Chris Bavin’s Chicken Katsu Curry

Ingredients

  • boneless chicken thigh fillets (or Chicken Breasts) 
  • Pinch of Salt and pepper 
  • eggs, beaten 
  • 25g plain flour 
  • 150g breadcrumbs 
  • 1tsp ground turmeric 
  • ½ tsp curry powder 
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil 
  • 300g basmati rice 

SAUCE

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 
  • onion, finely chopped 
  • carrot, finely chopped 
  • garlic cloves, crushed 
  • 1 tbsp curry powder 
  • 1 tsp garam masala 
  • 50g smooth peanut butter 
  • 400ml chicken stock 
  • spring onions, sliced 
  • red chilli, finely sliced 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan / 350F / Gas 4) and line a baking tray with baking parchment
  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the beaten eggs in one bowl, flour in another bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Season the flour with the salt, pepper, turmeric and 1tsp curry powder
  3. Dip the chicken into the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Repeat the process if you need to ensure that the chicken is thoroughly coated. Put the chicken onto the lined baking tray, drizzle over the vegetable oil and bake for 25mins until cooked
  4. Pour rice into a measuring jug to find its volume then place in a saucepan with 1 ½ times the amount of water. Add a pinch of salt. Cover with a lid and simmer until all the water has gone. Leave to stand for 10mins with the lid on. Use a fork to fluff the grains.
  5. For the sauce, heat the rapeseed oil in a pain over a medium heat, add the onion and carrot and cook for 4-5mins until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic, curry powder and garam masala and cook for another 2 mins. Add the peanut butter and stock and simmer gently for 2 mins, stirring to make sure the peanut butter has dissolved. Remove from the heat and blend to a smooth sauce with a stick blender.
  6. Put the rice into small bowls and pack it down. Slice the chicken and add it to the bowls with the sauce, spring onions and chilli.