Air Fryer Katsu Curry

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Air Fryer Katsu Curry is a meal packed with flavour and texture. A delicious and easy midweek meal that’s always a hit on a school night.

 We love Katsu curry. The kids are a bit obsessed. 

A Wagamama Katsu Curry has got to be one of their favourite things to eat out. 

But, for some weird reason, I’d never made it until recently. Same with satay, and now I’m obsessed with that too.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d made some “just add water and stir” Katsu sauce (Asda, by the gravy!) and poured it on some chicken nuggets, but I’d never made it from scratch. 

Then, one day, I was making crispy chicken burgers in the air fryer, and I thought, “Hang on, I could use these chicken fillets for a Katsu”, and if I was going to make the chicken, I was going to have a go at the sauce too. 

My Katsu sauce is amazing, if I do say so myself. 

I’ve seen plenty of recipes that use chicken stock, but I tried this and prefer the full-on indulgence of coconut milk! 

I now only ever make this sauce, whether we’re having cheats Katsu nuggets or making air fryer chicken Katsu curry with homemade chicken breasts. 

Why I Love Air Fryer, Katsu Curry

I love this air fryer Katsu curry recipe because:

• Air frying crispy chicken breasts is super simple and always delicious. 
• Making your own Katsu sauce means that you can adjust the spice level and the creaminess to get the flavour that you like. 
• Air fried chicken katsu is a fantastic midweek family dinner. Easily one of my favourite air fryer recipes. 
• You can sell it to the kids as fancy chicken nuggets.
• Homemade air fryer Katsu curry is delicious—honestly, it’s one of my favourite recipes. 

Ingredients For Air Fryer Katsu Curry

My katsu curry sauce recipe is pretty mild and creamy but absolutely full of that lovely katsu flavour. I’ve eaten a lot of Katsu, and honestly, this sauce is my favourite. 

Often, when I make crispy chicken breasts, I add some spices. 

Not for Katsu. I keep it really simple to let the delicious sauce do the talking. 

For my Katsu Chicken Breasts I use:

Olive Oil – I just use this to rub the crisper tray in my air fryer to stop the crumbs from sticking. You can use any oils or a spritzer if you have one. 

Chicken Breasts

Plain Flour

Eggs

Panko Breadcrumbs

Salt and Pepper

For the Katsu Sauce

Olive Oil – Or another cooking oil

Onion – One if it’s big, two if not. 

Carrots 

Garlic Puree – You can use fresh garlic cloves, but I love garlic paste or puree for an easy cheat. 

Salt and Pepper

Curry Powder – I use mild but hot works, too, if you want a kick. 

Plain Flour

Coconut Milk

Water – I use 400ml of coconut milk and 200ml of water for a creamy flavour. Some people use 600ml of stock and no coconut milk. You can use stock instead of water and adjust the ratio, using more stock and less coconut milk for a less creamy taste and texture. 

Honey

Soy Sauce 

Bay Leaf

Garam Masala

You’ll Also Need

As well as your air fryer, you’ll need:

• Sharp knife, chopping board and peeler – to prepare the onions and carrots. 
• Large saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Stick blender – you can use a standing blender, but it is easier just to use a stick blender in the pan. 
• Three wide bowls. You want them big enough to dip your chicken breasts in comfortably. I use pasta bowls, which are shallow and wide. 
• I recommend using a food thermometer and checking a safe temperature guide.

How to Make Air Fryer Katsu Curry– Step-by-Step Instructions

Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One

I make the katsu curry sauce first, starting the chicken when it’s simmering away and just needs blending. 

Pour the oil into a large saucepan and warm over medium heat. 

Step Two

Add the onions, carrots and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring often. You want the onions to get soft and change colour slightly. 

Step Three

Stir in the flour, curry powder, salt, and pepper. 

Step Four

Add the coconut milk, bit at a time. 

Stir every pour thoroughly before adding more to avoid lumps of flour or curry powder. 

Step Five

Stir in the water. You can add this all at once. 

