Discover an easy rice cooker Japanese recipe with teriyaki chicken and sides. Cook a full, flavorful meal quickly in one pot with minimal cleanup.
If you love Japanese food but struggle to find the time to cook, you’re going to love this recipe!
I used to make regular teriyaki chicken in a pan for dinner, but some nights I just didn’t have the energy to stand over the stove. That’s when I discovered how versatile rice cooker teriyaki chicken recipes can be.
However, this version takes it a step further: you can cook seasoned rice, juicy teriyaki chicken, and even two side dishes all in one pot using your rice cooker.
Not only is it a complete Japanese-style meal, but it’s also hands-off, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights or when you want a comforting, home-cooked dinner without the fuss.
Watch How to Make Rice Cooker Meal with Teriyaki Chicken
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A balanced Japanese meal in one pot: If you love Japanese meals for their harmony and nutrition, this recipe brings you that ichiju-sansai (one soup, three dishes) experience and checks off most of the Mago wa yasashii nutrition guide, all in one pot! Enjoy a traditional-style meal without the extra time or dishes.
- No greasy cleanup: As much as I love classic pan-fried teriyaki chicken with that crispy skin and glossy sauce, I don’t love the greasy mess it leaves behind. This rice cooker version gives you the same satisfying flavor, minus the oil splatter and sink full of dishes.
- Better than takeout, minimal effort: Simply prep the ingredients, toss everything into the rice cooker, press start, and let it do the work. When it’s done, you’ll have a wholesome, home-cooked Japanese meal that’s ready to serve, and honestly, it tastes even better than takeout 🙂
Notes on Ingredients
See the recipe card for the full ingredients list.
- Shio kombu (salted kelp): A traditional Japanese food made by simmering thin strips of kelp in seasonings. Shio kombu is a versatile ingredient, and I recommend keeping at least one pack in your pantry. It adds pleasant saltiness, subtle sweetness, and umami. I usually buy Kurakon or Fujicco brands from Amazon.
- Katsuobushi (bonito flakes): Dried, smoked, and fermented fish flakes that are shaved paper-thin. They add a deep umami flavor and a nice smoky aroma.
- Vegetables for steaming: Use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge. Choose ones that cook quickly and don’t release too much water.
- Sake: Drinkable sake, like junmai, is best, but Japanese cooking sake works fine too. It helps remove any meaty smell, lets ingredients absorb flavor, and adds umami.
- Maple syrup: I like to use pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar. You can substitute it with honey or agave syrup, but adjust the amount to taste.
- Mentsuyu: A handy seasoning when you want a salty, slightly sweet, umami-rich flavor. Use store-bought or homemade.
- Ponzu: A soy sauce seasoned with citrus. It adds a light, refreshing note. Use store-bought or make your own.
💡You can find these ingredients at Japanese or Asian grocery stores, or online at Amazon or Weee!
How to Make Rice Cooker Meal with Teriyaki Chicken
- Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear, then soak for 30 minutes.
- Cut off the stems of the shimeji mushrooms, thinly slice the onion, cut the carrot into half-moon slices, lightly wash and pat dry the egg and tomato, and score both ends of the tomato with shallow X cuts.
- Place bean sprouts, onion, and shimeji on parchment, sprinkle with sake, and wrap like candy. Do the same with the chopped carrots.
- Wrap an egg in parchment.
- Add drained rice, sake, and water to the rice cooker, mix gently, and spread shio kombu and mushrooms on top.
- Place the chicken over the rice, the tomato in the center, and the veggie wraps around. Add the egg and broccoli on top. Close the lid (don’t block the vent) and cook on the regular rice setting.
- Teriyaki sauce: Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
- Carrot salad: Mash the carrot, then mix with broccoli, peeled egg, and seasonings.
- Tomato rice: Mash the tomato and mix it into the rice from the bottom.
Kurumi's Tips
- Don’t cover the vent: It’s super important not to cover the steam vent on the rice cooker lid. Make sure not to overpack the rice cooker or cover it with parchment paper. You don’t want to block the steam!
- Measure the water from a bowl: When measuring water for rice, fill a large bowl with water and use a measuring cup to scoop from it instead of measuring straight from running water. This helps you add the exact amount of water and keeps your rice from turning out too hard or too soggy.
- Soak the rice and adjust for the season: For fluffy, perfectly cooked rice, soak it for at least 30 minutes in summer and 60 minutes in winter. To speed things up in winter, use warm tap water around 30 to 40°C and soak for 30 minutes.
- Cook with cold water: Add cold water to the rice cooker so there’s enough cook time for all the ingredients. It doesn’t have to be chilled, just avoid using warm tap water.
- Don’t overfill the veggie wraps: Leave some space in each wrap so the steam can circulate evenly from the bottom to the top.
- Use seasonal veggies: For the steamed veggies, use whatever’s in season! Try pumpkin in the fall, corn in the summer, anything works.
- Use leftover veggies for miso soup: If you’ve got leftover veggies, toss them into miso soup for a veggie-packed side that goes perfectly with this teriyaki chicken meal.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Tomato Rice: While it’s still warm, divide it into serving portions, let it cool to room temperature, and freeze for up to 1 week. You can also store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
- Chicken Thighs: Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days.
- Teriyaki Sauce: After it cools, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Carrot Salad: Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days.
- Steamed veggies: After cooling, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days.
This teriyaki chicken meal is also perfect for bento! 🍱Check out my Bento Guide for Beginners to learn how to pack a bento the Japanese way (coming soon!).
