Easy Oyakodon: Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl With Silky Dashi Sauce
By Mason Brooks
Cook
30 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Prepare oyakodon, a Japanese recipe for four, by seasoning the chicken and mixing the dashi sauce ahead. Serve the other components, including eggs and rice, hot or at another temperature. Oyakodon is made with chicken thighs, onions, and a glossy, tasty dashi-based egg sauce. This dish would be suitable as a planned lunch or dinner.
Boneless skin-on chicken thighs are marinated in soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, black pepper, and cornstarch. Cornstarch helps the other marinade ingredients adhere to the chicken. Sliced onions are cooked in the same pan. Dashi or chicken or vegetable broth and soy sauce and mirin are added. Soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce add sweetness and umami, while the stock forms the sauce base. Boneless skin-on chicken thighs are added and simmered before lightly beaten eggs are added to the pan.
The onions need to be sautéed and fragrant by the time the chicken is nearly cooked and browned, flavored by drippings from the pan. Raw eggs added to the sauce when it simmers and covered without stirring will cook. Typical mistakes include overcooking the eggs. Add the eggs as one of the final steps in the recipe, just before serving.
Serve the chicken, onion, egg, and sauce over hot rice garnished with chopped green onion. To serve separate portions with equal amounts of sauce, which will soak into the rice, you may need to set aside the garnish. You can use a ladle to portion out the food in the pan, adding onion and sauce to each portion.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Four servings can be included in a lunch rotation meal plan, Preparing the chicken, onion, egg, and sauce once allows you to serve four meals with rice.
- Preheat the spice and stock mixtures ahead of time to reduce the time you need to cook the meal, Serve the eggs close to or at mealtime.
- To freeze a meal, remove the eggs and freeze the chicken and onions and other sauce ingredients, Add eggs back when reheating.
- Serving the saucy mixture with rice makes it suitable for grab-and-go bowls, However, the rice will absorb sauce and get mushy when preparing and storing the meal kit.
- Gentle warming preserves the flavor and texture of chicken and onion, More intense warming can make the softly set egg firmer than intended.
- Cooking chicken, onions, and sauce and eggs in the same pan will save time when making meals ahead of time.
- Covering the pan while cooking an egg sauce will help it adhere to the chicken.
Ingredients
- •4 boneless chicken thighs (skin-on, about 600 g total)
- •1 ½ tbsp soy sauce (for chicken)
- •1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- •½ tsp black pepper
- •2 tbsp cornstarch
- •1 small onion (sliced)
- •1 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or canola oil)
- •green onion (for garnish)
- •4 eggs (lightly beaten)
- •¾ cup dashi, chicken, or vegetable stock
- •2 tbsp soy sauce (for dashi egg sauce)
- •1 tbsp mirin (or use 1/2 tbsp sugar)
- •½ tbsp sugar (alternative to mirin)
- •rice (warm, for serving)
Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, mix the chicken thighs with soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, and black pepper.
- 2
Add a light coat of cornstarch and mix well to evenly coat.
- 3
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- 4
Add the chicken and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and about 80% cooked through.
- 5
Remove the chicken and set aside.
- 6
In the same pan, sauté the sliced onion for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
- 7
Pour in the stock, soy sauce, and mirin, then stir well.
- 8
Add the chicken back into the pan and simmer for about 4 minutes.
- 9
Turn the heat down to low and slowly pour the beaten eggs around the chicken.
- 10
Cover with a lid and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the eggs are just set and silky.
- 11
Spoon everything over a warm bowl of rice and top with green onion, making sure to add the sauce.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
281
Protein
30g
Fat
13g
Carbs
10g
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