Simple Chicken Karaage-don with Leftover Chicken
Quick and Easy Chicken Karaage-don using Leftover Chicken and Pantry Staples!
This recipe is for when you have leftover chicken! Many people on ‘Manque Recipe’ seem interested in using readily available ingredients and clearing out their refrigerators. Enjoy a delicious Chicken Karaage-don made with leftover chicken without even needing to go to Japan! It’s even more convenient and tastier if you use boneless chicken.
Ingredients- 400g warm cooked rice
- 8-12 pieces of leftover chicken
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 eggs
Seasoning- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin (sweet cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin (sweet cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your leftover chicken, the star of today’s dish. Any type of fried chicken or seasoned chicken works, but boneless chicken will make the process much easier and more enjoyable.
Step 2
Carefully remove the crispy coating from the chicken, or pull the meat into bite-sized pieces. If there are parts of the coating that are still delightfully crispy, they’ll add extra texture and flavor.
Step 3
Peel and rinse the onion, then slice it thinly into strips. The thinner the slices, the better they will absorb the sauce and contribute to the overall flavor.
Step 4
Heat about 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and 1 tablespoon of sugar, and stir-fry them together. Sautéing the onions with sugar helps to bring out their natural sweetness and creates a lovely caramelized flavor.
Step 5
Once the onions begin to turn translucent, add all the prepared leftover chicken pieces to the pan and stir-fry them with the onions. Make sure to keep stirring to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan.
Step 6
Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is well combined with the onions and slightly browned. If you prefer a bit of heat, you can add a pinch of chili flakes or red pepper powder at this stage and stir-fry briefly. (This step is optional.)
Step 7
After stir-frying for about 4 minutes, pour in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of mirin, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir gently to coat the ingredients evenly with the sauce. Cooking over medium-high heat will help the sauce thicken slightly and give the ingredients a nice sheen.
Step 8
Crack the 2 eggs into a small bowl. Use a fork or chopsticks to whisk them thoroughly until the yolks and whites are well combined.
Step 9
Pour the whisked egg mixture evenly over the chicken and onion mixture in the pan. Immediately cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to very low or off. Let it steam for about 40 seconds until the egg is softly cooked.
Step 10
Tip: Using too much egg can make the finished dish watery. For one serving, one egg is usually sufficient. For two servings, 2-3 eggs are generally recommended. (If you accidentally added too much egg, you can remove the lid and cook for a little longer over low heat to evaporate some moisture.)
Step 11
Spoon the warm, fluffy rice into your serving bowl. For an even better texture, try using slightly less water than usual when cooking the rice.
Step 12
Finally, artfully arrange the stir-fried chicken and egg mixture on top of the rice to complete your delicious Chicken Karaage-don! For an extra touch, you can garnish with shredded nori (seaweed) or chopped green onions, if desired.
