Enjoy our mouthwatering Oyakodon recipe—a quick, satisfying chicken & egg rice bowl bursting with flavor. Ideal for busy weeknights!
Oyakodon
Cuisine: OyakodonDifficulty: ★★★★4
servings40
minutesOyakodon Ingredients
・8 oz (about 225 g) chicken thigh (skinless)
cut into bite-size pieces
(You can substitute chicken breast if preferred, but thigh is more traditional for its juiciness.)
・1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced■ For Dashi
・1/2 cup dashi (Japanese soup stock)(If dashi is not available, you can use low-sodium chicken broth or water with a pinch of dashi powder.)
・2 tablespoons soy sauce
・1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
*If mirin is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon of dry sherry or white wine + 1 teaspoon sugar.
・1 tablespoon sake (optional, but recommended for flavor)
・1 teaspoon sugar・2 to 3 large eggs, lightly beaten in a small bowl
・2 bowls of steamed Japanese short-grain rice (about 1 to 1.5 cups cooked rice per person)
・A small handful of chopped green onions (scallions) for garnish (optional)
・Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice) or chili flakes (optional)
Oyakodon Directions
- Prepare the ingredients
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces (roughly 1-inch cubes).
Thinly slice the onion.
Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl, keeping the yolks and whites slightly distinct (this will create a nice texture). - Make the broth
In a small to medium-sized skillet (with a lid), pour in the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.
Stir gently to dissolve the sugar. - Cook the onion
Place the sliced onion into the skillet with the broth.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. - Add the chicken
Once the onions have softened, add the chicken pieces into the simmering broth.
Spread them out so they cook evenly.
Cover the skillet with a lid and let the chicken simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until it’s cooked through (no pink remains and juices run clear).
Check occasionally and reduce the heat if needed to maintain a gentle simmer. - Add the eggs
Once the chicken is fully cooked, lower the heat slightly.
Slowly drizzle the beaten eggs over the chicken and onion mixture.Tip: Drizzle in a circular motion so the egg distributes evenly.
Do not stir immediately—allow the eggs to set for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
If you prefer runnier eggs, turn off the heat a bit earlier. If you like them more firm, let the eggs cook a little longer. - Finish and garnish
Once the eggs reach your desired doneness, turn off the heat.
Spoon or slide the chicken-egg mixture on top of individual bowls of steamed rice.
Garnish with chopped green onions (scallions).
If you like a bit of heat, sprinkle some shichimi togarashi or chili flakes on top.
What Is Oyakodon?
Oyako-don is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. The word “oyako” literally means “parent and child” in Japanese, which refers to using both chicken (the parent) and egg (the child) in the same dish—hence the name oyako-don.
There’s also a seafood version topped with salmon and salmon roe (ikura) that’s called oyako-don for the same reason: the fish and its eggs are the “parent and child.”
The exact origin of oyako-don is unclear, but one theory traces it back to around 1880. According to this story, a restaurant mixed leftover hot pot broth with eggs to create a dish called oyako-ni, which eventually evolved into what we now know as oyako-don.