Omurice - Japanese Rice Omelet

Omurice Description

Japanese Omurice (オムライス) is a thin, soft-cooked omelette wrapped around seasoned Japanese ketchup rice (ケチャップライス) or chicken rice (チキンライス). The name itself is a catchy Japanese loanword that blends “omelette” and “rice.” This Western-style dish is unique to Japan, as it doesn’t exist in American or European cuisine. Several restaurants in Japan claim to have created omurice in the early 1900s. However, it was in 1925 that a chef in Osaka at a Western-style diner called Hokkyokusei created a dish very similar to the omurice that we know and love today.

Omurice Ingredients

• Large eggs
• Cooked Japanese short-grain rice — warm; you can reheat frozen rice if you have it
• Chicken thigh — stays juicier and more flavorful compared to chicken breast
• Onion
• Green peas
• Ketchup — the classic seasoning for chicken rice (ketchup rice); I highly recommend KAGOME brand Japanese ketchup
• Worcestershire sauce — adds complexity to the rice; you can substitute it with tonkatsu sauce or soy sauce
• Butter — adds a rich and creamy texture to the rice and omelette

How to Make Omurice

1. Cook the chicken rice: Stir-fry the chicken and onion, then season them with ketchup. Let the excess moisture evaporate first, then add the steamed rice. Toss to combine and set aside. Alternatively, you can make my Rice Cooker Chicken Rice ahead of time and freeze individual portions so you can start making an omelette right away!
2. Cook the omelette: Beat the eggs and salt and strain them through a fine-mesh strainer. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the egg mixture. Stir the eggs constantly with a pair of chopsticks while you shake the pan to make soft, small curds.
3. Assemble the omurice: When the eggs are half-cooked, place the chicken rice in the center of the omelette. Move the pan to a wet cloth to cool it. Wrap both sides of the omelette around the rice in an oval shape. Invert the omurice onto a plate and fix the shape with a paper towel. Pour the sauce or drizzle a zigzag pattern of ketchup onto the omurice.