ilyadaysRecipes

Japanese

Oyakodon

“Parent-and-child” rice bowl. The chicken sits in the sauce — kombu, dashi, soy, mirin, sake and sugar — while finely chopped ginger and onion soften in the pan with a pinch of salt. Then the chicken goes in with all of its marinade, gets bound with barely set egg poured in two stages, and slides over hot rice.

1 bowl~35 min (+ rice)
Oyakodon

Mise en place — set out in the order it goes in

  1. Chicken in marinade
    Chicken in marinade
    • dashi
    • kombu
    • soy
    • mirin
    • sake
    • sugar
    Step 7
  2. Ginger
    Gingerfinely choppedStep 5
  3. Onion
    Onionsliced lengthwise · pinch of saltStep 5
  4. Eggs
    Eggsloosely beatenSteps 8–9
  5. Rice + garnish
    Rice + garnishhot rice · spring onionStep 10

Prep order — what happens when, and what overlaps

minutes
051015202530354045
Cook rice (start first; or reheat) 45 min
45 min
Cut chicken, mix marinade 5 min
5 min
Chicken marinates 21 min
21 min
Slice onion + ginger 5 min
5 min
Beat eggs 1 min
Ginger, onion + salt 3 min
Pan cools down 6 min
6 min
Chicken + marinade, covered 6 min
6 min
Pour ⅔ egg, cover 1 min
Pour ⅓ egg, heat off, rest 1 min
Slide onto rice, garnish 48 s
Hands-offBoardBowl / counterPan / stove

If your rice is already cooked, skip the first bar — about 35 minutes, most of it the chicken marinating.

Step by step

  1. Scoop the hot rice in loosely with a damp paddle — don't press it down.
    Scoop the hot rice in loosely with a damp paddle — don't press it down.

    1Rice first

    ~45 min ahead

    For this step

    • Cooked short-grain rice1 bowl
    • Have a bowl of hot rice ready before you start the pan — the egg won’t wait.
    • Start the rice cooker about 45 minutes ahead, or reheat leftover rice until steaming.
    Rice first
    Should look like this
  2. Trim off excess fat, then cut the thigh into 2–3 cm pieces.
    Trim off excess fat, then cut the thigh into 2–3 cm pieces.
    Stir soy, mirin, sake and sugar into the dashi until the sugar dissolves; add the kombu, then the chicken.
    Stir soy, mirin, sake and sugar into the dashi until the sugar dissolves; add the kombu, then the chicken.

    2Marinate the chicken

    ~5 min + 15–30 min

    For this step

    • Chicken thigh fillets150 g
    • Kombua 5 cm square
    • Trim the thigh fillets of any excess fat and cut them into 2–3 cm pieces.
    • In a bowl, stir until the sugar dissolves:
      • dashi 80 ml
      • soy sauce 4 tbsp
      • mirin 1 tbsp
      • sake 1 tbsp
      • sugar 1 tsp
    • Drop in the kombu, then the chicken.
    • Leave it 15–30 minutes (in the fridge if longer).
    Marinate the chicken
    Should look like this
  3. Onion: cut off both ends — root and tip — then halve it through the cut ends and peel.
    Onion: cut off both ends — root and tip — then halve it through the cut ends and peel.
    Slice lengthwise — perpendicular to the cut ends, along the lines — about 5 mm.
    Slice lengthwise — perpendicular to the cut ends, along the lines — about 5 mm.
    Ginger: peel with a spoon edge, slice thin, cut into matchsticks, then across into tiny cubes.
    Ginger: peel with a spoon edge, slice thin, cut into matchsticks, then across into tiny cubes.

    3Onion and ginger

    ~5 min

    For this step

    • Onion½ small (~60 g)
    • Gingera 2 cm piece (~8 g)
    • Onion: cut off both ends (root and tip), halve it through the cut ends and peel.
    • Lay each half flat and slice it lengthwise — perpendicular to the cut ends, along the lines — about 5 mm thick. Slicing across the lines gives rings that fall apart; lengthwise slices hold their shape in the pan.
    • Ginger: peel, cut into thin matchsticks, then across into tiny cubes.
    Onion and ginger
    Should look like this
  4. Beat loosely — 4–5 quick strokes, cutting through the whites. Stop while streaks remain.
    Beat loosely — 4–5 quick strokes, cutting through the whites. Stop while streaks remain.

    4Beat the eggs

    ~1 min

    For this step

    • Eggs2
    • Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat loosely — 4–5 strokes with chopsticks, cutting through the whites.
    • You want streaks of white and yolk, not a uniform yellow.
    Beat the eggs
    Should look like this
  5. Ginger first, ~30 seconds in the oil until fragrant.
    Ginger first, ~30 seconds in the oil until fragrant.
    Then the onion and a pinch of salt; stir until a bit soft.
    Then the onion and a pinch of salt; stir until a bit soft.

    5Ginger, then onion

    medium-low~3 min

    For this step

    • Neutral oil1 tsp
    • Gingera 2 cm piece (~8 g)
    • Onion½ small (~60 g)
    • Salta pinch
    • Small pan, the oil, medium-low heat.
    • Drop in the ginger for ~30 seconds until fragrant, then add the onion and a pinch of salt.
    • Stir until the onion is a bit soft — 2–3 minutes, no colour.
    Ginger, then onion
    Should look like this
  6. Let it cool down

    6Let it cool down

    heat off~5 min

    Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes while the chicken finishes marinating.

  7. Back on medium: tip in the chicken with all of its marinade, kombu too.
    Back on medium: tip in the chicken with all of its marinade, kombu too.
    Halfway through, turn each piece once — the cooked side is opaque white.
    Halfway through, turn each piece once — the cooked side is opaque white.

    7Chicken in, with all the marinade

    medium5–6 min
    • Back on medium.
    • Tip in the chicken with all of its marinade (kombu too), spread it in a single layer.
    • Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer, turning once, until cooked through with no pink inside.
    Chicken in, with all the marinade
    Should look like this
  8. Pour ⅔ of the egg

    8Pour ⅔ of the egg

    medium30–60 s
    • Fish out the kombu.
    • Drizzle about two-thirds of the egg in a circle over the chicken and onion.
    • Cover and cook until the egg at the edges is set but the top is still runny.
  9. Pour the last third into the middle, where the egg is thinnest — then heat off, lid on.
    Pour the last third into the middle, where the egg is thinnest — then heat off, lid on.

    9Pour the rest, heat off

    heat off~45 s
    • Pour the remaining egg, cook 10–15 seconds, then turn off the heat and cover for 30 seconds.
    • The egg should be glossy and just set.
    • Cook a little longer covered if you prefer it firm.
    Pour the rest, heat off
    Should look like this
  10. Tilt the pan over the rice and slide everything out in one go, broth included.
    Tilt the pan over the rice and slide everything out in one go, broth included.
    Finish with sliced spring onion and a light shake of shichimi.
    Finish with sliced spring onion and a light shake of shichimi.

    10Slide onto the rice

    For this step

    • Spring onion greens or mitsubaa few
    • Shichimi togarashioptional
    • Tilt the pan and slide everything, broth included, over the rice.
    • Top with spring onion greens or mitsuba and a shake of shichimi.
    Slide onto the rice
    Should look like this