Take a few shortcuts for this ‘effortless’ Japanese-style chicken schnitzel curry

Name: Take a few shortcuts for this ‘effortless’ Japanese-style chicken schnitzel curry
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 cup vegetable oil, for shallow frying; 1 large onion, thickly sliced; 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small, irregular chunks; 1 potato, peeled and cut into small, irregular chunks; 1 block Japanese curry mix* (about 100g); 4 pre-crumbed chicken schnitzels; cooked Japanese rice, to serve; pickled white cocktail onions, to serve

Adam Liaw

July 8, 2025

Japanese-style chicken schnitzel curry.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

Japanese curry mix is a staple in Japanese households. Pair it with a pre-crumbed schnitzel from the butcher for an effortless katsu-kare.

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable oil, for shallow frying
1 large onion, thickly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and cut into small, irregular chunks
1 potato, peeled and cut into small, irregular chunks
1 block Japanese curry mix* (about 100g)
4 pre-crumbed chicken schnitzels
cooked Japanese rice, to serve
pickled white cocktail onions, to serve

Method

Step 1
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add about 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the onion, carrot and potato and fry for about 3 minutes until just starting to soften. Add 600ml of boiling water and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for about 15 minutes, until the carrot and potato have softened, then break in the curry mix block and stir until the mixture thickens. Keep warm while you cook the schnitzels.
Step 2
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and shallow-fry the schnitzels until golden brown and cooked through. Drain, then slice them thickly and serve with rice, the curry sauce poured on one side. Add a few cocktail onions and serve.

*Tip: Using blocks of Japanese curry mix is exactly how curry is made every night in households all across Japan.