Oyako Donburi (親子丼ぶり)or Oyakodon (親子丼) in short is chicken and egg cooked in sweet and salty broth over steamed rice in a bowl. Chicken is simmered with vegetables such as green onions or brown onions, and is often garnished with various toppings. It’s easy to make at home, and can also be enjoyed at many different establishments such as soba restaurants, udon shops and diners in Japan.
What is Oyakodon?
Oyako means “parents and children,” referring to the combination of chicken and eggs in this dish. Also Donburi refers to a rice bowl dish served in a deep bowl. Chicken, onion, and eggs are cooked in a flavorful dashi broth, typically made with Katsuobushi (bonito flakes). The combined flavors of chicken and bonito infuse the broth, creating a synergistic effect that enhances the Umami of the broth.
The seasoning for Oyakodon varies by region of Japan. In Eastern Japan (Kanto or Tokyo area), the flavor tends to be sweeter with more Mirin, whereas in Western Japan (Kansai or Osaka area), the emphasis is on the strong, natural Dashi flavor without overly strong seasoning.
Oyakodon is a very common lunch dish at casual restaurants such as soba or udon shops in Japan. These establishments already prepare high-quality dashi broth for their noodle dishes, making it easy to add Oyakodon to their menu. However, the dish is also widely available at other establishments, such as old-style diners (shokudo, 食堂), supermarket delis, and convenience stores.
Ingredients and substitutions
- We used chicken thighs in our recipe for their rich flavor, but chicken breasts or chicken tenders are also commonly used. If you prefer a lighter taste, these cuts are great alternatives.
- Typically, onions are cooked with the chicken, but you can add other vegetables if you like. However, keep in mind that if you use vegetables with a high water content, such as Napa cabbage, you should adjust the amount of seasonings accordingly.
- Katsuobushi dashi is a great choice for the broth to make Oyakodon, but for convenience, you can also use instant dashi packets.
- Toppings for Oyakodon usually include sliced green onions or Mitsuba leaves to add a splash of color, but you can customize them to your taste. These toppings not only enhance the dish’s flavor but also make it enjoyable down to the last bite. Popular options include:
- Benishoga (pickled red ginger)
- Shredded nori (roasted seaweed)
- Shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili pepper blend)
- Sesame seeds
- Our recipe is designed for one serving, as it’s easier to prepare individually with a small pan. However, you can easily multiply the ingredients and cook a larger batch in a bigger pan to serve your entire family.
What to serve with Oyakodon?
Oyakodon is a compete meal in a bowl with good amount of chicken and egg for protein and steamed rice as carbohydrates. But you can add soup and vegetable dishes to make it into more satisfying meal, especially for dinner.
More recipes like Oyakodon
Video
A full recipe video is also available in the recipe box below and on our YouTube channel.
Oyakodon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Dashi
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Sake
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp Mirin
- 1/4 onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 chicken thigh (cut into bite size pieces)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 green onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup steamed rice
Instructions
- Add Dashi, sugar, Sake, soy sauce and Mirin in a pan. Heat until boiling.
- Add onion and cook for a minute at medium heat.
- Add chicken pieces to the pan and cook until the meat is cooked through.
- Beat egg in a small bowl and pour over the chicken and onion. Cover and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Slide egg and chicken with sauce over rice in a bowl. Sprinkle with green onion.
Video
This recipe was originally published in August 2012. The post was updated on February 12, 2025 with more useful content, new photos and a short video.
16 Comments
I just made Oyakodon for the first time using this recipe! おいしかったですね！！（＾＿＾）ありがとうございます！i am very happy that i succeeded on my first try. i will make this again soon for my family!
Mika,
thanks for trying our Oyakodon recipe! We have a lot of easy recipes, so come back soon!
I am very excited to do my grocery shopping this week because of your site. I found your instructions easy to understand and not intimidating to try. Thanks! ^_^/
Roxy,
thanks! Hope you like our recipes!
Lovely site. I spent a lot of time in Japan 20 years ago and I rarely find the same food in London unless you go to a very very expensive restaurant. We will try some of these recipes at home. One special request: Japanese food is famous for being very healthy. Please make a section on healthy options.
Amin,
Thanks for the comment! Hope you like our recipes!
Just tried making oyakodon last night using this recipe. My husband and son love it. Thank you for ur easy to follow recipe. Do you mind to recommended some other easy to cook food like this?
Jenna,
very similar one is salmon and egg Donburi. Gyudon is also a easy rice bowl recipe with beef.
Hi,
This recipe looks delicious! I just wanted to ask if there’s anything I can use in place of the sake. I go to college in a small town in Minnesota and there’s no way for me to get my hands on any cooking sake since there are no Asian grocers anywhere near my area. I can find mirin online but I can’t seem to find cooking sake. Is there something I can use as a substitute? Thanks!
I made this one last night… The recipe is very simple and the outcome has an authentic taste…. I ommit the dashi and sake (cause I dont have it), then I add some salt to the chicken… The result is stunning… Everybody love it… Thank you so muucchh…. 🙂
Panjita,
glad you liked our Oyakodon Recipe. Check out our new Katsudon recipe too!
What would be a good substitute for the dashi? Would chicken broth or water work?
Stacie,
it may be less flavorful, but water is ok.
I have a different recipe for this dish, that has you simmer 3 dried shiitake mushrooms in a cup of water and use the liquid, in place of dashi stock. If you can’t get bonito flakes to make dashi, it’s a viable substitute.
I sometimes make “cheater dashi” using water I’ve simmered for an hour with a piece of kombu kelp, and a fresh salmon head from my fishmonger. After the hour-long simmer I take out the kelp and add the salmon head, and simmer till done. Strain the broth and portion it for freezing. It’s not the same, of course, but I can’t afford bonito flakes all the time; where I live, they are enormously expensive!
Can you stop substituting things???