Rich, aromatic, and packed with complex flavors, this Japanese Bone-In Chicken Curry is delicious right out of the gate! It’s extra comforting to serve it Japanese style over steamed rice. Since the spices are on the milder side, this curry is a favorite even among children.

A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

Japanese curry or Kare (カレー) is one of the nation’s most popular comfort foods. To satisfy the frequent cravings, we have a decent array of curry menus – from Curry Udon and Curry Doria, to Curry Bread and Katsu Curry – all delicious in their own right.

Today’s recipe is Bone-In Chicken Curry (骨付きチキンカレー). It takes slightly longer to cook because of the bone-in meat, but you get super tender chicken and mega flavorful thick curry sauce that reign supreme.

A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

How to Cook Bone-In Chicken Curry

Ingredients You’ll Need

You will only need simple pantry ingredients to make this dish.

  • Bone-in, skin-on, chicken thighs (for the best flavor!)
  • Onions
  • Carrots
  • Yukon gold potato (You can also use Russet potato, but it dissolves more easily)
  • Green peas
  • Garlic
  • Chicken stock (You can use less-sodium one, and add salt if necessary)
  • Sake
  • Japanese curry roux (store-bought or homemade)
  • Soy sauce
  • Mirin
A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

5 Easy Cooking Steps

  1. Cut ingredients and season the chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. Brown the chicken first, then take it out, and saute the onion till tender.
  3. Add the chicken back along with sake and stock, and let it simmer for 45 minutes.
  4. Add the carrot and potato and cook for another 15 minutes.
  5. Add curry roux, seasonings, and green peas. Serve and enjoy!
A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

Helpful Cooking Tips

  • Prick the chicken skin with a knife/fork – This technique will cook the chicken from the inside out keeping it moist and flavorsome, while the fat oozes out to crisp up the skin.
  • Cut the onion into wedges for texture – I love sweet, tender, caramelized onion in the curry. I cut the onion into thick wedges, which add some texture to the curry.
  • Cut the carrot and potato in similar size – Cut these two veggies into bite-size, small pieces, as we will only cook for 15 minutes. We do not want to overcook them.
  • Brown the skin side first until the skin releases itself – Chicken skin releases fat which equals to flavors. The skin will first stick to the pan, but once it’s crisp up, you can easily flip the chicken.
  • Saute the onion till tender and caramelized – For extra flavor boost!
  • Turn off the heat while you dissolve curry roux – Once curry is in, keep the heat at the lowest. Curry will burn too easily.
  • Use two different brands of curry roux (sometimes mix the spice level, like mild and medium spicy) – Store-bought curry doesn’t have to be boring! Mix it up so it’s not always same old flavor.
  • Adjust the consistency of the curry – You can always adjust the thickness of the curry with stock/water. If your chicken stock is salty, use water.
  • Add soy sauce and mirin – Why? Read the next section.
A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

Personalize Store-bought Curry with Additional Seasonings

Many home cooks in Japan add some kind of condiments/seasonings to give additional layers of flavors to the store-bought curry. Today I added mirin for mild sweetness and soy sauce for umami, but you can add different seasonings. Here are the common add-ons.

  • Butter
  • Chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Grated apple
  • Honey
  • Ketchup
  • Mirin
  • Oyster sauce
  • Red wine
  • Sake
  • Soy sauce
  • Tonkatsu sauce
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Yogurt

Have you tried any of the flavor add-ons? If so, what are some of your favorites?

A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

What to Serve with Bone-In Chicken Curry

Typically, Japanese curry is served with steamed rice, along with Pickled Rakkyo (Shallots) and Fukujinzuke and a bowl of salad.

Fukujinzuke
  • Fukujinzuke (福神漬) – It is lightly brined in a sweet soy sauce and does not undergo fermentation. The crunchy condiment is more like a chunky chutney, served with Japanese curry. It features seven vegetables as the name inspired by the Seven Lucky Gods (七福神).
  • Rakkyo (ラッキョウ) – A pickle of the bulb of Chinese onions/shallots, Rakkyo can be pickled in salt, soy sauce, or sweet vinegar. It resembles a garlic clove but with a taste similar to shallots.
Japanese Salad Dressings - Shoyu Dressing | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

Check out our various salad recipes and salad dressings on the blog!

