Name: Oyakodon Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: ½ cup dashi (Japanese soup stock); 2 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 Tbsp mirin; 2 tsp sugar; ½ onion (4 oz, 113 g; peeled); 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1 Tbsp sake; 3-4 large eggs (50 g each, at room temperature); 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (about 1⅔ cups / 250 g per serving); 4 sprigs mitsuba (or green onion/scallion); Shichimi togarashi (optional); Japanese sansho pepper (optional)

Description

Oyakodon is a comforting Japanese rice bowl featuring tender chicken and silky eggs simmered in a flavorful dashi-based sauce, served over steaming short-grain rice. This easy-to-make dish combines savory, sweet, and umami flavors with a soft egg topping, making it perfect for a quick yet hearty meal.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Seasonings

1/2 cup dashi (Japanese soup stock)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp mirin

2 tsp sugar

For the Chicken and Egg

1/2 onion (4 oz, 113 g; peeled)

10 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 Tbsp sake

3-4 large eggs (50 g each, at room temperature)

For Serving

2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (about 1 2/3 cups / 250 g per serving)

4 sprigs mitsuba (or green onion/scallion)

Shichimi togarashi (optional)

Japanese sansho pepper (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare the Seasonings: Combine dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a bowl or measuring cup and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Slice and Marinate the Chicken: Slice the onion lengthwise into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips. Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into ¾–1 inch wide strips, then diagonally slice against the grain into ¾–1 inch squares. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sake; set aside for 5 minutes.
Crack Eggs: Crack eggs into a bowl, lift with chopsticks to cut whites into small clumps, without whisking completely. Gently poke yolks to break if intact.
Cook the Chicken and Onions: In a medium frying pan, add sliced onions in a single layer and pour in the seasoning mixture. Turn on medium heat and simmer until just starting to reduce. Add chicken on top, distribute evenly. Lower heat to medium low and cook uncovered for 5–6 minutes, flipping halfway through until chicken is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add Eggs in Two Stages: Increase heat to medium, then drizzle two-thirds of eggs in a circular pattern over the chicken and onions, avoiding edges. Cook until whites are slightly set but yolks remain runny. Add the remaining third of the eggs, including more yolk on top, and cook on medium low until just done, usually a few more minutes.
Finish and Serve: Add chopped mitsuba on top. Serve hot over steamed rice, spooning the chicken and egg mixture on top. Optionally, sprinkle with shichimi togarashi and sansho pepper.

Notes

Ensure the eggs are slightly runny for authentic texture and presentation.
You can substitute plant-based meat and egg substitutes for a vegan/vegetarian version.
Using a small oyakodon pan makes individual servings easier, but a larger pan can be used for multiple servings simultaneously.
Adjust seasoning to taste; you can add more soy or mirin for sweetness or saltiness.
Leftovers reheat well in the microwave for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 537 kcal
Sugar: 11 g
Sodium: 1197 mg
Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Carbohydrates: 50 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 42 g
Cholesterol: 414 mg