Grandma’s Oyakodon (Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

Ingredients

• 1 Boneless chicken thigh (Cut into bite-size pieces; one thigh, approximately 250 g edible weight)
• 0.25 Onion (Slice slightly thickly)
• Salt (A pinch, for seasoning the chicken)
• 1 tsp Sake (For seasoning the chicken)
• 50 ml Water (For the dashi sauce)
• 0.5 tbsp Shirodashi (Japanese white dashi concentrate)
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce (For the dashi sauce)
• 2 tbsp Mirin (For the dashi sauce)
• 0.25 tsp Vinegar (For balance and brightness in the sauce)
• 1 tsp Sugar (For the dashi sauce)
• 2 Eggs (Crack into a bowl and lightly beat, cutting through the whites rather than fully homogenizing; divide into two portions)
• 1 serving Cooked Japanese short-grain rice (Hot cooked rice for serving; estimated because the source instructs serving over rice without specifying an amount)
• Mitsuba (To taste, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the chicken thigh into easy-to-eat, bite-size pieces. Place it in a bowl, season with a pinch of salt, and add the sake. Toss to coat, then let it stand for about 15 minutes so the chicken absorbs the seasoning and loses any raw odor.

2. 2

   Slice the onion slightly thickly. In an oyakodon pan or a small frying pan—about 21 cm if using a frying pan—combine the water, shirodashi, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, and sugar.

3. 3

   Add the sliced onion and seasoned chicken to the pan. Set the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid to a boil.

4. 4

   Once boiling, cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the onion is tender.

5. 5

   Crack the eggs into a bowl. Using a fork or chopsticks, beat them about 10 times, cutting through the whites while occasionally breaking the yolks. Do not overmix; some variation between yolk and white should remain for a neat egg gradient.

6. 6

   Pour half of the beaten egg over the chicken and onion. Cover the pan, raise the heat to medium, and cook for 1 minute, until the first layer of egg is mostly set but still softly moist.

7. 7

   Drizzle the remaining beaten egg around the pan. Cover again and cook for about 30 seconds, leaving the eggs softly set and slightly glossy rather than dry.

8. 8

   Spoon hot cooked rice into a serving bowl. Carefully slide or spoon the chicken, onion, egg, and sauce over the rice. Garnish with mitsuba and serve immediately.

Notes

If using a larger frying pan, double the dashi ingredients and the eggs. The creator recommends a small pan or oyakodon pan so the ingredients remain compact. The vinegar is intentionally used in a small amount to give the sauce more contrast and prevent the flavor from becoming tiring. For the best egg texture, avoid overmixing and cook the two additions separately.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Japanese
• rice bowl
• one-pan
• stovetop
• comfort food
• quick meal