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Instant Pot Japanese Chicken Curry
5 from 96 votes

Instant Pot Japanese Chicken Curry

Instant Pot Japanese Chicken Curry combines tender chicken thighs with hearty chunks of carrot and potato, simmered in a rich sauce made from Japanese curry roux. The dish features savory and mild spices enhanced by garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, thickened to a comforting stew. Cooking under pressure ensures the chicken stays juicy and the vegetables absorb deep curry flavor, creating a warming main course.

Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 513 kcal
Course: Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Japanese

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
    Cup of Yum
  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. 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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

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%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 513

% 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.

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