Chicken Onigiri
A pocket-sized pleasure that packs a punch of flavor in every bite. It consists of sticky Japanese rice molded into a triangular or circular shape and filled with seasoned chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 200kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups short-grain rice
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs diced
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 Nori sheets cut into strips
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Cook the rice according to package instructions or using a rice cooker for best results.
- In a bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, sake, sesame oil, sugar, and salt to create a marinade.
- Toss the diced chicken in the marinade, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- Wet your hands with water to prevent the rice from sticking. You can moisten your hands with a mixture of water and a little salt. It adds flavor to the outside of the onigiri and can also help with shaping.
- Take a small handful of warm cooked rice and place it in the palm of your hand.
- Make an indentation in the center and place a spoonful of the cooked chicken.
- Encase the filling with rice and shape it into a triangle or ball. Press gently but firmly to ensure it holds together.
- Wrap the onigiri with a strip of nori. This adds a nice flavor and helps hold the rice together.
- Repeat the process until all the chiken mixture is used.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of each Onigiri for an extra layer of flavor and crunch. Serve the onigiri warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Shaping onigiri can be a bit tricky at first, here are some tips for forming perfect onigiri:
- Use Warm Rice slightly cooled rice. Cold rice tends to be firmer and can be more challenging to shape.
- Ensure an even distribution of the filling within the rice ball. This helps in creating a balanced flavor in each bite.
- Use enough grip when holding rice because if you hold it too tightly the rice will become hard and inedible.
- If you're finding it challenging to shape the onigiri by hand, you can use plastic wrap to help mold the rice. Place a small amount of rice and filling in the center of the plastic wrap, then use it to shape the onigiri.
- If you're making triangular onigiri, start by forming a ball and then shape it into a triangle. This can be easier than trying to form a perfect triangle from the beginning.
- Don't get discouraged if your first few onigiri aren't perfect. Like any skill, shaping onigiri improves with practice.
- If you're finding it challenging to shape the onigiri by hand, you can use plastic wrap to help mold the rice. Place a small amount of rice and filling in the center of the plastic wrap, then use it to shape the onigiri.
- If you're making triangular onigiri, start by forming a ball and then shape it into a triangle. This can be easier than trying to form a perfect triangle from the beginning.
- Don't get discouraged if your first few onigiri aren't perfect. Like any skill, shaping onigiri improves with practice. Love this recipe?Let us know how it turned out!