Omurice (オムライス) is an incredibly popular dish in Japan that features chicken fried rice flavoured with sweet and tangy Japanese ketchup and blanketed with a soft and fluffy omelette. The flavours are deliciously comforting and it's quick and easy to make - it only takes 20 minutes! Serve it with a side salad for a flavourful and satisfying meal.
Despite the presence of an omelette, omurice considered a lunch or dinnertime meal. It is popular with all ages. It is tasty and easy to make with simple, nutritious ingredients, and children love the flavour of the tomato ketchup. This famous dish is often cooked at home and it can also be found at Western-style restaurants.
Pronounced 'omuraisu,' omu and raisu are derivatives of the Japanese pronunciation of the the French word omelette and the English word rice. Japanese omelette rice is a type of yōshoku (洋食), a sub-genre of Japanese cuisine that is influenced by food from the West. Yōshoku translates to 'Western-style food,' however, these dishes do not typically exist outside of Japan. The Western equivalent of this would be California rolls.
You should also try this creamy tomato chicken for another delicious example of a yōshoku dish. Or, try a tamago sando for another great Japanese food featuring eggs.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - Chicken breasts are better suited to omurice than chicken thighs. Just be careful to not overcook the pieces so that they don't turn out dry.
- Cooked Japanese short grain rice - Preferably cooked the day before and stored, covered, in the refrigerator overnight. This technique is popular with rice for use in stir fries as it dries out the grains just enough to help them not stick together while stir frying.
- Onion - For aromatics and flavour.
- Vegetable oil - Or your favourite neutral oil.
- Japanese ketchup - Japanese ketchup is much less sweet than the Western version. In fact, the flavour difference is significant enough that it cannot be used as a substitute. The most popular brand is Kagome.
- Japanese mayonnaise - This is made from egg yolk rather than whole egg like the Western version, giving it a richer flavour, more golden colour, and a custard-like texture. It also uses higher quality vinegars than the western kind - apple cider or rice vinegar rather than distilled. The most popular brand is Kewpie.
- Chicken bouillon powder
- Sugar
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Butter
- Eggs - Using eggs with a vibrant yellow yolk will give the omelette an extra lovely colour.
- Milk
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions
- Japanese mayonnaise - Normally I wouldn't recommend substituting this with Western-style mayonnaise as they are fairly different. However, because you use such a small amount and it is not a dominant flavour, it is fine in this omurice recipe.
Variations
- Protein - Although chicken breast is traditionally used in Japanese omelette rice, you can replace it with your protein of choice. Other options include beef, shrimp, bacon, ham, spam, fried hot dogs, and tofu.
- Vegetarian - To make a vegetarian omurice, replace the chicken bouillon with vegetable bouillon. And substitute the chicken with an equal amount of tofu or vegetables, such a mushrooms or bell peppers.
- Different style of omelette - Traditionally, omurice consisted of a very thin omelette wrapped around the rice. These days the more popular versions are the luscious scrambled egg version (this one) or another style where the omelette is left runny inside and cut to spill over the rice. There is also the Korean street food version called 'tornado omurice,' where the omelette is given a whirlwind shape using chopsticks in the pan.
- Add cheese - Mix some shredded cheese into the eggs before cooking the omelette.
- Add vegetables - While adding more vegetables really isn't necessary for omurice, it can be a great way to use up pantry items or get extra vitamins into children. Some popular options are mushrooms, peas, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli, green onion, edamame, or cabbage.
- Different fried rice or sauce - Although ketchup-flavoured rice is the standard to use in Japanese omelette rice, you can use any kind of fried rice. Other versions include:
- Japanese curry (omukarei/オムカレー)
- Hayashi rice (omuhayashi/オムハヤシ)
- Meat sauce (omumeato/オムミート)
- Taco rice (omutako/オムタコ) - found in the Okinawa region
- White sauce
- Korean-style with demi-glace sauce
- Noodles - The rice in omurice can be replaced with noodles, like in these versions with:
- Spaghetti (omusupa/オムスパ)
- Yakisoba (omusoba/オムソバ)
Instructions
Ketchup chicken rice
Prep by cutting the onion into a small dice and the chicken into small pieces about one centimetre.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet on medium heat then sauté the chicken and onion together until the outside of the chicken whitens and the onion begins to turn translucent.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the ketchup and chicken bouillon powder, followed by sugar, salt, and pepper, ensuing that they are well mixed in.
As soon as the chicken has cooked through, melt the butter in the pan.
