Japanese Curry Chicken and Rice
Japanese Curry Chicken and Rice is an easy to prepare dish. Although it’s not an authentic Japanese curry, the Madras Curry and other spices give you a flavor similar to a Japanese curry, which most of us don’t keep in our pantry. Japanese curry dishes are made with diced potato, carrots and cooked with the rice, or served with rice on the side, depending on the recipe. Ours is made in a Dutch oven with the rice cooked with the chicken.
Japanese curries are served in a bowl with various side dishes. We top ours with green onions, and many times with a side of chutney. The chutney isn’t traditional, but the sweet, tangy and vinegary flavors go together well. If you like your curry hotter, serve with hot sauce. Enjoy!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 Pounds Bone-in, Skin-on, Chicken Thighs (About 4 to 6)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Flake Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Medium Onion, Minced
3 Tablespoons Sheffield’s Madras Curry Powder
1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
¾ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
1½ Cups Uncooked White Rice, short-grain
3 Medium Carrots, Peeled and Cut into ½” Pieces
1 Large Baking Potato, Peeled and Cut into ½-inch Cubes
4 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
Chopped Green Onions for topping. We serve ours with mango Chutney since it has sweet, sour, and vinegary flavors to compliment the curry.
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Rub chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season the chicken evenly on both sides with the 2 teaspoons of the salt and 2 teaspoons of the black pepper.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high until the butter is melted. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion to the pot. Season with another teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and starting to turn golden brown. (Don’t let burn.) Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once melted, add the Madras Curry Powder, ginger, nutmeg and garlic. Stir and cook about 1 minute until the butter is melted and the spices are combined with the mixture.
Rinse the uncooked rice, washing off any starch. Add to the pot and stir until all the rice is coated with the spices. Add the carrots, potato, chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Scrape up and browned bit and stir to combine. Add another teaspoon of the salt and pepper, or to taste. Transfer the chicken thighs back to the Dutch oven, skin side up. Nestle them into the mixture and pour any juices on the plate back into the pot. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook another 10 to 15 minutes or until the thighs are golden brown and most of the liquid is absorbed. You don’t want it soupy, but there should be a bit of liquid left. The rice should be cooked tender and the chicken at least 165ºF.
Serve in bowls with the chicken and rice divided evenly between them. Top with the green onions and enjoy!