Instant Pot Japanese Chicken Curry
User Reviews
5
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
513 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
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Cuisine
Japanese
Instant Pot Japanese Chicken Curry
Description
Instant Pot Japanese Chicken Curry brings together chicken thighs or drumsticks browned for flavor, then cooked with sliced onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, and potatoes. The key is adding Japanese curry roux cubes to create a thick, mildly spiced sauce characteristic of Japanese curry. The ingredients are simmered under pressure, intensifying flavors and tenderizing the meat and vegetables into a cohesive stew.
The curry offers a balance of savory, slightly sweet, and umami notes from the combination of curry roux, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, with the gentle warmth from ginger and garlic. The potatoes and carrots absorb the sauce, adding sweetness and texture, while the chicken provides a satisfying protein component.
This dish serves well over steamed rice as a filling meal. The pressure cooker method reduces the active cooking time while producing tender meat and soft vegetables throughout. Adjusting the amount and brand of curry roux allows you to control the spice and sweetness level according to your preference and the roux’s characteristics.
For best results, taste the curry before serving to balance seasoning and spice, since different curry roux brands vary in flavor. The recipe also recommends browning the chicken before pressure cooking to deepen its taste.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907g) chicken thigh or bone-in drumstick
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) peanut oil
- 2 (240g) onion sliced, small
- 2 (640g) carrot cut into chunks, medium
- 2 - 3 (725g) russet potato cut into chunks
- 3 (9g) garlic minced, cloves
- 1 (3g) ginger minced, thin slice
- 1/2 cup (125ml) water cold
- 4 - 6 cubes curry roux Japanese style
- salt Kosher, to taste
- black pepper Kosher, to taste
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce Japanese, not low sodium
Instructions
Optional Flavor Enhancing Steps
- Prepare Pressure Cooker: Heat up your pressure cooker over medium high heat (Instant Pot: press Sauté button, then Adjust button to go to Sauté More function). Make sure your pot is as hot as it can be (Instant Pot: wait until the indicator says HOT).
- Brown Chicken Pieces: Lightly season the skin side of chicken thighs or drumsticks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 tbsp (15ml) peanut oil in pressure cooker. Ensure to coat the oil over whole bottom of the pot. Carefully place the chicken thighs skin side down (or drumsticks) in pressure cooker. Lightly season the other side with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown for 3.5 - 4 mins on each side without flipping. Remove and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Saute Onions & Garlic: Add onion slices in pressure cooker and saute until soften (~ 2 minutes). Add in minced garlic and ginger, then saute until fragrant (~30 seconds).
- Add Water to Deglaze: Pour in ½ cup (125ml) cold water and completely deglaze the pot by scrubbing all flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon.
Make Chicken Curry
- Pressure Cook Chicken: Place chicken and the flavorful meat juice in the pressure cooker. Add in 1 tbsp (15ml) Worcestershire sauce & 1 tbsp (15ml) Japanese soy sauce. Layer carrot chunks & half of the potato chunks on top. Place the remaining potato chunks in an oven-safe bowl (to avoid them from going mushy), then layer it on top of the carrots.Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure:-Chicken Thighs: 5 Minutes + 10 Minutes Natural Release-Chicken Drumsticks: 6 Minutes + 10 Minutes Natural Release-Chicken Cubes: 2 Minutes + 10 Minutes Natural ReleaseAfter the pressure cooker finished cooking, wait 10 minutes then carefully release the remaining pressure. Turn off the heat. Open the lid carefully.
- Create Japanese Curry: Remove and set aside the oven-safe bowl with potato chunks and chicken. Press Cancel button, then Sauté button to heat up the sauce. Stir-in Japanese curry roux one cube at a time to thicken the sauce. Taste the sauce after each curry roux has melted, then determine if more cubes are necessary. For reference, we used 4 - 6 cubes in our tests. Place chicken and potato chunks back in the sauce.
- Serve: Serve immediately with Calrose rice or short grain sushi rice.
Notes
- Japanese curry roux brands vary in sweetness, spiciness, and savoriness; adjust quantity to taste after cooking.
- Browning the chicken prior to pressure cooking enhances flavor and texture.
- Taste and season the curry after cooking to ensure balanced seasoning.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 513 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 513kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 41g | 14% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 125mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 728mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 1202mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 17920IU | 358% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 80mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2.7mg | 15% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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