Microwave Japanese chicken curry
A mild, glossy, slightly sweet curry sauce made from scratch in a bowl, with chicken and vegetables over rice, the gentle curry Japanese kids grow up on.
- 18 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 1
- About $2.63 a serving
- 510 calories
- Good the next day
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 1 servings.
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp curry powder
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- 1 tsp ketchup
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- ⅔ cup canned chicken breast, drained
- 1 cup microwave rice pouches, half an 8.8 oz pouch
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tsp soy sauce
Each serving has about 510 calories, 26 g protein, 67 g carbs and 17 g fat, and costs about $2.63 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No honey? Maple syrup works.
- No frozen mixed vegetables? Frozen peas or frozen corn or frozen green beans work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Microwave the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds, until .
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 30 sec
in the flour and curry powder to make a paste, then microwave 30 seconds and stir again.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Timer: 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: This paste is a roux, the same thing inside the curry blocks sold in Japan. Heating it takes away the raw flour taste.in the bouillon, then in the water a little at a time until smooth.
Crumble. Crumbling means breaking food into small, rough bits with your fingers or a spoon, like feta or ground meat in the pan. Small bits spread through the dish, so there’s some in every bite.
How you’ll know: The pieces are small and uneven, about pea-size, with no big clumps left.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Dolly’s tip: Add the water slowly at first. A splash at a time keeps lumps from forming.Stir in the ketchup, soy sauce, honey and frozen vegetables.
Microwave 2 minutes, , then microwave 1 to 2 minutes more, until the sauce bubbles and like gravy.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Thicken. Thickening means cooking a sauce or soup until it’s less runny, by simmering it down or adding something like cornstarch. A thicker sauce clings to food instead of pooling on the plate.
How you’ll know: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape.
Timer: 2 min
Stir in the chicken, cover, and microwave 1½ minutes until steaming.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Food safety: Rotisserie chicken, deli meat, canned tuna and cooked shrimp are already cooked. Keep them cold until you use them, and heat them until steaming hot if the recipe warms them.
Heat the rice in its pouch as the package says, usually 90 seconds, put half on one side of a plate, and pour the curry beside it.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Eat it hot, or cool it, cover it and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Dolly’s tip: Curry thickens in the fridge. Stir in a splash of water before you reheat it.Food safety: Put leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat until steaming hot, 165°F.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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