Step Six

Add the honey, soy sauce, bay leaf and garam masala.

Step Seven 

Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat if necessary so it’s just bubbling at a very low simmer. 

Step Eight

Cook on a low simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced slightly and the colour has darkened a little. It will thicken more when you blend the carrots, so don’t worry too much. 

Step Nine

Remove from the heat. 

Step Ten

Leave to cool for a few minutes before fishing out the bay leaf and carefully blending until smooth. I use a stick blender and blend it in the pan. You could also pour into a blender, blitz and then return to the pan. 

Step Eleven

Keep the smooth sauce warm over a very low heat, stirring occasionally until you are ready to serve. You can also leave it to cool and reheat it when you are ready. 

Step Twelve

Rub the crisper tray of your air fryer with oil. If you have some oil in a spray bottle, use this. But don’t use low-calorie spray. 

This step isn’t essential; I don’t always do it. But if you are worried about anything sticking, you should. 

Step Thirteen

Preheat the air fryer to 180 degrees C at set for 16 minutes. 

If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat setting, just heat it for a few minutes before you add the chicken.

Step Fourteen

Carefully butterfly the chicken breasts using a sharp knife so they are wide and less than 1cm thick. 

Step Fifteen

Place the flour in a wide, shallow bowl. I use wide pasta bowls. 

Whisk the eggs in another bowl.

Place the panko breadcrumbs with a little salt and pepper and mix well. 

Step Sixteen

Dip the chicken breasts, one at a time, in the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, turning and ensuring both sides are covered in each ingredient. 

Step Seventeen 

Place on the crisper tray in a single layer and air fry for 8 minutes before turning and air frying for another 8 minutes until golden brown. 

Step Eighteen

Repeat if you only have space for two chicken breasts at a time. You can do four at once if you have two drawers or a wire rack shelf. 

Disclaimer: While I aim to be as accurate as possible, any advice in this post, including but not limited to, cooking times, quantities, nutritional information and storage and freezing guidance is based on my own experience. Please use your own skills, knowledge and judgement, and get up to date food safety information. 

Step Nineteen

Remove the cooked chicken from the air fryer and slice it into strips, making sure the middle is piping hot. Return if necessary until it is. I always recommend using a food thermometer when cooking meat in an air fryer.

Serve with rice, vegetables and a liberal pour of katsu sauce. 

Top Tips

My top tips are:

• Use a food thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked. 
• When dipping, make sure it’s well covered for an even air fryer Katsu chicken curry. 
• Taste your Katsu, and make additions accordingly. 
• Remove from the heat for a while before blending. I’ve had a few incidents. 

Serving Suggestions

I serve my air fried Katsu curry with white rice and tenderstem broccoli. Any rice, noodles and veggies is fine. 

You could even serve with chips or wedges. 

Variations

There are a few things that you could do differently. 

Make Katsu Curry with Chicken Stock

For a Healthy Katsu Curry, use chicken stock instead of coconut milk—or half and half. 

Add Spices to Your Breadcrumbs

When making crispy chicken burgers, I often add paprika to the panko breadcrumbs.

I don’t think air fryer Katsu chicken needs it. The flavour is in the sauce, so I just add a little salt and pepper. 

However, you can add some spices if you want extra flavour. 

Bash the Chicken Breasts

Sometimes, I butterfly my breasts; other times, I wrap them and beat them until they are thinner. Depends on how I feel. 

Either way, you want them around the 1cm thick mark. 

Use Mini Chicken Fillets

If you prefer, you can use mini chicken breast fillets. These might be thinner in the first place but still aim for 1cm if they need flattening. 

Mini fillets won’t take as long to cook. Check after 10 minutes, but make sure the middle is piping hot.

Leftovers

Leftover chicken can be kept in the fridge and reheated the next day. Again, I recommend using a food thermometer. 

Reheat in the microwave, or use the reheat setting (or 150 degrees C) on your air fryer for around 10 minutes until the chicken is piping hot. 

Leftover Katsu curry sauce can also be kept and reheated in the microwave or on the hob.

