This hibachi fried rice recipe Benihana style is the perfect copycat recipe. It’s an easy weeknight recipe that gives you a smoky, savory golden brown Japanese fried rice just like the restaurant.
Jasmine rice, homemade whipped garlic butter, and soy sauce are the key ingredients in making this fried rice so cravable. Add chicken, shrimp, or your favorite protein. Or you can add none at all. You can even make this fried rice without eggs and it will still taste amazing.
This recipe is very versatile, you can add more veggies and protein to your liking. You can even meal prep it and enjoy it with an Asian salad or a hot soup.
Contents
- 1 Hibachi
- 2 The wok
- 3 Wok alternatives
- 4 Speed of movement
- 5 Preparing the meat
- 6 How to make Benihana’s garlic butter
- 7 Preparing the rice
- 8 Stir fry secrets
- 9 Addins for Benihana fried rice
- 10 Hibachi Fried Rice (serves 8)
- 11 Directions
- 12 Storage
- 13 Tips
- 14 FAQs
- 15 Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Benihana (With Chicken)
Hibachi
Hibachi is a style of barbecue, traditionally prepared on a hot open grill. Hibachi literally means “fire bowl” in Japanese. The style of cooking Benihana fried rice is called teppanyaki, which is related to hibachi but not the same. Teppanyaki grills have flat iron surfaces that can cook small food items such as rice and vegetables, whereas hibachi grills are circular griddles that usually cook larger food items such as pieces of meat.
Fun fact: Benihana brought the hibachi and teppanyaki style of cooking to the world and became the world’s first open kitchen. It’s been said that Benihana opened Americans to Asian flavors, paving the way for omakase counters, Korean BBQs, hot pot chains, and bubble tea shops across the US (Business Insider).
The wok
It’s important to choose the right cooking tool for this recipe. Use the wrong cooking vessel and you can end up with mushy or under/overcooked ingredients.
Woks are great because it helps you cook fast and cook healthier than traditional pan frying. It is also a little forgiving for new cooks learning to work with high heat. One part of the wok directly cooks the food over the heat, while the perimeter holds food without cooking the food as fast. Just like the hibachi chefs, you want to constantly move the food around over the heat to get the golden brown color without burning the food.
I use a carbon steel wok because it’s light and durable. The large surface area and rounded walls help keep the food from falling out of the pan during the stir-frying process. The one I use has a rounded bottom with hammered steel to help distribute the oil and heat, while holding the food where I want it. Woks are a relatively inexpensive investment because you can cook a lot of things with it such as Pad Thai and Beef Chow Fun.
Wok alternatives
If you don’t have a wok, you can use a cast iron skillet. The cast iron skillet is known to withstand high heat, so it works well for this recipe. However, the walls are lower, and the pan is heavier, so it’s more of a learning curve for working on your speed.
Another option is a hot large frying pan that can take high heat. I don’t like this because you have to use more oil and the heat distribution is not ideal. The rice may stick to the pan if you get too much moisture from the food piling up.
Avoid non-stick, since heating it at high temperatures can release unwanted toxins and chemicals.
Speed of movement
Speed is critical for this recipe. Work too slow and your food can burn. But don’t worry too much, the beauty of the wok is that it allows you to practice your speed. Even if you burn the ingredients a little at the beginning, it will still taste pretty good.
Preparing the meat
Chop into small cubes, season with salt and pepper. Leave out for about 30 minutes until ready to stir fry.
How to make Benihana’s garlic butter
Butter, mixed with soy and garlic paste. It gets whisked until it becomes a whipped consistency and the butter has absorbed all the liquid from the soy sauce and the lemon juice.
I usually use 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter, 1/2 teaspoon of soy, and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste. Add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, and mix together until it absorbs the soy sauce and garlic paste.
Preparing the rice
Cook 2 cups of rice with 2 cups of water in a rice cooker. Or cook it in a pot or a dutch oven this way.
Stir fry secrets
- Have all your ingredients ready to throw into the wok when ready. You’ll be adding ingredients in succession, every couple minutes, so don’t waste time or risk burning food. Have it all ready in individual containers or compartments on a large plate.
- Make sure you use enough oil and coat the walls of the wok before putting your ingredients in. This is to prevent food sticking to the wok. You don’t want to add more oil as you’re stir-frying, so make sure you add enough at the start. Adding room temperature oil while you’ve already started the stir frying process can mess up the texture of the foods being stir-fried.
- Work on high heat, rotate the wok as needed to distribute the heat. Let the wok smoke before you add oil.
- Use one hand to hold the wok, the other hand to stir fry with your wok spatula. It will take a little time to get used to the weight. I’ve been lifting weights to prepare for this new skill.
- Never stop stirring. In this recipe, you’ll be stir frying a couple ingredients at a time, so that you have a lower chance of overcooking or burning by crowding the pan. You will mix everything together in the wok at the end just to get the ingredients properly mixed.
Addins for Benihana fried rice
You can add more veggies (chopped snap peas) and meat (Chinese sausage and shrimp) to balance out the carbs.
I like adding Chinese sausage and shrimp to variety of flavors and texture in each bite.
Hibachi Fried Rice (serves 8)
For the meat
- 2 lbs of meat, chopped (You can do 2 lbs of chicken breast, or what I did was 1 lb chicken breast, 1 lb shrimp.)
- 2 Chinese sausage links, optional
For the garlic butter
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons butter)
For the rice
- 2 cups white rice, uncooked, or 4 cups day-old rice
- 2 cups water for the rice cooker, and 2.5 cups for stovetop cooking
For the stir fry
- 6 tablespoons safflower oil split into 3 x 2 tablespoons portions.
