Japanese Chicken Curry Instant Pot

Japanese chicken curry loaded with carrots, potatoes, and onions. So easy to make in the Instant Pot in just 15 minutes.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It's a comforting meal made in 15 minutes!
• It's savory with a hint of sweetness.
• It's made with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
• It uses store bought Japanese curry roux to make an easy and delicious sauce.

Ingredients

Variations

• Beef and Pork: Beef and pork will take longer to cook until tender so we want to add the onions, potatoes and carrots last. For beef, use chuck roast and cook until the beef is tender, about 30 minutes. For pork, use pork shoulder, butt, loin or tenderloin and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Quick release then add the onions, potatoes, and carrots and cook on sauté mode high until the vegetables are tender then mix in the curry cubes.

• Shrimp: For shrimp, follow the recipe as is (without the chicken) then add in the shrimp last and cook on sauté mode high until the shrimp is cooked 3-5 minutes.

• Seasonings: I added apple, soy sauce and ketchup to enhance the flavor of the curry but it's totally optional. The curry roux has enough flavor as is. Grated apple can be substituted with apricot jam or honey. Other enhancements include oyster sauce, soy sauce, and chocolate.

• Chicken Broth: I used chicken broth in this recipe but you can also use water or coconut milk.

Instructions

1. In an Instant Pot on sauté mode high, add oil and sauté onion, ginger and garlic until fragrant.

2. Toss in the remaining ingredients then place the curry roux cubes on top. Don't mix it! Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high for 5 minutes then quick release until the valve drops.

3. Mix the curry until the sauce is fully dissolved.

4. Serve with lots of fluffy white rice to soak up that beyond delicious sauce!!

Tasty Tips

• Use your favorite Japanese curry roux. They come in a variety of brands and spice levels. Golden Curry and Vermont Curry are two popular brands.
• Chop the potatoes into large pieces so they don't fall apart. I used russet potatoes but you can use Yukon gold potatoes which hold their shape better.
• Adjust the curry sauce based on your preference. I like my curry sauce thick but you can add more water or broth based on your taste. For a thinner sauce, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth at a time until your desired consistency.

Stovetop Instructions

To make Japanese chicken curry on the stovetop, sauté the onion, ginger and garlic with oil until fragrant.

Then add in the carrots, potatoes, chicken, apple, soy sauce, ketchup and 2 cups of chicken broth. Simmer covered until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Remove 1 cup of broth to a bowl and dissolve the curry roux cubes, add the sauce back into the pot and mix.

FAQs

What is Japanese curry?

Japanese curry is on the sweeter side and is more mild than Indian curries. It's savory and cooked in a thick rich sauce made with curry roux. Meats like chicken, pork or beef are cooked with onions, carrots and potatoes.

Japanese curry is served with noodles or rice and sometimes with a fried pork (tonkatsu) or chicken (katsu) cutlet.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

How do I reheat Japanese curry?

Reheat in the microwave or in a pot with a little water to prevent burning because the sauce is thick.

More Instant Pot Recipes You'll Love

• Instant Pot Vietnamese Beef Pho
• Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
• Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup