⏱ Prep: 20 min 🔥Cook: 15 min 👤Makes: 6–8 onigiri 🍱Best for: Lunchbox, snack
Chicken onigiri are the Japanese rice balls that show up in every convenience store in Japan and every bento box made with care, triangles of sticky short-grain rice wrapped in a strip of nori, filled with a small pocket of something warm and savory inside. This version uses a teriyaki-glazed chicken filling: small pieces of marinated chicken cooked until the soy, mirin and sugar reduce to a glossy, clingy glaze.
The shaping takes a few attempts before your hands know what they’re doing. The second batch always looks better than the first, and the first one still tastes exactly right.
Ingredients
For the rice
- 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, cooked according to package directions. Short-grain only, long-grain or jasmine rice won’t stick and the onigiri fall apart.
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, stirred into the warm rice; fine salt distributes evenly where coarse salt doesn’t
- 2 tablespoons furikake seasoning, optional but adds umami; stir into the rice or sprinkle on top after shaping
For the chicken filling
- 200g boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces, thigh stays juicier than breast; cut into pieces no larger than a thumbnail so they fit cleanly inside the rice ball
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce, for the marinade
- 1 tablespoon sake, or water if unavailable
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda, tenderizes the chicken quickly; can be skipped but the texture is noticeably better with it
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, for cooking
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce, for the teriyaki glaze
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
For assembly
- 3–4 nori sheets, cut into rectangles, cut each sheet into thirds or quarters for wrapping
- Cold water, for wetting your hands
Step by step
- Cook and season the rice. Cook the short-grain rice according to package directions. While still warm, stir in the salt and furikake if using. Let it cool slightly, it should be warm, not steaming hot, when you shape it.
- Marinate the chicken. Combine the chicken pieces with soy sauce, sake, baking soda and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 2–3 minutes until cooked through. Reduce heat to medium, add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce, mirin and brown sugar, stirring until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze that coats every piece. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.Keep the chicken pieces small, larger pieces create lumps inside the onigiri that are hard to seal around, and the filling can break through the rice while shaping.
- Shape the onigiri. Wet your hands thoroughly with cold water, this is the most important shaping step. Scoop about ⅓ cup of rice into your palm and press a small well into the center. Place 1 tablespoon of chicken filling in the well. Cover with another ⅓ cup of rice. Press and mold firmly with both hands into a triangle shape, rotating and reshaping until it holds together cleanly.Wet your hands again before each onigiri, dry hands mean the rice sticks to you rather than to itself. Press firmly enough to hold the shape but not so hard the rice turns dense and gummy. You want it compact, not compressed.
- Wrap with nori and serve. Wrap a strip of nori around the base of each triangle, pressing gently so it adheres. Add the nori just before eating if possible, nori pressed against warm rice for too long turns soft. Serve immediately, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap to pack for later.
Why the rice type is non-negotiable
Short-grain Japanese rice, sometimes labeled sushi rice at the grocery store, contains more starch than long-grain varieties, which is what makes it sticky enough to hold a shape once pressed. Jasmine, basmati or any long-grain rice simply won’t bind, and the onigiri will fall apart in your hands before you’ve finished shaping them.
If the bag doesn’t say short-grain or sushi rice, it’s the wrong rice.
Make it your own
Claire’s note
Chicken soboro is a popular alternative filling, ground chicken cooked in soy, mirin, sugar and sake until dry and crumbly, then mixed directly into the rice rather than used as a separate pocket filling. It’s quicker to shape since there’s no need to create a well. A small spoonful of Japanese mayo stirred into the chicken filling before it goes into the rice adds creaminess that makes a real difference. Onigiri freeze well individually wrapped in plastic (without the nori) for up to a month, defrost and add fresh nori before serving.
Serve with
Chicken onigiri are a complete snack or lunch on their own, best alongside miso soup, edamame or a light cucumber salad. For more from the Japanese collection the complete Japanese recipes guide and the Asian recipes collection have it all.
Add chicken onigiri to your weekly meal planner, make a double batch on Sunday and pack them for lunchboxes all week. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.
Print
Chicken Onigiri
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Diet: Non-Vegetarian
Description
Japanese rice balls filled with teriyaki-glazed chicken, perfect for lunchboxes or snacks.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, cooked according to package directions
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons furikake seasoning (optional)
- 200g boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce (for marinade)
- 1 tablespoon sake (or water if unavailable)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (for cooking)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce (for teriyaki glaze)
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3–4 nori sheets, cut into rectangles
- Cold water (for wetting hands)
Instructions
- Cook and season the rice. Cook the short-grain rice according to package directions. While still warm, stir in the salt and furikake if using. Let it cool slightly.
- Marinate the chicken. Combine chicken pieces with soy sauce, sake, baking soda, and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Cook the chicken. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 2–3 minutes until cooked through. Reduce heat and add garlic, stirring for 30 seconds. Pour in soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Shape the onigiri. Wet your hands thoroughly, scoop about ⅓ cup of rice into your palm, and press a small well into the center. Place 1 tablespoon of chicken filling in the well, cover with another ⅓ cup of rice, and press firmly into a triangle shape.
- Wrap with nori and serve. Wrap a strip of nori around each triangle, pressing gently. Serve immediately or pack for later.
Notes
Use only short-grain rice for best results. Onigiri freeze well without nori.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 onigiri
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