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped small
- 1/2 cup carrots, chopped small
- 3 green onions, chopped with white and green parts separated
- 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- sesame oil, optional
- sesame seeds, options
Directions
- Prepare 2 cups of rice 1 day ahead. Or you can put your rice in the freezer (Lay it flat on a tray) for 1 hr before cooking it.
- Chop veggies (onion, garlic, green onion) small. Chop meat small, season with salt and pepper.
- Heat wok to high heat. Add 2 tbs oil, stir around to coat walls. Once the wok begins to smoke, you’re ready.
- Add onion, carrots. stir fry for 30 seconds. Remove ingredients from heat.
- Add 2 more tbs oil, stir around to coat walls.
- Add egg, let sit for 3-5 seconds, then quickly toss and scramble for 30 seconds. Remove egg from heat. There should be some oil left.
- Add 2 tbs oil, stir to coat walls. Add protein (chicken that’s been chopped to small pieces, or Chinese sausage, or shrimp). Stir fry nonstop for 3-5 minutes until fully cooked. Make sure you add the one that takes the longest to cook (in this case Chicken, then Chinese sausage, then shrimp). Add whipped garlic soy on the protein.
- Add rice, toss it and make sure there’s no clumps by chopping it with the wok spatula. Add soy sauce (1/4 cup) to the side, let it sit for a couple seconds to caramelize, then mix it in the rice.
- Add back in the scrambled chunk of eggs, onion, carrots. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Everything should be coated with a light brown soy sauce color.
- Change to medium heat. Season with salt and a little soy sauce to taste. Add white pepper as needed.
Storage
Airtight container in fridge for 2-3 days. Or freeze for up to 6 months.
Tips
- Chop and prepare the individual ingredients beforehand, then toss it into the wok as you continue to stir fry. This will save time and prevent you from burning ingredients left too long on the wok.
- Jasmine rice is best because of its long grain and texture. Cook it a day before and refrigerate for best results.
- Be generous with the Benihana garlic butter. It gives it that extra element of yum.
- Use safflower oil or a high cooking point oil. This is the secret ingredient to cook the ingredients.
- Make sure you heat up the pan very high. The hot pan gives it that smoky taste.
- Season your carbon steel wok.
- Work fast on high heat (practice makes perfect, otherwise do small batches so it doesn’t get steamy and break down the rice texture). Practice your wok toss ensures that the dish is browned but not burned.
- Spread the ingredients in a thin layer so it can cook the rice and prevents too much moisture accumulation. Letting the steam evaporate from the food ensures the rice doesn’t get soggy. The rice will retain its texture if you make sure it doesn’t collect moisture by steam.
FAQs
What’s the difference of hibachi and teryaki and teppanyaki
Traditional hibachi grills are called shichirin in Japan, and are small, portable grills that use charcoal or wood as a heating source
Fun fact: Hibachi is cooked with soy sauce, whereas Teriyaki is cooked with seasoned and sweetened soy sauce.
What Kind of Cooking Oil Do They Use at Benihana
Safflower oil due to high smoking point. You can use avocado oil and rice bran oil as alternatives.
What Type of Rice Do They Use on a Hibachi
I like Jasmine rice because it’s fluffy and not sticky, with individual grains remaining firm and distinct after cooking. Any long grain rice will work here.
Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Benihana (With Chicken)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the meat
- 2 lbs of meat (chopped (You can do 2 lbs of chicken breast, or what I did was 1 lb chicken breast, 1 lb shrimp.))
- 2 Chinese sausage links, optional
For the garlic butter
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
For the rice
- 2 cups white rice (uncooked, or 4 cups day-old rice)
- 2.5 cups water for the rice cooker (3 cups for stovetop cooking)
For the stir fry
- 6 tablespoons safflower oil split into 3 x 2 tablespoons portions.4 eggs
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup onion (chopped small)
- ½ cup carrots (chopped small)
- 3 green onions (chopped with white and green parts separated)
- 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, optional
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- Prepare 2 cups of rice 1 day ahead. Or you can put your rice in the freezer (Lay it flat on a tray) for 1 hr before cooking it.
- Chop veggies (onion, garlic, green onion) small. Chop meat small, season with salt and pepper.
- Heat wok to high heat. Add 2 tbs oil, stir around to coat walls. Once the wok begins to smoke, you're ready.
- Add onion, carrots. stir fry for 30 seconds. Remove ingredients from heat.
- Add 2 more tbs oil, stir around to coat walls.
- Add egg, let sit for 3-5 seconds, then quickly toss and scramble for 30 seconds. Remove egg from heat. There should be some oil left.
- Add 2 tbs oil, stir to coat walls. Add protein (chicken that’s been chopped to small pieces, or Chinese sausage, or shrimp). Stir fry nonstop for 3-5 minutes until fully cooked. Make sure you add the one that takes the longest to cook (in this case Chicken, then chinese sausage, then shrimp). Add whipped garlic soy on the protein.
- Add rice, toss it and make sure there’s no clumps by chopping it with the wok spatula. Add soy sauce (1/4 cup) to the side, let it sit for a couple seconds to caramelize, then mix it in the rice.
- Add back in the scrambled chunk of eggs, onion, carrots. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Everything should be coated with a light brown soy sauce color.
- Change to medium heat. Season with salt and a little soy sauce to taste. Add white pepper as needed.
