You’ve come to the right place if you want to know what to serve with Chicken Katsu curry! This tasty Japanese curry is one of our favorites to make, and different katsu curry sides make it even tastier and more interesting! Why not try a new side every time you make it? Below are some vegetable sides, rice, and bread recipes that go great with Chicken Katsu!
Chicken katsu, a popular Japanese comfort food, features panko-breaded chicken cutlets served with a rich, mildly spicy katsu curry sauce. This delicious dish is simple to prepare but versatile enough for creative tweaks. Exploring tasty sides and sauces can transform chicken katsu into an extra special meal.
Demystifying Chicken Katsu
To understand how to complement chicken katsu, let’s first demystify what defines this iconic dish. Chicken katsu comprises two key components:
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Breaded chicken cutlets – Skinless, boneless chicken breasts pounded flat, coated in egg then Japanese panko breadcrumbs and fried until crispy.
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Katsu curry sauce is a Japanese curry mix that is cooked with potatoes, onions, and carrots and then spiced with chili powder, ginger, and garlic. Thickened with a roux and enriched with coconut milk.
The crispy, juicy chicken cutlets are served doused in the rich curry, often with a side of white rice. This tasty combination of textures and flavors makes chicken katsu a cherished favorite. But the fun needn’t stop there…
Elevate with Vegetable Sides
Vibrant, fresh vegetable sides can provide color and crunch to contrast the soft, saucy chicken katsu.
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Grilled bok choy – Char lightly in a grill pan and glaze with a sweet soy sauce, ginger, and garlic marinade. The charred greens pair beautifully.
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Korean cucumber salad – Toss thinly sliced cucumbers with red onion, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and gochugaru for a spicy kick. Cooling and refreshing.
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Zucchini ribbon salad – Shave zucchini into long ribbons, dress simply with lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh herbs like mint or basil. Elegant textures.
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Cabbage slaw – Shred green and red cabbage and carrot. Toss with an Asian sesame mayo dressing for added creaminess. A fresh take on coleslaw.
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Green beans with sesame sauce – Blanch green beans then coat with a traditional Japanese sesame and soy sauce blend called gomae. Nutty and umami flavors.
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Broccoli salad – Blanch broccoli florets then pour over a heated mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes to gently cook and infuse flavors.
Pick Perfect Carbs
While white rice is traditional, playing with different carbohydrates can give your chicken katsu meal more complexity.
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Coconut jasmine rice: Instead of regular rice, use fragrant jasmine rice that has been cooked in coconut milk to add a touch of sweetness.
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Pandan rice: Add the sweet, nutty flavor of pandan leaves to rice. It will turn a bright green color.
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Soba noodles – For a noodle swap, chilled soba noodles with dipping sauce make a refreshing contrast to the rich katsu
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Mashed potatoes – Creamy potatoes might seem unorthodox but their texture complements katsu curry deliciously.
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Fried rice – Incorporate leftovers into fried rice with veggies, egg, and soy sauce. An easy one-pan side.
Bake Up Some Bread
Warm, freshly baked bread is carby heaven alongside saucy chicken katsu. Sop up every last drop of that luscious curry!
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Japanese milk bread – Fluffy, slightly sweet rolls are perfect for dunking and mopping.
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Garlic bread – Load sliced bread with butter, garlic, and parsley for an addictive treat.
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Cheese and chili flatbread – Top flatbread with cheese that melts oozily under the katsu – sprinkle with red chili flakes for a kick.
Sauce and Spice It Up
Punch up your chicken katsu with extra sauces and spices. A few suggestions:
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Tonkatsu sauce – The namesake brown fruit and soy-based sauce, thicker and sweeter than Worcestershire sauce.
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Hot mustard – Japanese karashi mustard and mayo mixture, punchy and creamy in one.
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Sriracha mayo – Mix sriracha into mayonnaise for a spicy upgrade from plain mayo.
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Gochujang mayo – For something different, blend Korean chili paste into the mayo. Sweet heat.
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Asian curry roux: To make the curry thicker and more flavorful, add more roux cubes.
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Curry powder – Sprinkle extra Japanese curry powder onto the katsu sauce for intensified spice.
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Shichimi togarashi – This Japanese seven spice blend adds complexity with chili, sesame seeds, ginger and more.