Add your cooked rice and mix, making sure to coat every grain of rice with sauce. Sauté until the rice gets a slightly glossy sheen, then remove it from the heat.
Split the ketchup chicken rice evenly and pack it down into two small bowls. Place your serving plate upside down on top of the bowl.
Flip them both over together. When you remove the bowl, you will have a perfect dome of rice. But leave the bowl on top until the omelettes are ready to keep the rice warm.
Omelette
Note: You will be making each of the two omelettes separately, so these are the instructions for one omelette.
Crack two eggs into a small bowl and whisk them very well. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of Japanese mayonnaise then mix well. Don't worry about little lumps of mayonnaise remaining. These will melt when the omelette is cooking.
Note: You will want to use a small, non-stick frying pan. Preferably one with a bottom that is small enough to make the omelette just big enough to fully cover your ketchup chicken rice.
Heat the pan over high heat until it is very hot. Add a half tablespoon of butter and rotate the pan to coat it.
Immediately reduce the heat to low and pour in the egg mixture. Allow it to sit untouched for 5 seconds. Then you are going to use chopsticks to stir like crazy from the outside of the pan inwards, as much as you possibly can for just 10 seconds. The more you stir, the fluffier your omelette will be.
Let it set without touching it for another 10 seconds before removing the pan from the heat.
Use chopsticks to loosen the edges of the omelette from the pan. You're going to drape the omelette on top of your plated chicken rice, with the side that was touching the pan facing upwards.
Wipe the pan clean, then repeat the omelette making process for the other serving.
Finally, decorate your omurice with ketchup. Japanese ketchup comes in a squeeze bottle with a small tip that makes this easy. In fact, it's very popular to decorate Japanese omelette rice with cute messages or drawings.
Equipment
To make omurice, you will need some small mixing bowls, chopsticks, a skillet, and a small, non-stick frying pan. Preferably one with a bottom that is small enough to make the omelette just big enough to fully cover your ketchup chicken rice.
Storage
Store leftover omurice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips for success
- Be careful to not overcook the chicken. You want the pieces to be tender and not tough.
- Leave the bowl-molds on top of the rice until you are ready to plate the omelettes. This will keep the fried rice warm.
FAQ
Japan was introduced to Western-style foods, such as omelettes, during the last quarter of the 19th century. Omurice is said to have originated at Renga-tei, a restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo around the turn of the 20th century. This was the first Western-style restaurant in Japan, opening in 1895. It is still open today.
Omurice was created in Japan and later introduced to Korea during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945). It has since become a staple in Korea with some of their own variations, such as 'tornado omurice.'
O-mu-rai-su is pronounced 'o' as in 'over', 'mu' as in 'moot', 'rai' as in 'rye' but start the 'r' sound with the tip of your tongue touching roof of your mouth (this is not a native sound in English), and 'su' as in 'suit'.
Omurice (Japanese omelette rice) is made of chicken fried rice seasoned with sweet and tangy Japanese ketchup, which perfectly contrasts the pillowy blanket of scrambled egg omelette that rests on top. The primary flavours are ketchup, chicken, and egg.
📖 Recipe
Omurice (Japanese Omelette Rice)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Japanese
Description
Omurice (オムライス) is an incredibly popular dish in Japan that features chicken fried rice flavoured with sweet and tangy Japanese ketchup and blanketed with a soft and fluffy omelette.
Ingredients
Chicken Rice:
½ cup (70g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 cm pieces
¼ onion, diced small
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups (350g) cooked Japanese short grain rice
3 ½ tablespoons Japanese ketchup*
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon (14g) butter
Omelette (2):
4 eggs
¼ cup (60ml) milk
2 teaspoons Japanese mayonnaise
1 tablespoon (14g) butter
Instructions
Ketchup Chicken Rice:
Prep by cutting the onion into a small dice and the chicken into small pieces about one centimetre.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet on medium heat then sauté the chicken and onion together until the outside of the chicken whitens and the onion begins to turn translucent.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the ketchup and chicken bouillon powder, followed by sugar, salt, and pepper, ensuing that they are well mixed in.
As soon as the chicken has cooked through, melt the butter in the pan.
Add your cooked rice and mix, making sure to coat every grain of rice with sauce. Sauté until the rice gets a slightly glossy sheen, then remove it from the heat.
Split the ketchup chicken rice evenly and pack it down into two small bowls. Place your serving plate upside down on top of the bowl.
Flip them both over together. When you remove the bowl, you will have a perfect dome of rice. But leave the bowl on top until the omelettes are ready to keep the rice warm.
