Prep ingredients: shred or chop the imitation crab; dice the chicken breast into small 1/2-inch pieces; finely dice the onion; mince the garlic; core and seed the tomato then dice it; shred the cheese; separate 6 of the eggs into a bowl and lightly beat (reserve 2 whole eggs for the omelettes). Having everything prepped keeps the quick stir-fry and egg steps moving smoothly and prevents overcooking.

Make crispy wonton garnish: stack 8 wonton wrappers and cut into thin strips or small triangles. Heat 1/2 cup neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (or use a deep pot for deep frying). Fry the strips in batches until golden and blistered, 30–60 seconds, turning once. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle a pinch of salt. The crisp wonton shards add texture contrast to the soft omelette — bake them at 180°C/350°F for 8–10 minutes if you prefer a lower-fat method.

Cook the chicken: in a large sauté pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the diced chicken, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sear until no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 3–4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Browning builds flavor through the Maillard reaction; quickly cooking small pieces prevents drying out.

Sauté aromatics and crab: add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan. Lower heat to medium, add the diced onion and cook until translucent and slightly golden, about 4 minutes — this sweetness balances the ketchup. Add the minced garlic and cook 20–30 seconds until fragrant (do not burn). Add the shredded imitation crab and toss until warmed through, 1–2 minutes, just enough to hydrate and release its flavor.

Fry the rice: push the crab and aromatics to one side, add the hot cooked rice to the pan and break up any clumps with the back of a spatula. Add ketchup, soy sauce, and the optional 1/2 tsp sugar; stir to combine and let the rice sizzle for 1–2 minutes so the ketchup slightly cooks and the sugars caramelize — this deepens the sweet-tangy omurice flavor. Return the seared chicken and the diced tomato to the pan, toss through, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in the shredded cheddar off heat so it melts into pockets in the rice. Keep the rice warm while you cook the eggs.

Make the omelette skins: heat a nonstick 10–11 inch skillet over medium-low and add 1 tsp butter to coat. For each omelette (makes four thin skins), whisk 1 large egg and 1/2 of another egg (use total of 6 eggs across 4 omelettes — reserve exactly two whole eggs earlier) with a pinch of salt until homogeneous. Pour about 1/4 of the egg mixture into the skillet, immediately swirl to make a thin, even layer. Cook gently until the top is just set but still slightly glossy, 30–45 seconds — low heat gives you a tender, custardy thin omelette instead of rubbery egg.

Assemble omurice: scoop about 1 cup of the fried rice mixture into an oval mound on a warm plate. Quickly slide the thin omelette from the pan over the rice, folding the edges underneath to create a neat envelope. Repeat for each plate. The thin omelette should be flexible; folding it over the rice creates a velvet exterior and lets the rice stay hot inside.

Finish and garnish: dot each omurice with a small pat of butter or a sprinkle of extra shredded cheddar to melt on top, then scatter the crispy wonton shards and a few extra flosses of shredded imitation crab for color. Optionally drizzle a little ketchup or demi-glace along the top. Serve immediately so the omelette is warm and the wonton shards stay crunchy.

Clean-up and storage tips: if you have leftover rice, keep it cold and use within 24 hours for best texture. Assemble omurice just before serving — reheating will make the omelette tougher, so if you must reheat, do it gently over low heat or in a microwave at 50% power for a short time.