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Chicken Onigiri with Teriyaki Glaze and Nori Recipe

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4.3 from 83 reviews

Chicken Onigiri is a flavorful Japanese rice ball filled with tender, teriyaki-glazed chicken, wrapped in crisp nori seaweed. This recipe combines savory marinated chicken with seasoned sushi rice, offering a delicious and portable meal perfect for lunches or picnics.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings (4 onigiri rice balls)

Ingredients

Rice Mixture

  • 4 cups cooked sushi rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 tablespoons furikake (optional)

Chicken Marinade

  • 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken meat (preferably drumsticks), cut into small pieces
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sake (or water)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar

Cooking

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Assembly

  • 1 sheet nori (cut into small rectangles for wrapping)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the rice: After cooking the sushi rice, gently mix it with 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt and 2 tablespoons of furikake if using. This seasoning will add flavor and enhance the rice texture. It’s best to mix directly into the rice to ensure even taste distribution.
  2. Marinate the chicken: Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl with 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sake or water, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Mix well to coat and refrigerate for 30 minutes to tenderize and infuse flavor.
  3. Make the teriyaki sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, and 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves to create a sweet-savory glaze.
  4. Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink.
  5. Add garlic and glaze: Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the teriyaki sauce mixture and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze that coats the chicken well. Remove from heat.
  6. Shape the onigiri: Wet your hands with water to prevent rice from sticking. Scoop about 1/3 cup of the seasoned rice into your palm. Create a small indentation in the center and place 1 tablespoon of the cooked chicken filling inside. Add another 1/3 cup of rice on top and mold the rice around the filling into a triangle shape using your hands.
  7. Wrap with nori: Wrap each rice ball with a rectangle strip of nori seaweed for added flavor and easier handling.

Notes

  • Use fine salt rather than coarse salt for better seasoning distribution in the rice.
  • Furikake is optional but adds extra umami and texture to the rice.
  • Sake can be substituted with water if unavailable.
  • Wet your hands every time before handling rice to prevent sticking.
  • For best results, use freshly cooked and slightly cooled sushi rice that is still warm enough to mold easily but cool enough to handle.
  • Adjust the sweetness of the teriyaki glaze by increasing or decreasing brown sugar to taste.
  • Author: ELLA
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Lunch
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Japanese

Find it online: https://ellarecipe.com/chicken-onigiri-with-teriyaki-glaze-and-nori-recipe/