Sweet and spicy kimchi with tender bites of chicken thigh all brought together with soft, creamy egg. This Kimchi Oyakodon was something I cooked up when I was looking for more flavourful and fun versions of Oyakodon, and what’s more, it’s easy to make and can be ready in 30 minutes!
Although I love Oyakodon for its simplicity, somedays I want a dinner that hits me in the face with flavour. Enter, Kimchi Oyakodon. Cooking this fills the kitchen with the aromas of a Seoul street market, but also of my Obachan’s kitchen. Two places I love to be!
I visited Seoul in the Summer of 2024 and I wrote a list of everything I wanted to eat, and I devoured my way through the city. Everything was so delicious, but I couldn’t get through the whole list. One day I will return and finish it off…
Whilst in Korea I learnt how versatile kimchi and gochujang are. I love to make Gochujang Tamagoyaki for breakfast when I’m in the mood for something a bit sweet and spicy for brekkie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oyakodon is a classic home-style Japanese meal, typically served for lunch or dinner. The chicken is cooked in a lightly seasoned dashi broth with onions and then egg is poured on top to bind everything together.
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables. The most common variation is with napa cabbage and is typically seasoned with gochugaru, salt, garlic, ginger, green onions, fish sauce and salted shrimp.
Gochujang is a Korean condiment which has a thick consistency and has a sweet and slightly spicy flavour. It is made from gochugaru (a type of red chilli), glutinous rice, fermented soy beans and salt.
Yes you can! Just use water instead of dashi stock or add in your favourite stock.
Tips and Tricks
- Coat tablespoon in neutral oil – the gochujang is very thick and it can be tricky to get all that paste off the spoon. Coating it in a thin layer of oil helps release the gochujang.
- Add sliced red chilli – if you’re a spice lover like me, slice some red chilli and add it at the end. The kimchi and gochujang are already somewhat spicy but adding the chilli adds another fresh boost!
- Use Leftover rice – If you have leftover rice in the fridge/freezer, this meal is totally doable in less than 30 minutes.
Kimchi Oyakodon (Kimchi, Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)
Equipment
- 1 Small frying pan with a lid for single serving OR Medium sized pan with lid for 2 servings
- 1 Small Jug (For the eggs)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 servings cooked white rice
- 2 chicken thighs (sliced into bitesized pieces)
- 1/2 sliced onion
- 1/2 cup kimchi (120 grams)
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 3 large eggs
Marinade
- 1 tsp cooking sake
- 1 pinch salt
Seasonings
- 150 ml dashi stock (substitute for any other stock)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar
Garnish
- 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup grated mozzarella
- 1 sliced green onion
Instructions
- Traditionally Oyakodon is cooked per serving in a donburi pan, which makes it easier to slide on top of the rice. You can replicate this by using a small frying pan and halving the ingredients OR cook the whole thing in a larger frying pan and spoon out the mixture. This recipe will cook two servings in a larger pan.
- Prepare rice – see notes for a link to a blog post about cooking Japanese rice.
- Slice the chicken thighs into small bite sized pieces and marinate them in the cooking sake and salt.
- Cut the onion into slices (vertically) and set aside.
- Place the kimchi into a small mixing bowl and chop up into smaller pieces using scissors. Add in the gochujang and mix well.
- Combine the dashi, mirin, sugar and soy sauce and set aside.
- Prepare the eggs by cracking them into a small jug and gently pop the yolks. You don't want to fully combine the egg as Oyakodon typically has a marble pattern made from the different parts of the egg.
- In your frying pan, add a small amount of neutral oil and fry the kimchi/gochujang mixture for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly thicker. Make sure to keep mixing so it doesn't burn.
- Once the kimchi mixture has cooked a bit, add in the onion and dashi stock. Simmer on a medium heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are semi-translucent.
- Once the onions are done, add in the chicken thigh and arrange evenly around the pan. Cook on a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until halfway cooked. Flip the chicken an cook the other side for the same amount of time.
- One the chicken is cooked, turn down the heat and gently pour over the egg mixture. Cover with a lid and cook for about 2 minutes. Traditionally the egg is not cooked for long and is very soft, this results in a creamier dish. If you prefer well done eggs, cook for longer.
- Just before your eggs are done, add in the grated cheddar and mozzarella and cover for about 30 seconds, or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the rice in a bowl and crown it with the topping, garnish with sliced spring onion and enjoy!
Notes
- First wash and rinse the rice two times, then add more water to the pan and soak for 20-30 minutes.
- Discard the soaking water then add equal parts fresh water to the pot (1:1 or 1:2 ratio of rice and water is ideal). On a high heat and uncovered, cook the rice and as soon as you see bubbles, cover with a lid and cook on a low heat until there is no more water. This will take about 10-11 minutes for this recipe)
- Once there is no more water (you can test this if you have a glass lid by carefully tipping the pot on its side and see if any water seeps out), switch off the heat but keep the lid on and let steam for about 15 minutes.
- Fluff up your rice with a wooden spoon with a gentle scraping motion.
Looking For More Recipes?
I eat rice almost everyday so it’s no surprise that I have many rice recipes on my blog. I love to make Japanese mushroom rice and make it into onigiri (rice balls) or this Naked Japanese “Fried” Chicken rice bowl is one of my go to easy and flavourful meals!
