Yakitori Chicken One-Pot Rice! High-Protein & Delish Weeknight Dinners

Hello from Japan!

Today, we’re sharing a recipe that combines two Japanese favorites: savory-sweet yakitori chicken and perfectly cooked rice. The best part? It’s all made in a single pot! This “Yakitori-Style One-Pot Rice” is packed with flavor, easy to make, and saves you time on cleanup. The delicious chicken drippings and yakitori tare (sauce) get absorbed by the rice as it cooks, creating an incredibly rich and satisfying meal.

This hearty dish also packs about 45g of protein per serving, making it a perfect post-workout meal or a fulfilling dinner.

Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients (For 1 serving)

Main Components

• Chicken Thigh: 200g (approx. 7 oz), skin-on or off

• Japanese Long Onion (Negi) or Green Onions: 30g (approx. 1 oz)

• Shishito Peppers: 30g (approx. 1 oz)

• Vegetable Oil: 1 Tbsp

Yakitori Tare (Sauce)

• Soy Sauce: 1.5 Tbsp

• Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine): 1.5 Tbsp

• Sugar: 1.5 tsp

For the Rice

• Japanese Short-Grain Rice: 75g (approx. 1/3 US cup)

• Water: 100ml (approx. 0.42 US cups, or just under 1/2 cup)

• Soy Sauce: 1 tsp

• Mirin: 1 tsp

• Sugar: A pinch

Topping (Optional)

• Shredded Nori (Seaweed)

Instructions

1. Prepare Your Ingredients

• Cut the chicken and negi (long onion) into bite-sized pieces.

• Make a small slit in each shishito pepper with the tip of a knife to prevent them from bursting.

• If using, cut the nori into thin strips with scissors.

• Wash the rice in a bowl, changing the water until it runs mostly clear. Drain it very well.

• In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the Yakitori Tare (1.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 Tbsp mirin, 1.5 tsp sugar) until the sugar dissolves.

2. Cook the Chicken and Vegetables

• Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until both sides are lightly browned.

• Add the negi and stir-fry until coated in oil.

• Pour in the prepared Yakitori Tare and add the shishito peppers.

3. Simmer and Set Aside

• Simmer everything together, coating the chicken in the sauce. The shishito peppers will cook quickly; remove them after about 1 minute once they become tender and set them aside.

• Continue simmering until the chicken is fully cooked and the negi is soft. Remove the chicken and negi from the pot and set them aside with the peppers.

4. Reduce the Sauce

• Leave the remaining sauce in the pot. Bring it to a boil for about 1 minute to reduce it slightly until it thickens just a little. Pour this reduced sauce into a small bowl and set it aside for later.

5. Cook the Rice in the Same Pot

• Do not wash the pot! The leftover flavor is key. Add the well-drained rice to the pot.

• Pour in the water, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp mirin, and a pinch of sugar. Stir everything together well.

6. Steam the Rice

• Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, immediately turn the heat down to low, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the water is fully absorbed. (A good sign is when you can smell a faint, toasty aroma from the bottom of the pot).

• Turn off the heat and let the rice steam with the lid on for 10 more minutes. This step makes the rice extra fluffy, but you can open it right away if you’re in a hurry.

7. Assemble and Serve!

• Fluff the cooked rice with a spoon or rice paddle. Place it in a bowl.

• Top the rice with the optional shredded nori, the cooked chicken, negi, and shishito peppers.

• Drizzle the reduced yakitori sauce from Step 4 over everything.

• Mix it all together as you eat and enjoy your delicious one-pot meal!

We hope you love this easy and authentic Japanese recipe. For a step-by-step visual guide, be sure to check out the full video on our YouTube channel!

Happy cooking, and Itadakimasu