These rice balls (onigiri) are filled with tender chicken seasoned with turmeric and mayo, then pan-toasted until the rice turns golden and crispy.
Turmeric mayo chicken
Chicken can be hit or miss with toddlers because of its texture. This turmeric mayo chicken turns into a soft, creamy paste that’s easy for little ones to enjoy. I also stirred in some zucchini for extra moisture and nutrition. My kid loved the filling so much she would happily eat it straight from a bowl. Early on I struggled with shaping perfect rice balls that completely encased the filling; I found that trying to wrap so much filling in rice resulted in too much rice and too little chicken. Since most of the flavor and nutrients live in the chicken, I changed the approach to emphasize the filling rather than overloading with rice.
The solution: rice ball sandwich
To simplify assembly and keep the filling generous, I started making a rice ball “sandwich.” Instead of fully enclosing the filling with rice, layer rice, add a hearty portion of the chicken mixture, and top with more rice. Using a mold makes shaping easy and much quicker than trying to form tight, fully enclosed onigiri by hand. This method gives you the look of a rice ball while keeping the balance of rice to filling more satisfying.
Crispy rice
Use short-grain sticky rice such as Japanese sushi rice or Korean sweet (glutinous) rice to help the shapes hold. Glutinous rice isn’t actually sweet but has a stickier texture that grills and toasts nicely. Toasting the rice sandwiches in a pan until the surfaces are golden creates a pleasing crunchy contrast to the soft filling. If you want to make them ahead, refrigerate the assembled rice sandwiches and crisp them in the pan just before serving for best texture.
Packing them in a lunchbox
Packing the lunchbox is fun and gives these rice balls an extra special touch. I like to place them on a large green leaf for visual contrast; I used a pumpkin leaf, but any sturdy green leaf will work. To add color and a fresh bite, fill the remaining space with pomegranate seeds or other fresh fruit. My child loved the pomegranate so much I included extra as a dinner treat.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like the tomato-y chicken variation on my site.
Products used here
I like a compact, well-designed lunch container and a triangle sushi mold for shaping the rice sandwiches. A simple, sturdy mold makes the assembly much easier and more consistent.
Crispy rice balls with turmeric mayo chicken
Rice sandwiches filled with chicken and zucchini flavored with turmeric and mayonnaise, then toasted until crisp. Soft, creamy filling makes these toddler-friendly and satisfying.
Author
whiteblankspace
Ingredients
- 0.8 lb chicken breast
- 1/2 zucchini chopped
- 1 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 5 cups cooked short grain sticky rice
- 5 cloves garlic optional
- 1/2 onion optional
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
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Place chicken, garlic, and onion in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add zucchini and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
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Remove the chicken and zucchini from the pot. Discard the onion and garlic, and reserve the broth if you like for another use.
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Chop the chicken and place it in a food processor with the zucchini, mayo, soy sauce, and turmeric. Process until you have a smooth, spreadable paste.
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Wet your hands or the mold with water. Place a layer of rice into the mold, spread an even layer of the chicken mixture over the rice, then add another rice layer on top. Press gently to form the rice sandwich and remove from the mold.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Toast the rice sandwiches on both sides until golden and crispy. Serve warm or pack into a lunchbox once cooled to room temperature.