicken curry served over steamed short-grain rice

AI-generated image

Why this recipe works

Slowly softened onions build sweetness, while the flour-butter roux gives the sauce its characteristic body. Apple, soy sauce, and honey balance the curry spices with savory depth and gentle fruitiness.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Refrigerate cooled curry in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store rice separately. Freeze the curry for up to 2 months, preferably without potatoes because their texture can become grainy.

How to reheat it

Reheat curry gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout. Add a little water if the sauce has thickened. Reheat rice until piping hot and use it only once.