Japanese noodle bar vibes at home: Curry schnitties meet slurpy udon

Bringing the warmth of a Japanese noodle bar straight to your table, this bowl features crispy curry-spiced schnitzel over slurpy udon noodles and a light chicken broth. Drizzled with a creamy sesame dressing, it’s a bold, comforting dish that hits every mark – crunchy, savoury, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken thigh fillets
100g (2 cups) panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp curry powder
60g (½ cup) plain flour
220g (1 cup) Kewpie mayonnaise
vegetable oil, to shallow fry
800g udon noodles
1 litre chicken stock
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 sheets nori, finely sliced
shichimi togarashi, to serve
pickled ginger, to serve
80ml (⅓ cup) Japanese sesame dressing, to serve
shiso leaves, to serve

Method

Step 1- Bash the chicken thighs between sheets of baking paper until 1cm thick.
Step 2- Combine the breadcrumbs and curry powder on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a second plate and season with salt and pepper. Place the mayonnaise in a shallow bowl.
Step 3- Dip the chicken pieces into the flour, then into the mayonnaise and finally into the breadcrumb mixture to coat evenly.
Step 4- Heat 2cm of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. In batches, cook the schnitzels for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain and keep warm.
Step 5- Place the chicken stock in a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the udon noodles and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Strain the noodles using a colander placed over a heatproof bowl to catch and reserve the hot stock. Refresh the noodles under cold running water to stop the cooking process and rinse away excess starch.
Step 6- Divide the refreshed noodles, shredded cabbage and sliced nori between serving bowls. Slice the chicken schnitzels into 2cm wide strips and place on top. Ladle over the hot reserved stock and serve with shichimi togarashi, pickled ginger, Japanese sesame dressing and fresh shiso leaves.

Japanese noodle bar vibes at home: Curry schnitties meet slurpy udon

Ingredients

Method

Step 1- Bash the chicken thighs between sheets of baking paper until 1cm thick.

Step 2- Combine the breadcrumbs and curry powder on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a second plate and season with salt and pepper. Place the mayonnaise in a shallow bowl.

Step 3- Dip the chicken pieces into the flour, then into the mayonnaise and finally into the breadcrumb mixture to coat evenly.

Step 4- Heat 2cm of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. In batches, cook the schnitzels for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain and keep warm.

Step 6- Divide the refreshed noodles, shredded cabbage and sliced nori between serving bowls. Slice the chicken schnitzels into 2cm wide strips and place on top. Ladle over the hot reserved stock and serve with shichimi togarashi, pickled ginger, Japanese sesame dressing and fresh shiso leaves.