Chicken Katsu Rice Burger
 
 
Crispy on the outside, juicy & moist on the inside Chicken Katsu with Japanese curry smack in between two pan seared rice patties.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Japanese
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Chicken Katsu
  • 2 boneless chicken breast, pounded until ½" thick, cut in half to make 4 pieces
  • 1¾ cup panko crumbs
  • 2 tbs oil and 2 eggs, beaten together
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Curry
  • Roux:
  • 3 tbs unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 2½ tbs Japanese curry powder
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tbs tomato paste
  • 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper (reduce or omit for less or no heat)
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½" ginger
  • 2½ cup chicken stock
  • Salt to taste
  • Sugar to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Rice Buns
  • 8 cups cooked rice (Japanese short grain or sushi rice)
  • Sesame oil
  • Soy sauce
  • White or black sesame seeds
  • Seaweed flakes
Directions
Chicken Katsu
  1. Sprinkle generously salt and pepper on chicken.
  2. Prepare three separate shallow bowls. Filled each with flour, eggs and panko crumbs.
  3. Coat the chicken in flour. Shake off any excess. Dip the chicken in the eggs and then coat it with panko crumbs pressing it so that the chicken is well coated. Repeat with the flour, egg and panko crumbs one more time.
  4. Over medium high heat, add ¼" of oil into a cast iron pan. Heat the oil to 350 F.
  5. Once hot, gently place the chicken and fry it for 2-3 minutes on each side until chicken reads at least 165F. Place the chicken katsu in the oven at 200 F to keep warm if needed.
Curry
  1. To make roux: Over medium low heat, add the butter to a small pan. Once it melts, add the flour and stir. Add the curry powder, cocoa powder, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Continue to stir for 10-15 minutes. It will become dry and crumbly. Be careful not to burn it.
  2. To make curry: In a blender, add the onion, garlic and ginger and blend until smooth. Over medium heat, fry the onion paste in a pan until translucent and fragrant about 10- 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock. Increase the heat to medium high and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, add the roux. Stir well until the roux has dissolved. Season with salt, sugar n black pepper.
Rice Buns
  1. Divide the rice into 8 portions. Shape and compress the rice to ½" thick and 3" diameter patties. Damp hands will help the rice not adhere to your hands while shaping.
  2. Brush both sides of the patties with soy sauce. Heat a pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add a little oil and sear the patties until crisp on both sides. Use minimal and gentle handling so that it doesn't fall apart on you. Use a wide spatula.
Assembling
  1. Place lettuce or tomato or whatever toppings you like to the bottom rice patty. Put a piece of chicken katsu and pour curry on the chicken. Top with another rice patty.
  2. Wrap the rice burgers using a parchment paper (for added help to stay intact). Serve immediately.
Notes
1. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used too. Just pound it so that it's evenly thick.

2. If you don't want to make the curry from scratch, just use store bought ones.
Recipe by Curious Nut at https://www.curiousnut.com/chicken-katsu-rice-burger/