Creamy Chicken Sushi Bake (Printable Version)

Savory chicken and seasoned rice layered with creamy toppings and baked golden.

# What You Need:

→ Rice

01 - 2 cups sushi rice
02 - 2 1/2 cups water
03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ Chicken Mixture

06 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
07 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise (preferably Japanese Kewpie)
08 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
09 - 1 tablespoon sriracha (adjust to taste)
10 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Topping & Assembly

12 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons furikake seasoning
14 - 1 avocado, sliced
15 - 1 sheet nori, cut into strips or snack-size sheets
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - Extra sriracha and mayonnaise, for drizzling

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
02 - Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until clear. Combine rice and 2 1/2 cups water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 10 minutes.
03 - Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Fold gently into cooked rice.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, cream cheese, sriracha, soy sauce, and green onions. Mix until creamy and well incorporated.
05 - Spread seasoned rice evenly in the baking dish. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of furikake over the rice.
06 - Layer the chicken mixture evenly over the rice. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and the remaining furikake.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly golden.
08 - Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with sliced avocado, nori strips, toasted sesame seeds, and drizzle with extra sriracha and mayonnaise as desired.
09 - Serve warm, portioning onto small plates or nori sheets.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like sushi's more relaxed, comfort-food cousin—all the flavors you crave without the rolling.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, and most of that is just letting rice cook and cheese melt.
  • It serves six and actually improves when you make it ahead, which means less stress when people are coming over.
  • You can customize every layer based on what you have or what you're craving that day.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—I learned this the hard way when my first attempt turned into a starchy, clumpy situation that looked more like mashed potatoes.
  • The rice needs to be warm when you fold in the vinegar mixture, because cold rice won't absorb the seasoning properly and you'll end up with unseasoned pockets throughout the bake.
  • Mozzarella is your friend here because it melts smoothly and doesn't have a strong flavor that overpowers the sushi elements; using something like cheddar or parmesan changes the whole vibe.
03 -
  • Cook your rice while you prep everything else, and you'll find the whole dish comes together in one focused push with minimal downtime.
  • Let the baked dish cool for exactly 5 minutes before adding the avocado and nori—too long and the heat dissipates, but those few minutes let the cheese set slightly so the layers stay distinct.
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