15-Minute Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken & Egg Rice Bowl)

Oyakodon – This quick and simple chicken dish, is made with tender chicken pieces cooked in a sweet and flavorful broth then wrapped in a soft egg scramble before being served over a warm bed of rice. This quick and easy donburi comes together in just a few minutes, making it the perfect comfort food for the workweek.

What is Oyakodon?

The rice bowls known as donburi are the very essence of Japanese cuisine. These classic dishes are still wildly popular among home cooks in Japan and elsewhere because of their warming flavors and simplicity of preparation.

One of the most well-known and my personal favorite types of donburi is called Oyakodon (sometimes spelled Oyako Donburi), and it involves simmering chicken, eggs, and onions together in a soy-based broth before being served over a bowl of steaming rice.

This chicken donburi is one of my favorite meals to prepare during the week, especially on chilly days when I always yearn for a warm, cozy meal that requires little effort. It is also quick to prepare, filling, and full of flavor.

This simple donburi recipe is made in a single pan and only requires a few ingredients to achieve the perfect flavor combination that is seriously irresistible.
It calls for simmering three primary components—chicken, eggs, and onion—in a straightforward but flavorful broth made from soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and dashi (chicken stock).

Every bite of this donburi, which is topped with freshly chopped green onions, is a flavor explosion and truly one of the best ways to dress up your bowl of white rice.

Oyakodon Ingredients

• Chicken: For this recipe, I suggest using chicken thighs because they are the most tender and juicy. Additionally, working with thighs is ideal because they are less likely to overcook because the chicken will be cooked in bite-sized pieces.
• Onion: because of the aromas and the additional sweetness.
• Eggs: a light beating. In order to preserve some of the egg whites for the complexion as a whole, whisk the eggs until they are thoroughly combined, which should take about 70-80% of the time. The result will be a soft, silky texture.
• Stock of chicken: Although dashi is typically used in Oyakodon, I found that chicken stock was much more flavorful and complemented the dish better. If vegetable or other types of stock are all you have in your kitchen, you can also use them.
• Sugar, mirin, and soy sauce: to add flavor to the broth
• Nori, Togarashi, green onions, and/or sesame oil: as a garnish
• seasoned rice: to assist To pair with the chicken and eggs, I suggest cooking the rice with slightly less water because it will absorb the remaining broth.

The essential ingredients for this chicken donburi recipe are listed above, but feel free to substitute any other mushrooms and/or vegetables of your choosing. To keep the combination saucy, I would suggest pan-frying them ahead of time and adjusting the amount of chicken stock and soy sauce to taste.

Making a fresh batch of steamed rice before serving is highly advised because it will significantly improve the dish’s overall quality. This recipe comes together quickly, so it may be made right as the rice is prepared.

Instructions:

1. While you prepare the other ingredients, combine the chicken, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Bring chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.Cook the onion for about one minute, or until fragrant.Cook the chicken mixture on each side for about one to two minutes.
3. Pour the egg mixture evenly into the pan when the chicken is almost done, and cook for a few seconds until the edges are almost set.
4. Cook the eggs for a few seconds longer if they are still a little runny by lightly scrambling them; the eggs will continue to cook due to the heat that remains.Serve with rice in a bowl, garnish, and enjoy!

Notes:

• If you want to serve the rice with the chicken and eggs, I suggest cooking it with slightly less water because it will absorb the remaining broth.
• In order to preserve some of the egg whites for the complexion as a whole, whisk the eggs until they are thoroughly combined, which should take about 70-80% of the time.
• The result will be a soft, silky texture.
• This recipe’s main ingredients are chicken, egg, and onion, but you can add any mushrooms or vegetables you like.
• To keep the mixture saucy, I would suggest pan-frying them in advance and flavoring it with a little more soy sauce and chicken stock.