Classic Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken
Egg Rice Bowl)
Master the comforting classic of Japanese home cooking. Tender chicken and sweet onions simmer in a savory dashi broth, bound together with soft, custardy eggs over warm rice.
Oyakodon literally translates to parent and child rice bowl, a poetic reflection of its star ingredients: chicken and egg. This humble yet incredibly satisfying dish is a cornerstone of Japanese comfort food, celebrated for its sweet and savory umami profile and the delicate, semi-set texture of the eggs. Achieving that perfect, custardy consistency is the true mark of a well-crafted Oyakodon.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken thigh, boneless
- 1/2 onion
- 2-3 large eggs
- 3 tbsp dashi (Japanese soup stock)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2/3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 bunch fresh mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley)
- 1 bowl cooked white rice
- to taste shredded nori seaweed
Instructions
- 1Prepare the mitsuba
Trim the roots off the fresh mitsuba and cut the stems into manageable pieces.
Tip: Removing the roots ensures a clean, crisp texture. - 2Slice the onion
Take half an onion and slice it thinly to a thickness of approximately 2mm.
Tip: Uniform slicing helps the onions cook evenly. - 3Prepare the chicken
Remove any excess skin and fat from the chicken thigh, then cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Tip: Bite-sized pieces ensure even cooking and easier eating. - 4Cook the chicken
Heat a small amount of oil in a pan and add the chicken pieces to begin cooking.
Tip: Ensure the pan is adequately heated before adding the chicken to achieve a good sear. - 5Add onions
Once the chicken begins to cook, add the sliced onions to the pan and stir everything together.
Tip: Stir well to distribute the onions evenly with the chicken. - 6Season with liquids
Pour 3 tablespoons of dashi into the pan, followed by 1 tablespoon of mirin and 2/3 tablespoon of soy sauce.
Tip: Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer while adding the seasonings. - 7Add the first portion of the egg mixture
Pour approximately two-thirds of the whisked egg and mitsuba mixture into the pan containing the chicken and onions. Cover the pan with a lid and cook briefly to allow the eggs to begin setting while keeping the texture tender.
Tip: Keep the heat moderate to ensure the eggs cook gently and dont become rubbery. - 8Add the remaining egg mixture
Pour the remaining one-third of the egg and mitsuba mixture over the pan. Cover again and let it simmer for one minute using the residual heat to finish cooking the dish perfectly before serving.
Tip: Using residual heat helps achieve a soft, custardy consistency for the eggs.
