Bento Box
intro
A balanced, portable Japanese home-style meal with juicy teriyaki chicken, fluffy rice, tangy quick pickles, and sweet rolled egg, perfect for spring outings and packed lunches.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook the short-grain rice
Rinse 360g uncooked short-grain white rice under cold running water for 2 minutes until runoff water is completely clear, then add to a rice cooker with 480ml (2 cups) cold water. Cook on the standard white rice setting for 20 minutes, then let rest, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a bamboo rice paddle. Stir in 5ml (1 tsp) rice vinegar and a 1g pinch of salt, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
Prep quick pickled vegetables
Combine 120g matchstick-cut carrot and 150g thinly sliced cucumber in a small glass bowl. Toss with 25ml (1 tbsp + 2 tsp) rice vinegar, 4g (1 tsp) granulated sugar, and 2g (1/2 tsp) salt until evenly coated. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring once at the 7-minute mark, then drain all excess brine before assembly.
Sear the chicken thighs
Heat 15ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Pat 450g bite-sized chicken thigh pieces completely dry with paper towels, then arrange in a single, uncrowded layer in the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown on all sides and internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Glaze chicken with teriyaki
Whisk 60ml low-sodium soy sauce, 45ml mirin, 30ml sake, and 8g (2 tsp) granulated sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves, then pour the mixture over the seared chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low (150°C/300°F) and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze thickens to a syrupy consistency and coats every chicken piece. Turn off heat and toss with 4.5g (1/2 tbsp) toasted sesame seeds.
Blanch the broccoli florets
Bring 1L (4 cups) of water mixed with 2g (1/2 tsp) salt to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 200g broccoli florets and cook for exactly 2 minutes until bright, vivid green and crisp-tender. Use a slotted spoon to immediately transfer broccoli to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute to stop cooking and lock in color, then drain fully and pat dry with paper towels.
Make sweet rolled omelet
Whisk 2 large eggs with 4g (1 tsp) granulated sugar and a 1g pinch of salt until fully smooth with no streaks of egg white. Heat a small non-stick skillet (or tamagoyaki pan) over low heat (135°C/275°F), lightly coat with a thin wipe of oil, then pour a thin 1/4 layer of egg to cover the pan base. Once the egg is just set (1 minute), roll it into a tight log from one pan edge to the other, push the log back to the starting edge, add another thin layer of egg, and repeat until all egg is used. Let the rolled omelet cool for 2 minutes, then slice into 2.5cm thick pieces.
Assemble the bento boxes
Divide the cooled rice evenly across 4 lidded, divided bento boxes, filling roughly 1/3 of each box’s total space. Add a 110g portion of teriyaki chicken to a second section, then fill the remaining divided spaces with equal portions of drained pickled vegetables, dried blanched broccoli, and sliced sweet omelet. Sprinkle the remaining 4.5g (1/2 tbsp) toasted sesame seeds over the rice and chicken, then seal lids tightly until ready to eat.
Tips
2.Let all cooked components cool to near room temperature before sealing the bento lid; trapped hot steam will create condensation that makes rice mushy and vegetables soggy during storage.
3.If your bento box doesn’t have built-in dividers, use small silicone baking cups or food-safe paper liners to separate strong-flavored items like pickled vegetables from milder rice and sweet omelet.
Took a chance on this for my partner’s birthday bento picnic and it was a massive hit! The teriyaki glaze has that perfect balance of sweet and salty, not that cloying store-bought teriyaki taste I’m used to. I added a little extra steamed broccoli and pickled ginger on the side and it felt like we picked it up from our favorite local Japanese spot. 10/10
Super easy recipe, perfect for beginners! I was nervous I’d mess up the teriyaki sauce but it came together in like 5 minutes, no fancy ingredients needed. The chicken got that nice crispy edge just like the recipe said, no burnt bits at all. Great weeknight dinner option.
Wait, does anyone know if I can swap the chicken thighs for chicken breast? I only have breast in the freezer right now and don’t wanna run to the store in the rain lmao
Brought these mini bento boxes to my office potluck last week and people were literally begging for the recipe! I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces for easy serving, and paired it with the rice and a little edamame just like the recipe suggested. Even my boss who’s super picky about Asian food went back for a third helping lmao
Made this for a day hike last weekend, packed it in our insulated bento boxes and it held up perfectly even after 3 hours in the pack. The glaze didn’t get all runny, the rice stayed fluffy, zero sogginess. Way better than packing sad granola bars for trail lunch, will definitely be a regular on our hike rotation.
Wait, cook time says 40 minutes — is that accurate? I have exactly 45 minutes between getting home from work and taking my oldest to soccer practice, so I need something I can crank out fast without rushing.
Full transparency: I burn 90% of the Asian recipes I try because I’m terrible at balancing sauces, but this one was foolproof! The teriyaki measurements are so straightforward, no weird guesswork, and it tasted just like the bento I used to get from the food truck near my old college apartment. I’m actually proud of myself for pulling this off lmao
Quick question! Can I make this gluten free? My roommate has celiac and I wanna make this for our weekly roommate dinner night without making her sick.
I collect cute bento boxes and have been looking for recipes that actually look as good as they taste to pack in them, and this one delivered! I arranged the chicken, rice, a little onigiri, some carrot flowers and cucumber slices next to it and it looked straight out of a food magazine. So fun to make, even more fun to eat.
Uh, quick dumb question… when the recipe says to glaze the chicken, do I just pour the sauce over it while it’s in the pan? I’ve never made teriyaki before and I don’t wanna mess it up 😅
How long do these keep in the fridge for? I usually prep 5 days of lunches on Sunday and wanna know if this will hold up through Friday.
Added a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce to the teriyaki glaze for a little kick and it was *chef’s kiss*. If you like a tiny bit of heat with your sweet and savory, do yourself a favor and try that tweak. Game changer level good, I’ll never make plain teriyaki again.
OMG you guys, my kids are so picky about chicken, they usually turn their noses up at anything that’s not plain nuggets, but they both devoured this last night! My youngest even asked if we could have it for breakfast this morning, which is the highest possible compliment in our house. SO good!
I was gonna pay $18 for a bento box from the place down the street for my lunch today, but decided to try making this instead and it tasted better than takeout! Total cost per portion was like $3, I’m never ordering takeout teriyaki again lmao
Wait, can I cook the chicken in the air fryer instead of pan frying it? I use my air fryer for literally everything and hate cleaning extra pans if I don’t have to.
Made this for my at-home date night with my girlfriend last weekend, set out little divided plates with the chicken, rice, miso soup, and mochi for dessert, and she said it was better than the fancy Japanese restaurant we went to for our anniversary. Total win, 10/10 will make again to impress people lmao
I usually hate leftover chicken because it gets all rubbery and weird, but this was actually even better the next day! The glaze soaked into the chicken a little more and the flavors melded so well, I fought my roommate for the last portion at lunch today lmao