Japanese Chicken and Egg Oyakodon

Name: Japanese Chicken and Egg Oyakodon
Prep time: 26 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 51 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1½ cups (300 g) Japanese short-grain rice, rinsed until the water runs nearly clear; 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (360 ml) cold water; 10 ounces (280 g) boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 1 small (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, halved and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; ¾ cup (180 ml) dashi stock, at room temperature or warm; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Japanese soy sauce; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) mirin; 2 teaspoons (8 g) granulated sugar; 4 large (200 g) large eggs, cracked into a bowl and lightly beaten with only 4–5 strokes; 2 stalks (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal; shichimi togarashi or sansho pepper, for sprinkling, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender bites of chicken thigh and sweet onion simmered in a savory dashi-soy broth, topped with silky, barely set egg and served over fluffy short-grain rice. The one-skillet topping comes together in about 15 minutes while the rice finishes.

Prep: 26 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 39 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: 2 generous rice bowls

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the rice
1½ cups (300 g) Japanese short-grain rice, rinsed until the water runs nearly clear
1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (360 ml) cold water
For the topping
10 ounces (280 g) boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 small (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, halved and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons
¾ cup (180 ml) dashi stock, at room temperature or warm
3 tablespoons (45 ml) Japanese soy sauce
3 tablespoons (45 ml) mirin
2 teaspoons (8 g) granulated sugar
4 large (200 g) large eggs, cracked into a bowl and lightly beaten with only 4–5 strokes
To finish
2 stalks (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
shichimi togarashi or sansho pepper, for sprinkling, to taste (optional)

Equipment (7)

Medium pot with tight-fitting lid (2-quart / 2 L) for the rice
Fine-mesh sieve or colander
10-inch (25 cm) nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with lid
Small bowl for beating eggs, with chopsticks or a fork
Sharp knife and cutting board
Instant-read thermometer
Rice paddle or spoon

Steps

Before you start

Start the rice first: it needs a 30-minute soak and about 27 minutes to cook and rest. Begin the topping when the rice has about 10 minutes of resting time left.
The 90-minute total adds up every step; because the topping is made while the rice cooks and rests, the actual clock time is closer to 70 minutes.
Have everything sliced and measured before you heat the skillet, because the egg steps move quickly.
If using instant dashi granules, dissolve them in hot water and let the dashi cool slightly before you start.

1
Rinse and soak rice
- Place the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water.
- Swirl with your hand and pour off the cloudy water.
- Repeat 4 to 5 times, until the water is only slightly milky.
- Drain in a fine-mesh sieve for a minute, then transfer to the medium pot.
- Add the 360 ml (1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons) cold water and let the rice soak for 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Grains look opaque white all the way through
Tip: Rinse gently rather than scrubbing hard, which can break the grains and make the rice gluey.
2
Cook the rice
- Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.
- When you see steam escaping from under the lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove from the heat and let the rice rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff gently with a rice paddle just before serving.
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Ready when: Water is fully absorbed, and the rice is tender, glossy and slightly sticky
Tip: Do not lift the lid during cooking or resting. The steam is what cooks the top layer.
3
Prep the toppings
- While the rice cooks, cut the chicken into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, slice the onion into ¼-inch half-moons, and thinly slice the scallions.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat with chopsticks using just 4 to 5 strokes, so streaks of white and yolk remain.
- Set everything next to the stove.
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Ready when: Chicken pieces are roughly uniform in size so they cook at the same rate
Tip: Chicken is easier to cut when it's very cold, so keep it in the fridge until you're ready.
4
Simmer sauce and onion
- When the rice has about 10 minutes of resting time left, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar in the 10-inch (25 cm) skillet.
- Add the sliced onion and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Cook for 3 minutes, stirring once, until the onion begins to soften and turn translucent.
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Ready when: Sugar is dissolved and the onion is soft and translucent at the edges
5
Cook the chicken
- Spread the chicken pieces in a single layer in the broth, skin side down where possible.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the liquid simmers gently, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Uncover, flip the pieces, and cook 2 minutes more.
- Check a thick piece: it should reach 165°F (74°C) and the juices should run clear.
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Ready when: Chicken is opaque throughout and reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece
Tip: Skim off any foam on the surface with a spoon for a cleaner-tasting broth.
6
Add first egg pour
- Increase the heat to medium.
- Stir the beaten eggs once and pour about two-thirds of them in a thin stream over the chicken and onion, moving in a circle so the egg covers the surface.
- Cover and cook for 1 minute, until the egg is mostly set at the edges but still wet in the center.
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Ready when: Edges of the egg are opaque and softly set; the center is still runny
Tip: Do not stir after adding the egg, or it will scramble into small curds instead of forming soft sheets.
7
Add second egg pour
- Drizzle the remaining beaten egg over the center of the skillet.
- Cover, turn off the heat, and let it sit for 30 to 60 seconds.
- The residual heat will set the egg to a custardy, jiggly texture.
- The chicken was already cooked to 165°F (74°C) in the previous step and stays hot in the broth.
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Ready when: Egg is softly set and glossy, jiggling slightly like custard
Tip: Take it off the heat while the egg still looks slightly underdone. It keeps cooking on the hot rice.
8
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the hot, fluffed rice between two deep bowls.
- Slide half of the egg-chicken mixture over each, using a spatula or large spoon and keeping the egg in large soft sheets.
- Spoon any remaining broth over the top.
- Scatter with scallions and, if you like, a pinch of shichimi togarashi.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Rice is topped with glossy, soft egg and the broth pools slightly into the rice
Tip: Serve right away. The egg continues to firm up as it sits.

Good to know

Tips

Use skin-on thighs for the best flavor and a richer broth; the fat stays tender in the gentle simmer.
The ideal egg is just barely set and glossy. Pulling the pan off the heat early prevents dry, rubbery egg.
Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, to keep the chicken juicy and the egg delicate.
Taste the broth before adding the egg. If you prefer it sweeter, add ½ teaspoon more sugar; for saltier, add 1 teaspoon more soy sauce.

Make ahead

Cook the rice up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate; reheat with a splash of water, covered, in the microwave. You can also slice the chicken, onion and scallions up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately in airtight containers. Cook the egg topping just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Cooled leftovers (chicken and broth, with the egg) keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 day; store the rice separately. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C); the egg will be firmer. Cooked rice keeps at room temperature no more than 1 hour, and freezes well for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen, covered, with a splash of water. Not recommended to freeze the finished egg topping.

Substitutions

dashi stock → Instant dashi granules dissolved in hot water (about ¾ teaspoon granules in 180 ml water). The easiest and most common shortcut. Let it cool slightly before using.
mirin → Sake plus extra sugar. Use 3 tablespoons sake and increase the sugar to 2½ teaspoons for similar sweetness.
boneless, skin-on chicken thighs → Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast. Skinless thighs work well. Breast cooks faster, so reduce the covered simmer to 3 minutes and avoid overcooking.
scallions → Mitsuba or finely chopped chives. Mitsuba is the traditional garnish if you can find it.