Omurice (Japanese omelette rice)
Cuisine: Japanese
Region: 日本各地
Servings: 2人分
Omurice (Japanese omelette rice), also called Japanese omelette rice / ketchup fried rice omelette. Omurice, or Japanese omelette rice, wraps ketchup-fried chicken rice in a soft omelette—a yoshoku classic born in Japan.
At a glance
Time: about 30 min · Serves 2 · Difficulty: medium · ≈ 550–650 kcal per plate (estimate)
Omurice (Japanese omelette rice), also called Japanese omelette rice / ketchup fried rice omelette. Omurice, or Japanese omelette rice, wraps ketchup-fried chicken rice in a soft omelette—a yoshoku classic born in Japan. Cafés and home cooks love the zigzag ketchup or demiglace finish; if wrapping feels hard, simply drape a soft omelette over the rice.
Ingredients
- Cooked rice (cold leftover OK) 2 bowls (about 300–350g)
- Chicken thigh (or breast) 100g
- Onion 1/2 (about 100g)
- Ketchup 3–4 tbsp (for frying) + more to finish
- Salt and pepper a pinch
- Neutral oil or butter 1 tbsp
- Eggs 4 (2 per person)
- Milk (or cream) 2 tbsp
- Butter (for eggs) 10g
- Parsley or green onion (garnish) to taste
- Demiglace (optional) to taste
Steps
- Cut chicken into 1cm cubes and season with salt and pepper. Dice the onion 5mm. Fluff the rice.
- Heat oil or butter; stir-fry chicken over medium until the surface changes, then add onion and cook until soft.
- Add rice and stir until separate; mix in 3–4 tbsp ketchup until evenly colored. Season with salt and pepper; shape into two oval mounds (or push to the side of the pan).
- Beat 2 eggs with 1 tbsp milk (one serving). Melt butter in another pan; pour eggs over medium–medium-high and stir broadly to soft-set, leaving the center creamy, then turn off.
- Drape the omelette over the chicken rice, or wrap the rice inside. Zigzag ketchup or spoon demiglace; sprinkle parsley. Repeat for the second serving.
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Notes
Cold leftover rice fries fluffier. With hot rice, cook a bit longer to drive off moisture.
Stop the eggs while still soft for fluffy omurice; overcooking turns them rubbery.
If wrapping is hard, plate the rice and top with a separately cooked omelette—“nose” omurice still tastes great.
A teaspoon of Worcestershire in the ketchup rice adds depth. Demiglace gives a yoshoku-shop look.
For kids use more ketchup; for adults lean on salt and pepper and keep it less sweet.
Time and temperature
Stir-fry chicken and onion medium ~5–7 min · Ketchup rice medium 3–4 min · Omelette medium–medium-high 45–90 sec to soft-set center
Nutrition
600 kcal · Protein 28 g · Fat 24 g · Carbs 70 g
1 plate (rice + omelette), estimate for 2 servings
Substitutes
- Chicken → ham, shrimp, or vegetables only
- Ketchup → tomato puree + pinch sugar + splash Worcestershire
- Milk in eggs → cream or water
- Demiglace → extra ketchup zigzag
- Butter → neutral oil
Storage
Ketchup rice keeps refrigerated 1–2 days; reheat in a skillet before topping with a freshly cooked omelette. Assembled omurice softens—better to store rice and cook eggs to order. Freezing cooked omelette is not recommended.
FAQ
- Why is my omurice omelette rubbery?
- Eggs cooked past soft-set. Stop while the center is still creamy; residual heat finishes them on the rice.
- How do I wrap omurice without tearing?
- Use a well-buttered pan, keep the omelette slightly underdone, or skip wrapping and lay it on top (nose-style).
- Can I use leftover rice for omurice?
- Yes—cold leftover rice fries fluffier. Hot fresh rice needs a bit longer to drive off moisture.
- What sauce goes on omurice?
- Classic is ketchup zigzag; demiglace gives a Western-restaurant look. A dash of Worcestershire in the rice adds depth.
- Can I pack omurice for lunchboxes?
- Pack the ketchup rice ahead and cook a fresh omelette in the morning, or serve nose-style to avoid soggy wraps.
Origin and history
Omurice wraps ketchup-fried chicken rice in a soft omelette—a Japanese-born yoshoku classic. Loved in cafés and home kitchens, with zigzag ketchup or demiglace for playful plating.
As Western cooking spread in Meiji–Taisho Japan, egg-and-rice dishes appeared and Tokyo and Osaka yoshoku shops settled the name “omurice.” After the war it became an easy skillet meal for all ages.
At home you needn’t master wrapping; soft eggs over rice are common. Ham or vegetables can replace chicken, and it’s a great leftover-rice remake. Sauce and egg doneness are endlessly adjustable.