Japanese Curry Rice
Chicken, potatoes, and carrots in a thick, mildly sweet curry sauce made from S&B Golden Curry roux, served over rice. One of the most-saved 'comfort food for cheap' recipes on TikTok and r/JapaneseFood.
Cook the rice according to package directions.
Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook 4–5 minutes until browned. Flip and cook 2 more minutes. Remove and set aside. Remove and discard the skin. Pull the meat off the bones in large pieces; discard the bones.
Add the onion to the pot. Cook 3 minutes.
Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Add potatoes and carrots. Stir to combine.
Pour in the water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Skim any foam from the surface. Simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are just tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Break the curry roux block into pieces and add to the pot. Stir until fully dissolved.
Simmer on low heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens considerably.
Taste and adjust salt. Serve over rice.
S&B Golden Curry roux boxes (112 g) are available at Walmart, T&T Supermarket, and most Ontario Asian grocery stores. The medium heat variety is a safe starting point.
- Japanese curry is intentionally mild and slightly sweet. It is not the same as Indian curry. Don't substitute Indian curry powder and expect the same result.
- The sauce thickens significantly as it cools. If reheating leftovers, add a splash of water to loosen it.
- Adding a grated apple or a tablespoon of honey to the sauce is a common home cook trick for sweetness and balance.
Estimated values per serving.
This recipe can be made gluten-free with substitutions.
- Replace S&B Golden Curry roux with S&B Golden Curry roux contains wheat flour and is not GF. Substitute with a GF Japanese curry paste (available at Asian grocery stores) or a GF curry powder mix thickened with cornstarch. (GF curry options may add $2–$4 to the total)