Chicken Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

Chicken onigiri is an easy, comforting food that is perfect for a meal or snack. There is sweet savory ground chicken with a hint of ginger mixed into warm Japanese rice.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Main

Cuisine Japanese

Servings people

Calories 249 kcal

Equipment

cling wrap

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sesame oil
3⅓ ounces ground chicken
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake or dry white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon grated ginger
4 cups cooked Japanese rice
4 strips nori seaweed

Instructions

Heat up the sesame oil in a small pan. Cook the ground chicken until it starts to change its color.
Lower the heat and add in the tamari soy sauce, sake, sugar and grated ginger. Cook until the mix is no longer saucy.
Mix the cooked chicken into rice.
Split the chicken rice into four and place each on a piece of cling wrap. Wrap gently, then shape into triangles. Alternatively, you can wet both of your hands and shape into triangles.
Wrap the rice balls with nori seaweed upon serving. Optional: top with white toasted sesame.

Notes

Separate out the ground chicken with a spatula while cooking. Smaller the pieces are, easier to make them blend into the rice.

Cook off the moisture in the chicken well. This helps to avoid the rice getting soggy.

Shape the rice balls while the rice is warm. Once it cools, it becomes harder to stick together.

Nutrition

Serving: 1rice ballCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 8gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 275mgPotassium: 158mgFiber: 2gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 52IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg

The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.