Omelette:
Note: You will be making each of the two omelettes separately, so these are the instructions for one omelette.
Crack two eggs into a small bowl and whisk them very well. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of Japanese mayonnaise then mix well. Don't worry about little lumps of mayonnaise remaining. These will melt when the omelette is cooking.
Note: You will want to use a small, non-stick frying pan. Preferably one with a bottom that is small enough to make the omelette just big enough to fully cover your ketchup chicken rice.
Heat the pan over high heat until it is very hot. Add a half tablespoon of butter and rotate the pan to coat it.
Immediately reduce the heat to low and pour in the egg mixture. Allow it to sit untouched for 5 seconds. Then you are going to use chopsticks to stir like crazy from the outside of the pan inwards, as much as you possibly can for just 10 seconds. The more you stir, the fluffier your omelette will be.
Let it set without touching it for another 10 seconds before removing the pan from the heat.
Use chopsticks to loosen the edges of the omelette from the pan. You're going to drape the omelette on top of your plated chicken rice, with the side that was touching the pan facing upwards.
Wipe the pan clean, then repeat the omelette making process for the other serving.
Finally, decorate your omurice with ketchup. Japanese ketchup comes in a squeeze bottle with a small tip that makes this easy. In fact, in Japan it's very popular to decorate omurice with cute messages or drawings.
Notes
Japanese ketchup is much less sweet than the Western version. In fact, the flavour difference is significant enough that it cannot be used as a substitute. The most popular brand is Kagome.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 667
- Sugar: 11.9 g
- Sodium: 1084.6 mg
- Fat: 32.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 68.6 g
- Protein: 29.6 g
- Cholesterol: 446.3 mg
Keywords: omurice
Autumn says
Really unique and delicious.
Asha says
Thanks!
Selena says
Extremely good tasting.
Asha says
Thanks! 😀
Jess says
Nice change from my normal mushroom and mozza. Will definitely make again.
Asha says
Thank you 🙂
Nathan says
A great way to start a cool, rainy day. Hits the spot.
Asha says
Agreed. Thank you 🙂
Brittany says
Yummy and filling.
Asha says
Thanks 😀
Kairi says
Very delicious - thanks for sharing.
Asha says
Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Ricki says
Made for brunch for a friend and myself. Very satisfying meal.
Asha says
Thanks for the review 🙂
Nav says
Fantastic flavour
Asha says
Thank you!
Tobi says
Excellent for brunch. Filling too.
Asha says
Thanks so much 🙂
Tami says
My teen sons were delighted with this omelette. They asked for me to make them again tomorrow.
Asha says
Awesome. So glad they enjoyed it 🙂
James says
Wow. Great tasting recipe.
Asha says
Thanks so much 🙂
Mike says
Loved this. I need a bit of practice to get the omlette directly over the dome of rice.
Not to worry as so deliicious I will be making often.
Asha says
Thanks Mike, you can also very carefully 'lift and shift' if you don't get it placed right on the first try.
Brad says
I think I found my 'happy place' - mornings with this omelette. Totally pleasing. Totally satisfying,
Asha says
Thanks! And thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Rick says
Best omelette ever. I will be making this often.
Asha says
Thanks so much 🙂
Travis says
This omelette recipe takes it out of the ballpark. Definitely a delight to the tastebuds.
Asha says
Thank you! 🙂
Oli says
So good.
Asha says
Thanks!
Rita says
I am not a big eater. I kept the rest for my work lunch. Not complaining this meal is delicious.
Asha says
Thank you 🙂
Mandy says
What a great way to start my day. Turned out 'delicious'.
Asha says
Thanks!
Nina says
Maybe not the normal time for an omelette but I am so glad I made it for my dinner.
Totally filling and delicious.
Asha says
Thanks Nina 🙂 I've actually seen people eating this dish at all times of the day in Japan, so not strange at all!
Nick says
Awesome dish. Enjoyed every bite.
Asha says
Thanks so much!
Luke says
Great recipe. Very filling.
Asha says
Thanks! 🙂
Brooklyn says
I found some of the Japanese ketchup. You were right. Much different.
This omelette is so tasty and really could be served for any meal of the day.
Asha says
Thanks so much Rebecca 🙂
Terri says
This omelette is very delicious and filling.
Asha says
Thank you 🙂
Joel says
Just made this for brunch. Tasted great.
Asha says
That's great, thank you 🙂
Jackie says
Made omurice this morning. I really enjoyed it. Makes two meals for me; which is good as I love leftovers.
Asha says
Thank you. So glad you liked it 🙂