Tsukune Don, Japanese Chicken Meatball Rice Bowl (46g Protein)
Tsukune is the Japanese chicken meatball, usually grilled on a skewer and brushed with a sweet soy glaze. This rice bowl version gives you about 46 grams of protein per serving, from chicken thigh, one egg in the mixture and a raw yolk on top.
It takes 30 minutes in one skillet and uses a four-ingredient glaze. I like it on busy nights because the patties are shaped once and cook all at the same time, no skewers or grill needed.
Why this works
Mixing the ground chicken by hand for a full minute is the step that matters. It pulls out the sticky proteins that bind the patty, so the tsukune stays bouncy and juicy instead of crumbly. Panko and egg add a little softness, and thigh meat keeps them from drying out.
The glaze goes in only after the patties are browned. Sugar and mirin burn quickly, so adding them at the end lets you reduce the sauce into a shiny coat in about 3 minutes. Covering the pan briefly cooks the centers through without scorching the outside.
Ingredient notes
Ground chicken: Thigh meat is best. If your store only sells ground chicken breast, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the mixture and expect about 4 grams more protein per serving but a drier bite.
Mirin and sake: Mirin gives the glaze its gloss. If you have none, use 1 tablespoon extra water and 1 extra teaspoon of sugar. Sake can be replaced with water.
Raw yolk: Traditional, but optional. Use the freshest eggs you can buy, or skip it and add a soft-boiled egg instead. Pregnant or immunocompromised eaters should skip the raw yolk.
Tsukune Don (Japanese Chicken Meatball Rice Bowl)
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the ground chicken, beaten egg, panko, scallion whites, ginger and 1 teaspoon soy sauce in a bowl. Mix with your hand for about a minute until the mixture turns sticky and holds together. Wet your hands and shape into 8 oval patties, about 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) thick.
- Stir the 2 tablespoons soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes without moving them, until the bottoms are deep golden. Flip and cook 3 minutes more.
- Pour the tare over the patties, lower the heat slightly, and cover for 2 minutes so the chicken cooks through. Uncover and cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning the patties, until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze and the centers reach 74C (165F).
- Divide the rice between two bowls. Top each with four patties, spoon over the remaining glaze, and make a small well in the rice for an egg yolk.
- Finish with the scallion greens, nori and sesame seeds. Break the yolk and stir it through the rice as you eat.
Scale it to your goal
- Cutting: Cut the rice to 100 g per bowl and add a handful of blanched greens. That lands near 44g protein and about 600 calories.
- Bulking: Use 500 g chicken and 200 g rice per bowl for roughly 56g protein and 840 calories.
Tips and storage
The raw patties can be shaped a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Cooked patties keep for 4 days in an airtight container, and they freeze well for up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water so the glaze loosens, and add the yolk fresh.
If you like chicken in a sweet-savory Japanese sauce, try our Chicken Nanban or the egg-and-chicken Oyakodon. For another meal-friendly rice bowl, see the High-Protein Gyudon.
