An evening at Benihana is an experience, not just a meal, and a Benihana chef is an entertainer, not just a cook. That chef will cook everyone’s food on the large heated surface built into your table as you watch— this is called teppanyaki, and is a variation of a cooking style popular in Japan. (It probably won’t surprise you to learn that the Benihana experience is a very, very American phenomenon).
You may also be familiar with the word “hibachi,” which refers to a smaller grill. One of their most popular dishes is their Benihana fried rice recipe that I’m delighted to say I have a copycat recipe for you.
What is Benihana?
Benihana is a well-known American restaurant chain that specializes in Japanese cuisine. A unique feature of this restaurant is their use of a teppanyaki cooking style, where food is prepared and cooked right in front of the customers. The brand operates in 24 different countries and is renowned for its theatrical dining experience.
How to Make Benihana Fried Rice at Home
The theater is what brings people to the restaurant, of course, but their fried rice with chicken is also just really, really great. It’s easy to make this buttery, indulgent Benihana fried rice copycat recipe at home, no knife tricks or egg-and-spatula balancing required, just a little advance planning to cook the rice a day ahead of time.
Benihana Fried Rice Recipe
Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings35
minutes15
minutes370
kcalMaking copycat Benihana fried rice from home couldn’t be easier. Mix up your ingredients and within no time have a readily made dish straight from the Benihana restaurant.
Ingredients
2 pounds 2 of chicken breast, cubed into small pieces
1 cup 1 of chopped carrot (either frozen or about 2 large fresh carrots)
1 large 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
A handful of scallions, finely sliced
Safflower Oil or canola
- For the rice
2 cups 2 of white rice
3 cups 3 of water
Pinch of salt
- For the Benihana garlic butter
1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 teaspoon 1 of lemon juice
2 teaspoons 2 of low-sodium soy sauce
- To finish the Benihana style fried rice
4 eggs
Salt and pepper as desired
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
- Cook the rice (1 day before cooking the fried rice)
- Rinse the uncooked rice using a bowl or colander, until the water you are rinsing with no longer appears cloudy
- Add the rice, 3 cups of cold water and a pinch of salt to a large, lidded pot on the stove
- Bring the heat up high, and watch carefully, until the water begins to boil
- Stir the rice a few times, then bring the heat down to low, cover with the lid and let sit for 20 minutes
- Take the pot from the heat, and let sit still lidded for another 20 minutes
- Move the rice from the pot to a large, shallow dish. Spread it out evenly without compressing, and refrigerate overnight
- Make the garlic butter
- Soften the butter, and combine with garlic. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and soy sauce and whisk thoroughly
- Note: be cautious with soy sauce, because it’s a very strong flavor. You can always add more soy sauce and lemon to taste laster, but you can’t take any away once it’s added
- For the vegetables and chicken
- With just enough oil to coat them, sauté the carrots and onion over medium heat until soft
- Add the chicken breast and 1 tablespoon of oil, and stir over medium heat until cooked (about six minutes). About a minute before turning off the heat, add the scallions and 1 tablespoon of the garlic butter, stir and set aside
- To complete
- Scramble the eggs in a separate pan until cooked and shred them into small pieces
- Add about a tablespoon of oil to a large pan or wok over high heat, and stir in the rice until it’s just coated. Add the remaining garlic butter, and mix thoroughly
- Mix in the chicken and vegetables and bring everything together, adding additional soy sauce, lemon, salt and pepper as needed
- Serve warm, sprinkled with sesame seeds if desired
Notes
- Scallions can be replaced with green onions.
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Nutrition Facts
8 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories370
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 16.5g 25%
- Saturated Fat 6.7g 30%
- Cholesterol 131.5mg 44%
- Sodium 462mg 20%
- Total Carbohydrate 41.7g 14%
- Dietary Fiber 1.9g 4%
- Sugars 2.5g
- Protein 13.6g 26%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
See Also: Japanese Hibachi Fried Rice
Tips & Tricks
Below are some tips and tricks that will help make your Benihana fried rice delicious while also keeping it safe and healthy:
- Soy Sauce & Salt: Be cautious with both. You want just enough soy sauce to give the rice a golden brown color, not a dark one. Similarly, salt can easily overpower the dish so taste the cooked rice before seasoning.
- Rinsing the Rice: Remember to rinse your rice thoroughly before cooking. This prevents your cooked rice from becoming starchy and gluey.
- Preparation Time: The rice should be prepared a day before and left overnight. Fresh, soft rice might lose its texture under the heat and butter.
- Using Up Leftovers: This recipe presents an excellent opportunity to use up leftover rice and vegetables from other meals.
- Storage: Benihana fried rice can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days. However, it should be transferred from heat to fridge as soon as possible to avoid the potential for contamination. Store the rice in small containers to help it cool down more rapidly.
- Cooking Process: You might find everything fries quickly once you start cooking. If you’re not confident about timing the vegetables and chicken together, don’t hesitate to cook them separately, keeping them aside until combining.
Making the Recipe Your Own
There’s plenty of scope for customizing and adjusting this recipe to your liking:
- Change the Rice: Swap white rice for brown rice. Just be aware that brown rice will require extra cooking time to soften and absorb the flavors.
- Substitute the Protein: You can replace the chicken with protein of your choice — shrimp, which is Benihana’s second most popular option, pork, beef, or even tofu can work well. It’s also simple to divide up the rice before adding the meat if you’re catering to different preferences.
- Switch the Oil: You can substitute the neutral-tasting oil for sesame oil or add a teaspoon of oyster sauce for a more complex flavor.
- Introduce More Vegetables: Feel free to include any vegetables you prefer or have in hand — be it chopped broccoli, green peas or leftover veggies.
Finally, mastering the skill of balancing an egg on the edge of your spatula? That’s totally up to you and your adventurous cooking spirit!
Why is Benihana rice so good?
Benihana’s fried rice is loved for several reasons. It has a delicious flavor because of the garlic butter, which adds a savory taste. The rice is cooked with fresh ingredients like onions, zucchinis, mushrooms, and green onions, which brings out their flavors. Sesame seeds are also added for a nice textural contrast. Finally, the experience of watching chefs cook the rice on a hibachi grill adds to its appeal. The combination of quality ingredients, skilled cooking, and an engaging presentation makes Benihana’s rice truly special.
What kind of oil does Benihana use?
Benihana, a renowned teppanyaki-style restaurant chain, uses safflower oil for their dishes. Safflower oil is chosen due to its neutral flavor, ability to withstand high cooking temperatures, and health benefits. This helps provide a dining experience that balances taste, quality, and health. Therefore, the primary oil you’ll find in use at a Benihana stove is safflower oil.
Thank you
Will give it a try. Very intimidating to me.