Can You Make Takikomi Gohan with KFC’s Colonel Crispy? A Rice Cooker Experiment

KFC Japan’s half-off Colonel Crispy tenders have sparked a unique rice cooker experiment. Japanese reporter Seiji Nakazawa combined the seasoned chicken with rice to create a flavorful takikomi gohan. The result? A savory, meaty dish that exceeded expectations.

Reporter Experiments with KFC’s Colonel Crispy in a Rice Cooker to Create a Unique Takikomi Gohan

Colonel Crispy enters the rice cooker pot, but does something tasty come out?

One pressing question often arises when making economic decisions: “How much of our resources should be saved as cash, and how much should be converted into fried chicken?” The answer is leaning toward the latter, thanks to a half-off promotion at KFC Japan. Colonel Crispy boneless chicken tenders are available at a reduced price, with a three-piece order currently going for 430 yen (US$3.10), down from the usual 870 yen.

According to SoraNews24, Japanese-language reporter Seiji Nakazawa couldn’t resist the deal and returned with six pieces of Colonel Crispy in hand from his KFC run. Seasoned with garlic and soy sauce, the chicken tenders offered a flavor reminiscent of Japanese-style karaage, tempting Seiji to dig in immediately. But before he succumbed to the irresistible aroma, he had a sudden culinary idea.

Seiji has been enjoying a rice cooker renaissance, experimenting with various hot pot-style meals using the versatile appliance. This led him to wonder: What would happen if he combined his KFC purchase with rice in the rice cooker?

The idea was to create a version of takikomi gohan, a Japanese dish where rice is cooked with meat or vegetables, allowing their flavors to blend with the grains. Typically, takikomi gohan involves adding soy sauce and other seasonings, but with the Colonel Crispy already packing a punch of garlic and soy, Seiji decided to skip any additional ingredients. He wondered if the chicken’s breaded coating would interfere with the flavors mixing correctly with the rice.

KFC’s Colonel Crispy Infuses Rice with Rich Flavors in a Successful Takikomi Gohan Experiment

Despite his doubts, Seiji placed the chicken, rice, and water into the rice cooker and hit the start button, anxiously waiting through the 45-minute cooking cycle. When the time was up, he opened the lid to a delightful scent reminiscent of chicken broth ramen.

As Seiji stirred the pot, he noticed the rice had taken on a golden hue, signaling that the chicken had indeed infused its flavor into the dish. The fried chicken had also become so tender that it quickly broke apart with the edge of the rice scoop, though “Colonel Crispy” no longer seemed an apt name.

The real test, of course, was in the taste. Seiji took a bite, then another, and then another—each one confirming that the experiment had been a delicious success. The meaty flavor, garlic, and soy sauce perfectly permeated the rice, delivering a well-balanced, savory dish. Any initial concerns about the chicken’s flavor transferring were utterly unnecessary, and Seiji was convinced that adding other ingredients would only have disrupted the harmony of flavors.

With KFC Japan’s half-off Colonel Crispy deal running until October 22, Seiji is already planning his next batch of this effortless yet flavorful takikomi gohan, provided his rice cooker isn’t otherwise busy with a sukiyaki or chanko sumo stew experiment.