Oyakodon Recipe – Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Tender pieces of chicken, onion, and eggs simmered in a savory sauce and draped over fluffy steamed rice – this classic Japanese comfort food (Oyakodon Recipe) will be ready in under 30 minutes!

How to Make Oyakodon Recipe (Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

Step 1: Start cooking your rice immediately, or it won’t finish in time. Peel and slice the onion into about 3″ semi-circles. Trim the fat from your chicken breasts and then slice it into 3/4″ strips. Next, cube the strips by cutting them diagonally into 3/4″ or 1.5cm pieces. Dice your mitsuba (or substitute) and set it aside in a small ramekin. Crack all 6 eggs into a medium bowl, then “cut” whites and yolks 3-4 times (they should have a marbled appearance, not whisked or beaten).

Step 2: Place diagonally cut chicken into a medium bowl, then drizzle and coat with sake. Set it aside for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Next we create the sauce….combine the dashi (or substitute), soy sauce, mirin (or substitute), and sugar in a bowl. Mix them together thoroughly until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Step 4: In large frying pan (no heat yet), add the onion slices and your newly made sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, add the chicken and then turn the heat to low. Cook the chicken uncovered for 2.5 minutes, then stir or flip to allow the other side to cook fully. Continue cooking another 2.5 minutes.

Step 5: Over low heat, pour only 2/3 of your marbled eggs into the center of your frying pan – over the meat & onions. Cook uncovered like this for approximately 3-4 minutes.

Step 6: Pour the remaining eggs around the eggs already in center of your frying pan. They’ll be sort of close to the edge of the pan, but not touching it. Add your diced mitsuba (or substitute) and cook uncovered another 2 minutes. Your yolks should be jiggly, but not fully runny.

Step 7: Add the steamed rice to a bowl, then scoop out cooked oyakodon and drape it gently over your rice. Enjoy!

Tweaks

Here are a few tweaks that may inspire your inner chef…..

• More Eggs: For a richer, creamier texture, add 8-10 eggs for a 4-person recipe. Also, if you like runny eggs, add an egg yolk to the top just before serving for a luxurious quality.
• Shichimi Togarashi: This is a common Japanese spice blend consisting of seven ingredients including chili pepper, orange peel, sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, ginger, and nori. Sprinkling a little shichimi togarashi on top of the finished dish adds a nice hint of heat and complexity.
• Mild Spices: Ground ginger or a dash of white pepper can be added for a subtle, sharp bite that doesn’t overpower the other flavors like black pepper might.
• Hot Spices: Add red chili flakes when sautéing the onions or when simmering the chicken and dashi mixture. Or, you can slice fresh chili peppers, such as jalapeños or serranos, and add them to the dish as it cooks. *If you add more heat, consider adding a bit more sugar to balance the dish.

Storage

Refrigerate: Oyakodon can be kept in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Freeze: If you’re going to freeze this dish, cook it up until the point where you add the eggs. Remove from heat, then allow it to cool. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 2 months. It works best if you freeze it in serving size helpings. Simply follow the recipe and add the eggs in once you’ve thawed the oyakodon. Easy!

Reheat: Allow the oyakodon to thaw in the fridge overnight. Place it in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the eggs and follow the recipe as you normally would.

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