Cabbage and Mochiko Chicken Rice Bowl! Busy Weeknight? Dinner Solved!
Hello from Japan!
Today, I’m so excited to share a recipe that’s a true crowd-pleaser: Mochiko Chicken Donburi. If you love crispy fried chicken, this one has a special twist. We use mochiko, a sweet rice flour, which gives the chicken an incredibly light, crispy, and slightly chewy crust that is absolutely addictive.
We’ll place this amazing chicken on a bed of fluffy rice and serve it with a crunchy, savory-sweet cabbage stir-fry. The combination of textures and flavors makes for a perfectly balanced and satisfying meal in one bowl (donburi).
Plus, it’s a protein powerhouse with 43g, making it as healthy as it is delicious! 🍚✨
This blog post has all the ingredients and steps to help you follow along with my YouTube video. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
(Serves 1)
For the Mochiko Chicken:
Chicken Thigh or Breast: 200g (about 7 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
Soy Sauce: 1 tsp (5 ml)
Sake: 1 tsp (5 ml)
Mirin: 1 tsp (5 ml)
Salt: a pinch
Grated Garlic: 1/2 tsp
Mochiko (Glutinous Rice Flour): 3 tbsp
Vegetable Oil: for frying
For the Crunchy Cabbage:
Cabbage: 100g (about 3.5 oz), roughly chopped
Vegetable Oil: 1 tsp (5 ml)
Soy Sauce: 1 tsp (5 ml)
Honey: 1/2 tsp
For the Tare Sauce:
Soy Sauce: 2 tbsp
Sugar: 1 tbsp
Mirin: 1 tsp (5 ml)
Honey: 1 tsp
For Assembly:
Cooked Japanese Rice: 1 large bowl (as much as you like!)
Instructions
Here is the simple, step-by-step guide to making your donburi.
1. Marinate the Chicken
In a bowl, combine the bite-sized chicken pieces with soy sauce, sake, mirin, salt, and grated garlic. Mix well to coat every piece. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the Sauce & Cabbage
While the chicken is marinating, whisk together all the ingredients for the Tare Sauce (soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and honey) in a small bowl. Next, roughly chop your cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
3. Cook the Crunchy Cabbage
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until it’s slightly wilted but still has a nice crunch. Season with soy sauce and honey, give it one last stir, and transfer it to a plate.
4. Thicken the Tare Sauce
Wipe the pan clean and pour in the Tare Sauce mixture. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds until it thickens slightly. Pour the sauce back into its bowl and set aside.
5. Fry the Mochiko Chicken
Coat the marinated chicken pieces thoroughly in the mochiko flour, shaking off any excess. Heat about 1-2 cm (½ inch) of oil in the clean pan over medium heat. Carefully place the chicken in the pan, ensuring not to overcrowd it. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to drain any excess oil.
6. Assemble Your Donburi!
Fill a large bowl with a generous portion of hot cooked rice. Drizzle a little of the Tare Sauce over the rice. Top with the crunchy cabbage, then dip each piece of crispy chicken into the Tare Sauce before arranging it over the cabbage. For extra flavor, drizzle any remaining sauce over the top. Enjoy immediately!
And there you have it! A beautiful and incredibly delicious Mochiko Chicken Donburi. The contrast between the crispy chicken, crunchy cabbage, and sweet and savory sauce is just perfect.
For a complete visual guide, be sure to watch the full video on my YouTube channel. If you make this, let me know how it turned out in the comments!
Happy cooking
