Description
Chicken Onigiri brings Japanese comfort right to your kitchen with simple ingredients and quick prep. Grab some rice, shape these delightful hand-held treats, and savor a tasty snack that transports you straight to Tokyo’s street food scene.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups cooked Japanese rice
- 3⅓ ounces ground chicken
Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sake or dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
Garnish:
- 4 strips nori seaweed
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3⅓ ounces ground chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces until completely browned.
- Pour 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sake, and ½ teaspoon grated ginger into the pan. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes until the liquid reduces and coats the chicken.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Dampen your hands with water to prevent rice from sticking. Grab a handful of warm cooked rice, about ½ cup.
- Press the rice gently into a flat disc on your palm, creating a small indentation in the center.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of cooled chicken filling into the rice’s center. Carefully fold the rice around the filling.
- Shape the rice into a compact triangle or round ball, ensuring the filling remains sealed inside.
- Wrap each onigiri with a single strip of nori seaweed, pressing the seaweed to adhere to the rice.
- Serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap for later enjoyment.
Notes
- Wetted hands prevent rice from sticking when shaping onigiri, so keep a small bowl of water nearby for easy handling.
- Short-grain Japanese rice works best for holding together, but you can substitute with sushi rice if needed.
- Warm the chicken filling slightly before adding to rice to enhance flavor melding and make shaping easier.
- Store onigiri wrapped in plastic wrap or sealed container in refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but consume at room temperature for best taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 271 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 6.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg