Oyakodon

• Chef’s notes
• Details
• Ingredients
• Directions

§Chef’s notes

Typically, oyakodon is made individually for each serving using an oyakodon pan (its just a small pan), which lets you slide the cooked ingredients onto the rice bowl easily. I make this in larger batches typically and just scoop the mix on top of rice. It’s a little less ascetically pleasing but the flavor is all the same. Using a larger pan I almost double the seasonings In my opinion the liquid makes the meal. Gives the rice some flavor.

On the soy sauce. Any soy sauce will do and taste fine but the last couple batches I made I used a much nicer first pressing double fermented soy sauce and it really kicked up the umami in this dish. Worth trying if you have it around.

§Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 minutes
• 🍳 Cook time: 10 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 2 ish

§Ingredients

• ½ onion (4 oz, 113 g; peeled)
• 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs (typically 1–2 thighs)
• 1 Tbsp sake (for marinating the chicken; substitute with Chinese rice wine or dry sherry or just omit it.)
• 3-4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (at room temperature)
• For the Seasonings
• ½ cup dashi
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 2 tsp sugar
• For Serving
• 2 servings cooked short-grain rice
• 4 sprigs mitsuba (optional)
• shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (optional)
• Japanese sansho pepper (optional)
• Green onions (optional)

§Directions

1. Get your rice cooking. It will take longer than the dish itself.
2. Combine ½ cup dashi (Japanese soup stock), 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp mirin, and 2 tsp sugar in a bowl or a liquid measuring cup and mix all together until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Slice ½ onion lengthwise, about ¼ inch wide.
4. Chop 4 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley) ½ inch wide.
5. Trim the extra bits of fat and connective tissue from 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs with the knife.
6. Cut the chicken thigh along the grain into strips ¾–1 inch wide. Next, angle your knife back and diagonally (nearly parallel to the cutting board), and then slice the chicken strips against the grain into pieces about ¾–1 inch square.
7. Transfer the chicken to a bowl or tray and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sake. Set aside for 5 minutes. Assuming you dont omit this.
8. Crack 3-4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) into a bowl. Using a pair of chopsticks, lift the egg whites to “cut“ them 5–6 times into a few smaller clumps. This will prevent the egg whites from falling into the frying pan all at once. Do not whisk or beat the eggs together.
9. With the stove off, add the sliced onions to a medium frying pan in a single layer. Then, add the seasonings mixture. It should just cover the onions. If not, your frying pan is too big and you need to either increase the seasoning or use a smaller pan.
10. Turn on the heat to medium and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add the chicken on top of the onions.
11. Make sure the onions and chicken are evenly distributed. Once simmering again, lower the heat to medium low. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink and the onions are tender. Halfway through, flip the chicken.
12. Add the eggs in two stages: Two-thirds of the eggs first, then the remaining one-third later. Now, increase the heat to medium. With the cooking liquid simmering (small bubbles around the edges), drizzle two-thirds of the eggs in a circular pattern over the chicken and onions, avoiding the edges of the pan where the eggs can easily overcook.
13. If the heat is too strong, lower the heat. If the egg is moving toward the edges of the pan, gently gather it toward the center where the heat is not as strong. Optionally, you can cover the pan if the egg whites are taking a long time to set.
14. When the eggs are still runny but just set, add the rest of the eggs to the center and around the edges of the pan. Add the mitsuba (or green onion) on top and cook on medium low until the egg is done to your liking. Usually, oyakodon in Japan is served while the egg is almost set but still runny.
15. Serve steamed rice in individual serving bowls. Spoon the cooked chicken and egg mixture onto the steamed rice and drizzle the desired amount of pan sauce on top.