Storage 

Cover leftover Katsu covered in the fridge. 

I’ve never tried freezing the sauce, but I’d expect it to work well. Thaw in the fridge before reheating, and let me know if it doesn’t work!

Can You Make Katsu Curry Sauce Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make the sauce earlier in the day and reheat it later. 

Can You Make Katsu Chicken Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make the air fryer Katsu curry chicken beforehand. But because it’s thin, I find it dries out quite a bit. I recommend cooking them fresh. 

FAQ

Other Recipes 

If you like this air fryer recipe, you might also want to try:

• Air Fried Cottage Pie
• Air Fryer Fish Pie
• Cheeseburgers
• Air Fryer Mac and Cheese
• Chicken Pasta Bake
• Chill Con Carne
• Lasagne in Air Fryer

Recipe Card

Air Fryer Katsu Curry

Author NameAuthor: Donna

Katsu Curry is tasty, filling and always a hit with the kids. A delicious and simple family meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 700 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the Chicken Breasts:

• 1 Teaspoon Cooking Oil
• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 70 g Plain Flour
• 2 Medium Eggs
• 70 g Panko Breadcrumbs
• Pinch Salt and pepper

For the Katsu Sauce:

• 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
• 1 Large Onion (Diced)
• 2 Large Carrots (Top and bottomed, peeled and diced)
• 2 Teaspoons Garlic Puree (or five crushed cloves of fresh garlic)
• Pinch Salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Plain Flour
• 400 ml Coconut Milk
• 200 ml Water (Or chicken stock)
• 2 Teaspoons Honey (Or Maple Syrup)
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce (I use low-sodium soy)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Tablespoon Garam Masala

To Serve:

• Rice (For four, cooked to packet instructions)
• Vegetables (Cooked to packet instructions. I serve with tenderstem Broccoli)

Instructions

 

For the Katsu Sauce:

• Pour the oil into a large saucepan and warm over medium heat.
• Add the onions, carrots and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in the flour, curry powder, salt, and pepper.
• Add the coconut milk, bit at a time. Stirring each splash in before adding more, making sure there are no lumps of flour.
• Stir in the water.
• Add the honey, soy sauce, bay leaf and garam masala.
• Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat if necessary.
• Cook on a low simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced slightly and the colour has darkened a little.
• Remove from the heat.
• Leave to cool for a few minutes.
• Fish out the bay leaf.
• Carefully blend until smooth. I use a stick blender and blend it in the pan. You could also pour into a blender, blitz and then return to the pan.
• Keep the smooth sauce warm over a very low heat, stirring occasionally until you are ready to serve.

For the Chicken Breasts:

• Rub the crisper tray of your air fryer basket with oil.
• Preheat the air fryer to 180 degrees C at set for 16 minutes.
• Carefully butterfly the chicken breasts using a sharp knife so they are wide and less than 1cm thick.
• Place the flour in a wide, shallow bowl.
• Whisk the eggs in another bowl.
• Place the panko breadcrumbs with a bit of salt and pepper and mix well.
• Dip the chicken breasts, one at a time, in the flour, the egg, and finally, the breadcrumbs, turning and ensuring both sides are covered in each ingredient.
• Place on the crisper tray and air fry for 8 minutes,, before turning and air frying for another 8 minutes.
• Repeat if you only have space for two chicken breasts at a time.
• Remove the cooked chicken from the air fryer and slice it into strips, making sure the middle is piping hot. Return if necessary until it is.
• Serve with rice, vegetables and a liberal pour of katsu sauce.

Notes

• I use pasta bowls for my flour, eggs and breadcrumbs.
• If you prefer, you can wrap your chicken breasts with clingfilm or baking paper and bash with a rolling pin until around 1cm.
• I either air fry my chicken breasts two at a time or use a wire rack shelf to add a layer so that I can do all four. If you have two drawers, use them both. Whether you cook two at a time or four together, make sure they are in a single layer and don’t overlap.

Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.

Keyword air fryer, chicken recipes, spicy food

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