Creative Katsu-Inspired Bowls
If you’re feeling experimental, use the chicken katsu components as a base for bowls and salads. Some ideas:
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Katsu rice bowl – Top steamed rice with katsu chicken, katsu sauce, shredded cabbage, soft boiled egg.
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Katsu soba noodle bowl – Sliced katsu, veggies, katsu sauce, nori seaweed strips over chilled soba noodles.
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Katsu poke bowl – Combine katsu bites, sushi rice, edamame beans, cucumbers, avocado, nori.
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Katsu salad – Make a main meal salad with katsu chicken, mixed greens, carrots, wonton crisps, ginger dressing.
Chicken katsu is magnificent on its own but becomes a masterpiece when paired thoughtfully with complementary flavors, ingredients, and textures. Elevate your katsu experience with creative sides, sauces, and inspired bowls or salads. Those tasty chicken cutlets deserve it!
Vegetable Sides For Katsu Curry
A quick and easy grilled pak choi side dish is a lovely addition to katsu curries. Glazed in sweet and spicy light soy sauce glaze, then charred lightly in a griddle pan, it comes together in 15 minutes and adds both flavour and texture to your Japanese feast!.
If you love spicy food, try a Korean Cucumber Salad alongside your katsu curry. Thinly sliced cucumber is tossed with spring onion (or red onion), sesame seeds, chilli powder, rice vinegar and soy sauce, making a delicious but light side dish to this Asian-style main dish.
Easy to make, and extremely versatile, Courgette Ribbon Salad makes a perfect accompaniment to chicken curry. Milder tasting, it provides beautiful crunchy textures, without overpowering the flavours of the chicken and sweet sauce. Just some fresh herbs and a lovely honey and lemon zest dressing are all you need for this side dish!
Shredded cabbage with sesame mayo is not only a perfect dish to complement panko-crusted chicken but also gives another layer of texture. It is also perfect in Chicken Katsu Burgers!.
This Japanese-inspired green bean recipe by the Vegan Larder is by far the most delectable side dish that is both delicious and nutritious! What better way to show off the best of Japanese cuisine than adding a world-renowned Gomae sauce to humble beans?
A simple Asian Broccoli Salad is somewhat unconventional in its cooking method! Hot chilli, sesame and garlic-flavoured oil is poured over small broccoli florets and then the salad is set aside for an hour to infuse with all the flavours!.
The spicy Asian Carrot Salad recipe is inspired by Russo-Korean migrant cooking. Simple yet delicious slaw with a bit of a kick is a perfect addition to your Katsu Curry! Try this Korean Carrot Salad if you’re looking to spice things up with something a little different to your traditional coleslaw!.
Rice, Noodles & Potatoes
If you want something a little more tasty and fragrant than your typical white rice, look no further than this Easy Coconut Jasmine Rice from Cooking For My Soul.
Make a beautiful and aromatic pandan side dish for your katsu curry by following one of the two methods Greedy Girl Gourmet has perfected.
If you much prefer a bowlful of noodles to rice, try this 7-minute Zaru Soba Noodle recipe from Drive Me Hungry! It makes a beautiful cold side dish that can be rustled up in minutes and enjoyed the whole family!
You may think that pairing a traditional Japanese Dish with mashed potatoes may be unconventional but don’t slate it until you try it. Creamy mashed potatoes go great with crispy chicken and curried sauce. We think the best way to make them is with a Food Mill (a k. a. Moulin Legumes).
Katsu Sauce
FAQ
What to eat on the side of chicken katsu?
Serve Chicken Katsu with rice and vegetables- like steamed broccoli or snap peas.
What is katsu traditionally served with?
Katsu curry is of course traditionally served with white rice, but you could also use brown rice or quinoa. Jul 6, 2022.
What is a good side dish for tonkatsu?
The sweet and sour tastes of tonkatsu sauce make both cabbage salad and pork or chicken katsu taste great. If you serve your fried chicken cutlets with cabbage salad and a big bowl of steaming rice, Chef Okuwa thinks that adding special sauces or homemade toppings can make homemade katsu even better.
What does chicken katsu come with?
… chicken katsu is generally served with tonkatsu sauce (とんかつソース), a thick Japanese vegetarian pureed fruit-based brown sauce, along with rice or miso soup ….