Chicken & Egg Rice Bowl (親子丼)
A soft, cozy rice bowl of oyakodon. Chicken and egg simmered in a light, naturally sweet broth.
Oyakodon (“parent and child rice bowl”) is a Japanese comfort food classic where chicken and egg are gently simmered and served over warm rice. This toddler-friendly version uses onion and shoyu koji for natural umami and sweetness — but includes simple alternatives for those without koji on hand.
Toddler-Friendly Oyakodon (親子丼)
Ingredients:
2 chicken fillets (those strips), diced small for toddler bites
¾ tsp shoyu koji (or ½ tsp soy sauce)
½ tsp mirin (optional – omit or replace for under 1 year)
½ small onion, thinly sliced
2 small eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup warm water + 1 tsp onion koji (or ¾ cup low-sodium veggie broth or kombu dashi)
1 bowl cooked Japanese short-grain rice
📌 Marinate chicken for 15–30 min with shoyu koji and mirin (or substitutes). No koji? Use a little soy sauce + fruit puree for a similar effect.
Instructions:
Make the broth
Stir 1 tsp onion koji into ¾ cup warm water. If not using koji, substitute with mild stock + a spoon of grated carrot or apple for sweetness.Simmer the onion
Add broth and sliced onion to a pan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.Add marinated chicken
Add diced chicken (marinated with shoyu koji + mirin or substitutions). Simmer gently until fully cooked — about 5–6 minutes.Add egg
Reduce heat to low. Pour in the beaten egg in a spiral. Cover and steam for 1.5 to 2.5 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit (covered) another 1–2 minutes to finish cooking.Serve
Spoon warm rice into bowls. Top with the egg and chicken mixture. Cool before serving.
How to Serve for Toddlers:
For 10–12 months: dice chicken finely and cook egg until fully set
For older toddlers: serve over rice with a spoon
Mix into porridge for babies still transitioning to texture
Cooking Tip: Silky Egg Texture (Toddler-Safe)
For that soft oyakodon feel, pour eggs slowly over the pan on low heat, then cover and steam gently. Let it rest off-heat to finish cooking. The result: soft, tender egg — like custard, not scrambled. For younger toddlers, let it cook a bit longer to fully set.
Note on Mirin:
Mirin contains alcohol, but it’s used in a very small amount and fully cooked off during simmering. If avoiding alcohol entirely, simply skip it or substitute with a splash of apple juice or grated pear.
No Koji? Try This:
If you don’t have onion or shoyu koji on hand, try these easy swaps:
Shoyu koji → ½ tsp soy sauce + ½ tsp mashed pear or apple
Onion koji broth → Veggie broth + 1 tsp grated carrot or a drop of mild miso
Ingredients:
Shoyu and onion koji are available at Waraya, Don Don Donki, or Citysuper in Hong Kong. For substitutions, use pantry basics like soy sauce, soft fruit, and homemade broth.
