High Protein Japanese Chicken Curry Recipe (チキンカレー)

A hearty Japanese classic with a healthy spin – 32 grams of protein and only 9 grams of fat.

What is Japanese Chicken Curry?

Japanese chicken curry is a hearty stew made with carrots, potatoes, chicken, and onion. It’s seasoned mainly with curry powder and served with rice and Japanese pickles.

Although curry originated in India, Japan is one of many nations that now calls the dish its own, with its own variation.

In modern times curry has become a staple of the Japanese home kitchen, and an icon in Japanese media. It’s so popular that it’s even an unofficial national dish of Japan, eaten once per week on average (according to Trends in Japan)

Every home and restaurant has its version; katsu curry, beef curry, seafood curry, super spicy curry – all with slightly different seasonings and ingredients.

What Makes this Curry High Protein?

While curry is often a little high-fat, a few simple tricks keep this recipe higher in protein and lower in fat

• No Roux – Japanese curry is made with pre-made roux cubes (see below), which doesn’t provide much nutrition, and adds a lot of empty calories. To season this curry, I use S&B curry powder, along with a few other seasonings. To thicken this curry, I use both cornstarch and soft sauteed vegetables.
• Skinless Chicken Thighs – Skin on chicken thighs are very popular in Japan, but to make this curry lower fat, I opt for skinless chicken thighs. If you want to make it extra lean and high protein, you can use chicken breast.
• More Chicken – This last one may seem simple, but adding more chicken and slightly reducing the amount of potatoes is an easy way to add more protein.

What to Serve with Japanese Chicken Curry

The classic combination is half a plate of curry, half a plate of steamed white rice. 

Also, Japanese curry is often served with pickled vegetables to add a fresh, acidic, and sweet element to the hearty dish.

Fukujinzuke is one of the most common, however, when I was filming this post, I ate it with takuan, a bright and crunchy daikon pickle.

In addition to providing a pungent bite to the rich, mild curry, pickles are a great way to add extra fiber and nutrients to a bowl of curry.

Ingredients for High Protein Japanese Chicken Curry

Chicken – I call for skinless chicken thighs, but you can use breasts instead to make it even more high protein, though it won’t taste quite as good.

Potatoes – Most potatoes work, I use russet because they’re inexpensive, starchy, and mildly flavored.

Onion – White or yellow onions both work and are necessary for flavoring and thickening the curry.

Carrot – Carrots are a proprietary ingredient in classic Japanese curry; cutting them rangiri style allows for more surface area and more pieces. Watch this short video to learn how.

Note: The carrots and onions are usually peeled before being added to the curry; I leave the skin on because a lot of the fiber and nutrients are contained there.

Garlic – Freshly minced garlic adds more aromatic flavor to the curry’s base. 

Ginger – I use fresh, minced ginger, although tube ginger works too.

Dashi or Chicken Stock – Either one of these will make up the body of the curry, the choice is up to you.

Curry Powder gives the curry its actual flavor. You can make it from scratch, but I usually buy S&B curry powder online. It is the most common choice for Japanese curry. It tends to be milder and has more turmeric than most Indian curries.

Red Cayenne Pepper – Japanese curry is very mild, so I add a pinch of cayenne pepper to add a little heat.

Soy Sauce – A little bit of soy sauce adds salt and umami to the curry

Worcestershire Sauce – Worcestershire sauce is a common ingredient in yoshoku (Japanese-style Western food), and adds a deeper savory flavor.

Ketchup – Ketchup adds both a touch of sweetness and tanginess to the curry.

Cocoa Powder – Cocoa powder gives the curry a subtle earthy flavor and a darker color to the curry.

Cornstarch – Since this curry has no roux, a little bit of cornstarch helps thicken the curry.

Other Healthy Japanese Remakes

Do you want more healthy spins on classic Japanese dishes? Check out these two recipes!

• High Protein Tantanmen – Spicy and Creamy Pork Ramen
• Air Fried Karaage – Japanese Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1000 grams (2.2 lbs.) of chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
• 150 grams (about 1/2) of white onion
• 100 grams of carrot (1-2) (for sauteing)
• 15 grams (1 tbsp.) of oil
• 30 grams (5 cloves) of garlic
• 30 grams (about 4″) of ginger
• 500 grams of potato (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 300 grams of carrot (about 3-4), rangiri cut
• 4-5 cups of dashi

Seasoning

• 20 grams (3 tbsp.) of S&B curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. of red cayenne pepper (optional)
• 15 grams (2 tbsp.) of cornstarch
• 30 grams (2 tbsp.) of soy sauce
• 15 grams (1 tbsp.) of Worcestershire sauce
• 10 grams of cocoa powder 
• 30 grams (2 tbsp.) of ketchup
• Salt, to taste

• 1360 grams (8 cups) of steamed rice

Directions

Before Cooking:

1. Mix all of the seasoning ingredients in a small container and set aside.

2. Pulse the onion, garlic, ginger, and 100 grams of carrot in a food processor until finely minced and set aside.

Cooking

1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then spread the oil across the surface.

2. Add the minced carrot, ginger, garlic, and onion. Cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes, until softened and beginning to caramelize.

3. After cooking the aromatics, add the potatoes and dashi/stock to the pot, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.

4. Once the pot is boiling, mix about 1/2 of a cup of broth to the seasoning and mix until dissolved. Then pour the seasoning into the rest of the broth.

5. Add the carrots, chicken to the curry. Cook for 10-15 more minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the curry thickens and the chicken is fully cooked.

6. Taste the curry and the appropriate amount of salt. 

7. Serve immediately with a side of rice and Japanese pickles.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (with rice)

Calories: 604kcal (30%) Protein: 32g Carbohydrates: 99g (36%) Total Fat: 9g (11%) Saturated Fat: 2 (9%) Cholesterol: 105mg (35%) Sodium: 450 mg (20%) Dietary Fiber: 7g (26%) Sugar: 6g (18%) Vitamin D: 0mcg (0%) Calcium: 84mg (6%), Iron: 18mg (97%) Potassium: 773mg (16%0

The (%) tells how much a nutrient contributes to a daily diet, based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet.

Nutrition Disclaimer

I am not a certified health professional, and while I do my best to provide accurate nutrition information, these values should be considered estimates. Specific brands, natural variation in produce and meat, as well as the nutrition calculator used can cause small deviations in the nutrition of any recipe.