Torimeshi, Japanese Chicken Mixed Rice
Torimeshi, Easy Japanese Mixed Rice Recipe
There’s something incredibly comforting about a bowl of Torimeshi, or Tori Meshi, a simple Japanese mixed rice dish seasoned with soy sauce and cooked with chicken and root vegetables. It’s the kind of meal that feels quietly nourishing, the type you’d find in home kitchens, bento boxes, and train station lunches across Japan.
This version is straightforward and home-friendly: tender chicken thigh, earthy gobo (burdock root), and freshly cooked rice gently mixed with a savory-sweet sauce. Simple ingredients, big comfort.
What Is Torimeshi?
Torimeshi (鶏めし) literally means “chicken rice” in Japanese. Unlike fried rice, this dish is not stir-fried with rice—instead, seasoned ingredients are cooked separately and then mixed into plain steamed rice, or there is a way you could cook all ingredients together in one pot. The result is flavorful yet light, allowing each grain of rice to shine.
In Oita Prefecture in Japan, chicken has long been part of everyday life and home cooking. The city of Usa is often mentioned as the birthplace of karaage, and dishes like karaage, toriten, and simple chicken soups are deeply woven into the local food culture. Everyone has their own way of enjoying chicken, and those familiar flavors feel closely tied to the region.
While there are several theories about the origins of Torimeshi, it is commonly made by cooking rice with chicken and vegetables like gobo or carrots. The ingredients and preparation vary from household to household, but the heart of the dish remains the same. During times when food was scarce, chickens were often raised at home as a precious source of protein, and Torimeshi became a practical, comforting way to make the most of what was available. Today, it continues to be loved across Oita Prefecture as a taste of home.
You’ll often see Torimeshi served:
As a home-style meal
In bento boxes
As ekiben (regional train station boxed meals) - this is my favorite to get while traveling around Japan!
RECIPE
Servings: 4-5
Time: 40 min
Ingredients:
Rice & Main Ingredients
2 rice-cups rice
1/2 lb chicken thigh
1/2 gobo (burdock root)
1 small carrot
cooking oil
Seasoning
Instructions:
Prepare the Rice
Cook the rice according to your usual method and set it aside.
Torimeshi works best with freshly cooked, fluffy rice so it absorbs the seasoning evenly when mixed later.
Cut the Chicken
Cut the chicken thighs into small, bite-sized pieces.
Chicken thigh is ideal for this dish because it stays juicy and flavorful after cooking.
Prepare the Gobo and Carrot
Peel the skin of Gobo lightly using the back of a knife, then cut it into thin matchsticks or small slices.
Soak briefly in water to remove excess bitterness, then drain and wipe off the moisture.
Also cut carrot into thin matchsticks.
Cook the Chicken
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a small amount of cooking oil.
Add the chicken and cook until the surface is lightly browned and the chicken is fully cooked.
Add Vegetables and Seasoning
Add the gobo and carrot to the pan and stir briefly.
Pour in the sake, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and water.
Simmer until the liquid reduces and coats the chicken and gobo, creating a glossy, savory mixture.
Mix with Rice
Add the cooked chicken mixture to the warm rice.
Gently mix until evenly combined, being careful not to mash the rice.
How to Enjoy Torimeshi
Serve as-is with miso soup for a simple meal
Add a side of pickles or blanched greens
Pack it into a bento—it tastes just as good at room temperature
This is one of those dishes that quietly becomes a family favorite. It’s comforting, practical, and deeply rooted in Japanese home cooking—exactly the kind of recipe you’ll want to come back to again and again.
