Oyako Donburi Recipe

Oyako Donburi

Chicken and Egg over Rice

Literally, Oyako Donburi means “parent and child bowl,” the parent and child being chicken and egg, sitting atop a mound of rice. Though not very traditional, you can add sliced onions, julienned carrots, snow peas, or green peas to the mix for a true one-pot meal. This recipe makes an individual serving but you can easily double or quadruple it to feed your family. You can also substitute beef for the chicken for Gyutama Donburi, or “stranger and child bowl.”

 

• 2 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin diagonal bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup dashi or chicken stock
• 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tsp mirin or sake
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 medium fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and halved
• 1 green onion, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 cup hot cooked Japanese short-grain rice

1. In a small saucepan, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and mushrooms and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Skim off any scum or foam that rises to the surface. Add the green onion and cook for another 1 minute.

2. Crack the egg into a small bowl and stir with chopsticks or a fork until well mixed but not foamy. Pour the egg into the sauce in light trickles, using chopsticks to slow down the flow, and cover the entire surface of the pan. Don’t stir. Cover and cook until the egg is just set, 30 to 45 seconds. The egg will be like a soggy omelet.

3. Scoop the rice into a donburi (Japanese earthenware bowl) or any large bowl with a wide mouth. Ladle the chicken and egg mixture, including desired amount of sauce, over the rice. Sprinkle with the reserved green onion and serve immediately.