Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (2024)

HOME Kansai Osaka Umeda, Osaka Station, Kitashinchi Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish!

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (1)

Date published: 12 October 2021

While trips remain off in the future, you can easily reminisce about your Japan journeys with authentic Japanese dishes at home! Here we present a tried-and-tested oyakodon recipe, which sees chicken simmered in dashi topped with egg and rested upon a bowl of steaming white rice.

In addition to common ingredients like chicken and egg, we’ll be using a recipe offering substitutes for Japanese condiments like “mirin” to make it even easier.

This recipe was also supervised and prepared by Japanese cooking instructor Toshihiro Minami and comes with a cooking video attached, so all you have to do is watch as you cook to bring the tastes of Japan to life!

Oyakodon is a nourishing household dish beloved by all!

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (2)

Photo: PIXTA

Oyakodon is a kind of Japanese donburi dish made by simmering chicken in a dashi soup stock flavored with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin, before running an egg over it and placing it atop of rice.

The name “oyakodon” means “parent and child bowl” in Japanese, which refers to the literal parent and child of a chicken and egg.

Oyakodon originated around 1887 from a Tokyo chicken restaurant. It has since grown to become a staple household dish across the nation, being easy to make, highly filling, and perfect for busy professionals or the insatiable appetites of children.

Depending on the region of Japan, the oyakodon recipe is different, with residents of Kanto preferring egg doused over chicken and onion with a sweet and salty soy sauce base.

At the same time, those in Kansai use chicken, spring onion, and egg with a light dashi flavoring. For this recipe, we’ll be using Kanto ingredients with light Kansai flavors.

Local Cuisine: 15 Awesome Tokyo Dishes You Didn't Know About

Oyakodon Ingredients (Serves Two)

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (3)

・200g chicken thigh
・½ onion
・2 eggs
・400g rice (cook in advance)
・150ml bonito soup stock (dashi)
・2 tbsp soy sauce
・1 tbsp sake rice wine (white wine works too!)
・½ tbsp sugar
・1 tbsp mirin
・A sprinkling of Japanese mitsuba leaf (optional)

*To make bonito soup stock, check out our Dashimaki Tamago Recipe at the link below.

Classic Japanese 'Dashimaki Tamago' Recipe: The Flavor Will Delight Your Tastebuds!

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (4)

If you don’t have mirin, mix ⅓ tbsp sugar with 1 tbsp white wine for a substitute.

How to Make Oyakodon

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (5)

1. Slice the onion thinly.

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (6)

Cut the chicken into large bite-sized pieces while cutting away the excess fat.

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (7)

2. In a frying pan on medium heat, add and mix the bonito soup stock, soy sauce, sake rice wine, sugar, and mirin (or substitute).

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (8)

While the sauce is heating up, break the eggs into a bowl and aggressively beat until there is no remaining white.

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (9)

3. Once the broth is simmering, add the chicken and onion and allow it to cook for up to 4 minutes on medium heat while occasionally turning it over.

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (10)

While they’re cooking, place your desired amount of cooked rice into a bowl.

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (11)

4. Once the chicken has been thoroughly cooked, turn down the heat a little and pour over the egg in a circular motion starting from the center and heading to the sides. Adding it from the center ensures that the egg will be evenly cooked.

Also, keeping the heat at a stable temperature where the broth is simmering lightly will help create the perfect oyakodon!

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (12)

5. Once you’ve added the beaten egg, immediately close the lid and allow it to simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Once the egg is half cooked, turn off the heat.

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (13)

Scoop out a large portion with a spatula and place it on top of the rice. And you’re done! For a touch of color, add some Japanese mitsuba leaves. For extra flavoring, sprinkle on shichimi togarashi spice or Japanese sansho pepper.

The fluffy and runny egg thoroughly absorbs the savory dashi to form an exquisite harmony with the hearty chicken. Being a simple dish, it’s super easy to cook and is packed with nutrients and flavor!

Chef Profile: Introducing the Recipe Supervisor and Cook

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (14)

Toshihiro Minami is the manager of cooking studio Osaka Delicious. Initially working at another company, he joined a night school and changed careers to become a cooking class instructor. He also develops recipes, acts as a cooking assistant, and makes television appearances. In addition to all varieties of Japanese food, Toshihiro is in charge of a wide range of cuisines including western and Chinese.
http://osakadelicious.jp/

Text by: Efeel
*The information in this article is current as of September 2021.

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  • Area

    Umeda, Osaka Station, Kitashinchi

  • Category

    Other Japanese Food

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

Easy Oyakodon Recipe: How to Make Japan’s Definitive Donburi Dish! | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (2024)
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