Oyako Donburi (Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

Add 3/4 cup water (200 ml), granulated dashi (if using), and all the seasonings to a pan. When the onion softens slightly, add the chicken.

(If using large pieces of chicken thigh for fried chicken, that's fine.) Once the chicken is cooked through and tender, use a spoon to cut it into smaller pieces right in the pan.

Turn off the heat. Crack the eggs directly into the pan without beating them, like making sunny-side-up eggs. Gently mix the eggs and other ingredients together.

By not beating the eggs, the whites will set before the yolks, resulting in a fluffy texture and preventing the yolks from overcooking and drying out.

Turn the heat to high for 1 minute, then let it finish cooking with the residual heat. The sweet broth is delicious! My husband loved it, and my son finished his bowl.

——————————

Favorite variation: Use 1/2 onion and add 1/2 bunch of garlic chives (nira). It gives a punchy flavor that's addictive! My one-year-old son loved this version, too.

150 g (about 5.3 oz) boiled ground beef and pork, 1/2 bunch each garlic chives and bean sprouts, 2/3 cup water (150 ml), 1 tablespoon each sugar, mirin, and soy sauce, granulated dashi, 2 eggs. No strong smell and very tasty—my child ate it well.

Note for my child: Not sure if he dislikes napa cabbage, but when I added his favorite fish sausage, he ate it!

Oyako donburi (without egg) with thickened sauce: 6.3 oz (180 g) chicken thighs, 1/2 onion, 1/3 carrot, 3 leaves of komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), 3/4 cup water (200 ml), 1 tablespoon each sugar, mirin, and soy sauce, 2 tablespoons potato starch + 2 tablespoons water.

3 chikuwa (fish cakes), 1/2 hanpen (fish cake), 1/2 green bell pepper, 1/2 onion, 1/3 carrot, 3 leaves of komatsuna, 3/4 cup water (200 ml), 1 tablespoon each sugar, mirin, and soy sauce, 2 tablespoons potato starch + 2 tablespoons water.

Note for my child: Loves chikuwa, hanpen, and imitation crab sticks! He preferred this version over the eggless oyako donburi with thickened sauce.

Also great with salmon!

100 g (about 3.5 oz) boiled ground beef and pork, 1/2 bunch each garlic chives and bean sprouts, 2/3 cup water (150 ml), 1 tablespoon each sugar, mirin, and soy sauce, granulated dashi, 2 eggs. No strong smell and very tasty—my child ate it well.