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Chicken and Egg Donburi (Oyakodon)

Chicken and Egg Donburi (Oyakodon) reads umami 5.6, sweetness 5.2 and salinity 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 45 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 2.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.6 · Sweetness 5.2 · Salinity 5.1 · Allium 3.9 · Funk & Ferment 2.9 · Richness 2.6 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Earthy 1.2 · Sourness 0.8 · Bitterness 0.7 · Nutty 0.7 · Floral 0.5

What's in it (11)

• short-grain rice — 266 g
• water — 414 g
• boneless chicken — 567 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 237 g
• soy sauce — 59 g
• mirin — 44 g
• granulated sugar — 25 g
• salt — 3 g
• eggs — 500 g
• scallions — 400 g

Time & effort: about 45 min (34 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 108 kcal, 10.1 g protein, 2.7 g fat, 10.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until it runs clear; drain well. Combine with the water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the water is fully absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. While the rice cooks, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
3. Heat a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and the broth mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until the onion is just tender, 3-4 minutes.
4. Nestle the chicken pieces into the onion mixture in a single layer, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165 F, 6-7 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the white scallion parts over the chicken. Pour the beaten eggs evenly over the top, cover, and cook undisturbed until the eggs are just set but still glossy and slightly custardy in the center, 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it sit, covered, off the heat for 1 minute — residual heat finishes setting the eggs without turning them rubbery.
7. Divide the fluffed rice among bowls, slide a portion of the chicken-and-egg mixture with its juices over each, and scatter with the green scallion tops. Serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Katsudon (カツ丼) — Japanese
• Oyakodon (親子丼) — Japanese
• Vegetable Tempura Udon Soup — Japanese
• Yaki Udon with Chicken and Vegetables — Japanese
• Beef Gyudon (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl) — Japanese

Keep reading: what umami, sweetness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.