This Ground Chicken and Tofu Curry is inspired by my favorite dish from Curry House. Savory and comforting. It’s an easy meal that comes together quickly. The garlic spinach rice makes it even more delicious.

Ground Chicken and Tofu Curry | This cozy Japanese curry is served w/ garlic spinach rice. Simple & perfect for weeknights. #groundchicken #curry #japaneserecipe #tofu #spinach #garlic #rice #easyrecipe #weeknightrecipe #dinner #dinnerrecipe #curryhouse #copycatrecipe | The Missing Lokness

I love Japanese curry. It’s something I grew up with and a dish we still eat often. It’s sweet, savory, and incredibly comforting.

When I first moved to Los Angeles, one of the first places I ate was Curry House, a Japanese curry chain restaurant. Sadly, it closed during the Covid pandemic. Bryan and I used to go there all the time, and one of my go-to orders was the ground chicken and tofu curry. It wasn’t too heavy, and it came with garlic spinach rice on the side. It was amazing! I’ve been trying to recreate that dish at home.

This recipe is quite easy, but there are a few components to prepare.

Spinach

I used baby spinach, which should be cooked before mixing it with the rice. Blanch it in boiling water, rinse under cold running water, and squeeze out most of the moisture. Pat dry with paper towel, chop into smaller pieces, and set aside.

Curry Roux

Japanese curry roux blocks are very convenient and easy to find in Asian supermarkets. Simply break them into pieces and add them to the liquid. Once they melt, the sauce thickens and the curry is ready. I used S&B Golden Curry Mix (medium-hot). It’s only mildly spicy, so don’t worry about the heat level. I adjusted the flavor slightly with a bit of soy sauce and honey.

Tofu

Soft tofu is what I recommend. It’s silky and pairs beautifully with the curry. My favorite brand is House Foods soft tofu.

Before adding the tofu, make sure the curry is mostly seasoned to your liking. You don’t want to stir too much after adding the tofu because it breaks apart easily. Let it simmer for a few minutes until the tofu is warmed through.

If you have leftover tofu, store it submerged in water in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Change the water daily and it will keep for a few days.

Rice

For Japanese dishes, I usually use short-grain rice. It’s plumper and slightly sticky, which works well with curry. I normally keep three types of rice at home, jasmine, Japanese short grain, and Arborio, because each is better suited for different cuisines.

To make the spinach garlic rice, heat a large skillet with a little oil once the curry is almost ready. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute to mellow its sharpness. Season with a pinch of salt, then add the cooked spinach and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the steamed rice and mix well. That’s it.

This dish brings back so many memories of our visits to Curry House. The savory curry, tender chicken, and silky tofu paired with garlic spinach rice make such a comforting and satisfying meal. It’s simple enough for a weeknight but still feels special. If you’re a fan of Japanese curry, I hope you’ll give this version a try.

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Ground Chicken and Tofu Curry

Course Dinner

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword copycat recipe, curry house, curry roux, ground chicken, japanese, Japanese curry, rice, spinach, tofu

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings people

Author Lokness

Ingredients

Curry:

1 pound ground chicken (93% lean and 7% fat)
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 ounces Japanese curry roux (about 3 cubes)
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon honey
7 ounces soft tofu (drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
Vegetable oil
Salt
Ground black pepper

Rice:

1 cup rice cup uncooked rice (preferably short grain)
3 ounces baby spinach (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves (minced)
Pinch of salt

Instructions

First, rinse the rice and cook in any way you like.
In a small saucepan, fill with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add baby spinach and cook for 30 – 45 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold tap water. Squeeze out excess liquid with your hand. Pat with a paper towel. Chopped roughly and separated most of them. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the ground chicken and season with 2 pinches of salt and ground black pepper. Cook until no longer pink, breaking apart the chicken into smaller pieces. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add curry roux and stir until melted and mix in. Bring back to a medium heat. Taste and season with soy sauce and honey. Add tofu and mix in gently. Cook until warmed through, about 4 minutes.
When the curry is almost ready, in another large skillet over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt. Add the chopped spinach and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cooked rice and mix well. Turn off the heat, but keep in the skillet.
For the curry, add more chicken broth and adjust seasoning if needed.
Transfer the rice and curry to serving plates. Serve immediately.

Notes

For the ground chicken, if you can find something that has more than 7% fat, I would get that. Fat always add extra flavors.
For tofu, I like House Foods Premium soft tofu. It usually comes in 14-ounce package, so half a package is enough for this recipe. Leftover tofu can be stored in an airtight container filled with drinking water. Change the water daily. Use within a few days.
There are a few options of curry roux out there. I used S&B Golden Curry Mix Medium Hot. It’s not really spicy, maybe a hint. I think House Foods Java Curry Sauce Mix would be good too. I would like to try that next time. Japanese curry roux can be easily found in Asian supermarkets.