Chicken Patty Bento
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You’ve probably seen bento boxes in Asian movies and TV shows. If you’ve watched any Studio Ghibli movies you’ve definitely seen a variety of these delicious looking lunches. Now you can make your very own with this Chicken Patty Bento recipe!
Bento boxes originated in Japan during the 1300s as meals packed in wooden boxes to bring to work. They typically included rice with some sort of dried side dish. Modern bentos still carry the essence of bento and haven’t changed much since then. Today, bento boxes still usually consist of rice with some sort of side dish but they are much more decorated and complex.
Some people take it to the next level and arrange bento to look like popular characters from Japanese animations, comic books or video games. Bento can also be decorated to look like pictures of people, animals, buildings and other scenic things. Making bento has become an art and in Japan, there are competitions where bento arrangers compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements.
Bento boxes are most commonly seen in Japan where most families will pack their kids one for school. They can also be found prepared fresh at convenience stores. They are also popular in countries like South Korea, Taiwan and other countries where rice is also a staple.
Skip buying lunches at the cafeteria or nearby restaurants. Bento boxes are the perfect opportunity to pack a balanced meal. This bento recipe keeps it simple with a protein and veggie side.
You can change things up by packing rice balls, also known as onigiri, instead of plain rice! Even though they are called rice balls, they are actually triangular shaped. Rice balls are extremely easy to make. You can even get the kids in on it to help make their own lunches! Try this recipe here.
You can get creative as you want when making bento boxes. The side dishes you choose are totally up to you. You can even fill the bento with dishes like our Sesame Garlic Chicken or Beef with Broccoli recipes. Now, let’s get started on this Chicken Patty Bento recipe!
Chicken Patty Bento Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice uncooked
Chicken Patties
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 stalk green onions
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp chilli paste
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil to pan-fry
Salad
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 radishes
- salad dressing of choice
Instructions
- Begin by washing the rice and cooking it according to the directions on the package.
- Wash the spinach and radishes for the salad and leave them to dry off. When the radishes are dry, chop them into thin slices. Set aside.
Chicken Patties
- Rinse your green onion and then mince into fine pieces.
- To make the patties, combine the ground chicken, minced green onions, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame seeds and chilli paste in a bowl and mix well.
- Divide the meat mixture into 6 even pieces and shape into patties.
- Heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil over medium heat on a non-stick frying pan.
- Once the pan becomes hot, place the patties on and fry each side for about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Once all the patties are fully cooked, put them on a plate and set aside to cool off slightly.
Arranging
- When all the different components of the bento box are done cooking you can begin assembling it!
- Scoop about 1 cup of rice into each container and move it to one side.
- Use pieces of spinach to separate the different sections if you do not have a sectioned container.
- Place in 2 to 3 patties next to the rice. If you have a deeper container, you can even place them on top of the rice to make more room for the salad.
- Add in spinach and sliced radish to fill the rest of the container. You can sub in whatever kind of salad or greens you would like here!
- Pack the salad dressing in a small separate container. Close the bento container and you’re done! Your lunch for work, school or a picnic is ready to enjoy!