FAQs
How to clean the rice cooker to remove the smell?
To remove odors from your rice cooker, add 1 tablespoon of citric acid and fill with water to the max line, or use 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1-2 cups of water. Run the white rice cycle, turn it off, let it cool, then wash all removable parts.
What size rice cooker are you using?
I’m using a Tiger 5.5-cup rice cooker. If your rice cooker is smaller, you may want to halve the recipe to avoid covering the steam vent. But honestly, if you love Japanese meals and plan to cook rice often, I highly recommend investing in a good rice cooker! It saves so much time and makes perfectly fluffy rice every time 🍚
More Japanese Rice Cooker Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
💌 If you tried this recipe and liked it, I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and review below or send a photo of your dish to my email. I’d be so happy to see your creation!
📖Recipe
Easy Rice Cooker Japanese Meal (Teriyaki Chicken with Sides)
Discover an easy rice cooker Japanese recipe with teriyaki chicken and sides. Cook a full, flavorful meal quickly in one pot with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Method
Rice Cooker Cooking
- Prep the rice: Rinse 1 cup short- or medium-grain white rice until the water runs almost clear. Soak for 30 minutes in summer or 60 minutes in winter. (If you’re short on time in winter, use warm tap water around 30–40°C and soak for 30 minutes.)
- Prep the ingredients: Cut off the shimeji stems and separate them. Thinly slice ¼ onion. Wash and slice 1 carrot into 1 cm half-moons or rounds. Wash and dry the 1 egg. Score both ends of 1 Roma tomato lightly in an “X” shape (about 0.5 mm deep).
- Prep the steamed veggie packet: Layer ½ cup bean sprouts, onion, and ½ pack shimeji mushrooms (in that order) on a 30 cm sheet of parchment. Sprinkle with ½ tablespoon sake, fold from front and back, then twist both ends like a candy wrapper.
- Prep the carrots and egg: Sprinkle the carrots with ¼ teaspoon sake and wrap them the same way. Wrap the egg in parchment paper.
- Assemble the rice cooker: Drain the soaked rice and add it to the rice cooker with ½ tablespoon sake and ¾ cup water. Mix gently. Spread 3 tablespoons shio kombu and ½ pack shimeji mushrooms on top (don’t mix them in). Lay the 2 chicken thighs in a single layer, place the tomato in the center, and set the veggie and carrot packets beside them. Place the egg and 2 frozen broccoli florets on top.
- Cook: Close the lid, making sure not to block the steam vent. Cook using the regular rice setting.
Teriyaki Sauce
- Mix 1 tablespoon sake, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon water, and ½ teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute until slightly thickened.
Tomato Rice
- When the rice is done, remove everything on top except the tomato and shimeji mushrooms.
- Mash the tomato with a rice paddle and gently mix the rice from the bottom.
Carrot Salad
- Cool and peel the egg: Take out the egg, cool it in water, crack the shell all over, and peel in the water.
- Check the carrot: Check if the carrots are tender; microwave a little longer if needed.
- Mash the veggies: Transfer carrots to a bowl, leaving the liquid behind. Mash with a fork, then add the broccoli and egg and mash lightly.
- Season: Add 2 tablespoons katsuobushi, 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt, ½ tablespoon mentsuyu, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix well.
Steamed Veggies
- Remove the veggie packet carefully so you don’t spill the broth—it’s delicious.
- Season with ponzu or salt and a little shichimi.
Notes
- Ingredients
- Shio kombu (salted kelp): Adds saltiness, subtle sweetness, and umami (Kurakon or Fujicco are great brands).
- Sake: Use drinkable sake like junmai or cooking sake. It removes odors and adds umami.
- Pure maple syrup: You can swap with honey or agave and adjust to taste.
- Mentsuyu: Adds a salty-sweet, umami flavor. Use store-bought or homemade.
- Ponzu: Soy sauce with a citrus kick. Adds a bright, refreshing note.
- Katsuobushi (bonito flakes): Dried, smoked fish flakes that bring deep umami and aroma.
- Vegetables for steaming: Use quick-cooking veggies that don’t release much water.
- Cooking tips:
- Don’t cover the vent: Keep the steam vent clear. Don’t overpack or cover it with parchment.
- Measure water from a bowl: Scoop water from a bowl, not running water, for accurate rice texture.
- Soak the rice: Soak 30 min in summer, 60 in winter. Use warm tap water (30–40°C) for a quicker winter soak.
- Use cold water to cook: Add cold water so everything cooks evenly. Avoid warm tap water.
- Don’t overfill wraps: Leave space inside so steam can circulate.
- Use seasonal veggies: Swap veggies based on the season—pumpkin in fall, corn in summer, etc.
- Use leftovers in miso soup: Extra veggies? Add them to miso soup for an easy, balanced side.
- Storage:
- Tomato Rice: Cool, then fridge 1 day or freeze 1 week.
- Chicken Thighs: Fridge 2–3 days.
- Teriyaki Sauce: Fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Carrot Salad: Fridge 3–5 days.
- Steamed veggies: Fridge 2–3 days.
- This meal is also perfect for bento
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Kurumi says
This rice cooker meal saved me so many times when I had to pick up my husband from work (we only have one car right now!). I just prepped everything, pressed the start button before leaving, and came home to a freshly cooked, warm meal waiting for us. It’s so convenient, and I hope it helps you get through your busy days too! 😊