Other Curry Recipes You May Enjoy

A white oval-shaped plate containing Japanese Chicken Curry topped with egg and pickles.
A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on FacebookPinterestYouTube, and Instagram.

A white ceramic bowl containing steamed rice and Japanese bone-in chicken curry garnished with fukujinzuke.

Bone-In Chicken Curry

4.67 from 33 votes
Rich, aromatic, and packed with complex flavors, this Japanese Bone-In Chicken Curry is delicious right out of the gate! It‘s extra comforting to serve it Japanese style over steamed rice. Since the spices are on the milder side, this curry is a favorite even among children.

Video

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (1.8 lb, 800 g)
  • ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 onions (1 lb, 454 g)
  • 1 Yukon gold potato (6.5 oz, 184 g)
  • 2 carrots (4 oz, 113 g)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
  • ¼ cup green peas (1.3 oz, 36 g)
  • 2 Tbsp neutral oil (for cooking)

For the Curry Sauce

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions
 

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Bone-in Chicken Curry Ingredients

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Prick skin of 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with the tip of your knife (so the flavors will penetrate the skin). Cut off the excess fat with a pair of scissors (or knife).
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 1
  • Season the chicken with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 2
  • Cut 2 onions into wedges. The wedge cut adds more texture; however, you can also thinly slice or dice.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 4
  • Peel and cut 1 Yukon gold potato into 8 pieces.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 5
  • Peel and cut 2 carrots into bite-size pieces. Here, I use the Japanese rangiri cutting technique. Set aside the vegetables on a tray or plate.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 6

To Cook the Curry

  • In a large pot (I use a Dutch oven), heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil on medium-high heat. When it’s hot, sear the chicken on the skin side first. Do not crowd the pan to avoid steaming the chicken and cook in batches if necessary.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 3
  • Flip the chicken and cook the other side for 2 minutes and then transfer to a plate until the rest is done.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 7
  • Add the onion to the pot and coat with the oil using a wooden spoon/spatula. If there is not enough oil, add ½–1 Tbsp more oil.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 8
  • Add the minced/crushed 3 cloves garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender. If the burnt spots on the bottom of the pot need some scraping, you can add sake here (instead of the next step) to loosen them up.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 9
  • Add the chicken back into the pot and add ¼ cup sake.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 10
  • Add 2 cups chicken stock/broth and ½ cup water, just enough to almost cover the chicken. If you use a larger pot, it may not cover, so please adjust the amount of stock/water. This is not a soupy curry, so we do not need much liquid.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 11
  • Cover the lid and bring it to a simmer. When simmering, skim the scum and foam with a fine-mesh skimmer.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 12
  • Cook covered on low heat for 45 minutes.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 13
  • Add the carrots and potatoes and make sure they are submerged in the cooking liquid.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 14
  • Cook covered until they are tender, about 15 minutes.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 15
  • Turn off the heat and dissolve ½ package Japanese curry roux, one cube at a time in a ladleful of hot broth. When the first cube is dissolved, release it to the broth and mix gently without breaking the tender vegetables. Repeat the process until you finish dissolving all the roux.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 16
  • Add 1 Tbsp mirin and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Mix all together and check the taste. You can add water to loosen the curry if it's too thick. I added 2 Tbsp water here. If your pot does not have a tight-fitting lid, your cooking liquid might have evaporated more than mine. Then add more water, if necessary. You can control the consistency of the curry here. This Bone-in Chicken Curry should have a thicker sauce than my other regular curry, but please adjust the consistency to your liking.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 17
  • Add ¼ cup green peas and cook for another minute. Serve the curry with steamed rice.
    Bone-In Chicken Curry 18

To Store

  • You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. Remove the potatoes as they change texture once frozen. Defrost the frozen curry in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you want to reheat it.

To Reheat

  • Leftover curry sauce will thicken into a paste as it cools, so it tends to burn while reheating. To avoid this, stir ½ cup (120 ml) water or more into the leftover sauce to loosen. Then, gently reheat it on low heat. If the sauce seems thin, continue heating with the lid off to reduce the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 614 kcal · Carbohydrates: 30 g · Protein: 32 g · Fat: 35 g · Saturated Fat: 12 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 8 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 13 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 167 mg · Sodium: 1054 mg · Potassium: 840 mg · Fiber: 5 g · Sugar: 11 g · Vitamin A: 4939 IU · Vitamin C: 24 mg · Calcium: 92 mg · Iron: 3 mg
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: chicken, curry
©JustOneCookbook.com Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any website or social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Did you make this recipe?If you made this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #justonecookbook! We love to see your creations on Instagram @justonecookbook!

Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on May 6, 2011. The images have been updated in May 2, 2021 and a new video has been added.

Introducing JOC Goods

JOC Goods, our new online shop, offering Japanese tableware and kitchenware, is now open. It is a natural extension of Just One Cookbook’s mission to teach home cooks how to prepare and enjoy delicious Japanese meals. We believe that beautifully plated food can bring joy and happiness to people’s lives.

Browse All Products

4.67 from 33 votes (23 ratings without comment)
Subscribe
Notify of
44 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Can you substitute sake with mirin? Can you omit sake and use just mirin when sake is needed in arecipe?

Hi Belle! Sake and Mirin are different, and Mirin is sweeter than Sake, so we recommend adjusting the sweetness.
Here are links where Nami talks about Sake, Mirin, and substitute.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sake/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/mirin/
We hope this helps!

can i use bone less chicken?

Hi Iyama, Thank you for reading Nami’s post! Yes, you can use boneless chicken. However, the meat will cook faster, so you can shorten the cooking time to 20 minutes, or you can try Nami’s other chicken curry recipe (no bone) https://www.justonecookbook.com/simple-chicken-curry/.
We hope you enjoy Japanese curry! 

This recipe brings bake memories from my 29s in San Francisco. I used to make chicken curry with the Japanese curry paste bars, but cannot use them anymore because they contain gluten. Could you give us a recipe for the curry paste so I could alter it to work for me?4 stars

Hi Barbara! Thank you for reading Nami’s post!
Nami has a delicious homemade curry roux recipe to share with you!
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-curry-roux/
You can use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour. Enjoy!

I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious. Thank you for this recipe.5 stars

Hi Shirlee, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Homemade Curry!

Do you have a good homemade curry recipe instead of using the roux box? I would also like a healthy version please. Thanks!

Hi shakuroo! Yes, we do!
Nami mentioned it in the recipe card, and here is the link for it! https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-curry-roux/
We hope you enjoy it. Thank you for trying Nami’s recipes! 🙂

I use ripe crushed banana to sweeten it. I read a lot of Japanese housewives do that because they
like their curries sweet and it makes it more enjoyable for children. Also use a dash of tomato ketchup soy sauce and Shaoxing.5 stars

Hi John! Awesome! Thank you very much for sharing your cooking tips! 😊

During the long months, of safe insulation, exploring old recipes from another angel is elevating. Even in seasonally warmer months we experience cool nights. The curry recipe is my favorite, because it is wholesome, uncomplicated, and novel to the standard American fare. Thank you so much Sensei!5 stars

Hi George! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the Curry recipe.🙂

Really amazing and delicious. Thank you for sharing it.5 stars

Hi Justin, We are glad to hear you enjoyed this Curry!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!

Nami, this Japanese chicken curry recipe is delicious. I made it last night using your curry roux recipe and added a tbsp of tomato paste (personal preference). Everyone loved it! Thank you.

Me and my boyfriend tried this recipe and we both loved it!! Your recipes are fantastic!! ????????????????????

Discovered your site a year ago and love! Thanks for another great recipie.

Thank you so much for this recipe!!
I was looking for a meal for 10 servings, it was very easy to prepare and delicious!
I think i will try and cook lot of your japanese recipes,
Thanks again for sharing your talents!!

Love the additional flavors to S&B golden curry. I always use golden curry and love it. I enjoyed the additional ingredients of garlic, chicken broth, sake and mirin. I would exclude the soyu the next time as this seemed to be a ‘lil overbearing. Thank you, I did enjoy this recipe!

Just wanted to let you know that I have used this recipe often and have loved it since the first time I made curry. My boyfriend is Japanese and he loves curry (it’s his favourite food), so I simply had to learn how to make it myself.

It was a big hit! Plus, my family at home also really appreciates this dish in the middle of winter in the Netherlands. Thank you for posting this lovely recipe.^^

hey nami can i use chicken breast instead of thigh?