Ingredients
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. Japanese (or other, but not Madras) curry powder
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs, cut into 1”-2” pieces
2 tsp. neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, cut into ½” cubes
1 1/2 c. carrots, cut into ½” chunks
1/2 c. grated apple (no need to peel)
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms, such as button
3 1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, or store bought tonkatsu sauce
1/2 c. frozen peas
Preparation
Step 1Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and continue to cook and stir until it’s a medium brown, approximately 20 minutes.Step 2Add the curry powder and stir for another minute. Set aside.
Step 1Heat canola oil in a 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides and transfer to a bowl.Step 2Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Caramelize 5 to 10 minutes. If the pan starts to look dry, add another tablespoon of oil.Step 3Add the potatoes, carrots, grated apple, mushrooms and browned chicken to the caramelized onions. Pour the water over it all and stir along the bottom to release any browned bits.Step 4Add the roux. Stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.Step 5Season to taste with the Worcestershire/Tonkatsu sauce and salt and pepper. Stir in the frozen peas and serve.
If you’re unfamiliar, a roux is a binder made from equal parts fat and flour. It’s what makes recipes like bechamel sauce or seafood gumbo SO good, and can be used to improve anything from 3-cheese mac & cheese to chicken cordon bleu. We’ve got lots of extra tips for how to make roux, but our main one is: don’t turn your back on it, or it WILL burn. If all this sounds too intimidating (or you’re looking for a super quick weeknight dinner), try a store-bought curry bouillon instead. S&B Golden Curry makes a good one (in varying levels of spice)—if you do go that route, use 5 cubes of curry bouillon in place of the roux here. No judgment from us if you skip making your own roux, but there are a few ingredients we think are important to take the extra time for. Caramelizing onions might seem like an unnecessary addition to a curry, but trust us, the added flavor (and only an additional 5-10 hands-on minutes) is worth the effort. Ditto the grated apple—it helps offset the spice level of the recipe, and adds an unexpected sweetness you’ll love. You’re going to want to serve this with something that can sop up the delicious sauce—try it over white or brown rice, udon noodles, or with thick slices from a hearty bread. Any of our katsu recipes—tofu katsu, Southern-fried catfish katsu, or chicken katsu—would also be nice served atop this curry. Made this? Let us know how it came out in the comments below!
