One-Pot Crispy Bottom Hainanese Chicken Rice
One-Pot Crispy Bottom Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ingredients
For the Crispy Bottom Rice
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, skin and fat removed and reserved, meat cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and pounded into a paste
- 2 shallots, peeled and pounded into a paste
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup Japanese chicken stock
- 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced into thin rounds
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
For the Greens
- 4 ounces bok choy, trimmed and quartered
For Garnish and Serving
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, for drizzling sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, for drizzling sauce
- 1 cucumber, sliced, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the aromatics and chicken: Using a mortar and pestle or a small food processor, pound the peeled garlic cloves and shallots into a coarse paste. Set aside. Take the reserved chicken skin and fat, roughly chop them into small pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the cut chicken thigh pieces with dark soy sauce, cornstarch, and white pepper. Mix well to coat and set aside to marinate.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Render chicken fat: Place a large Dutch oven or clay pot with a lid over medium-low heat. Add the chopped chicken skin and fat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the skin pieces are crispy and golden brown. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Remove the crispy skin bits with a slotted spoon and set aside (these are delicious for snacking or garnish!). Leave the rendered chicken oil in the pot.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Sauté aromatics: Add the pounded garlic and shallot paste to the chicken oil in the pot. Sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn the aromatics.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Toast rice and add liquids: Add the washed and drained jasmine rice to the pot with the aromatics. Stir well to coat the rice grains in the aromatic chicken oil. Toast for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the water and Japanese chicken stock, and add the sliced ginger rounds. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Cook chicken and rice: Once simmering, carefully arrange the marinated chicken pieces on top of the rice in a single layer. Do not stir. Cover the pot tightly with its lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. The chicken will steam gently, infusing the rice with its juices.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Add greens and rest: After 15 minutes, remove the lid and quickly add the trimmed and quartered bok choy pieces on top of the chicken. Replace the lid and remove the pot from the heat. Let it rest, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. This resting period allows the flavors to meld, the rice to fully absorb the liquid, and helps create the desirable crispy bottom layer.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Prepare serving sauce and serve: While the rice rests, whisk together the soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl for the drizzling sauce. Once rested, remove the lid from the pot. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, being careful to preserve the crispy bottom. Serve the chicken and rice immediately, garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and crispy fried shallots. Drizzle with the prepared soy-sesame sauce and serve with sliced cucumber on the side.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
One-Pot Crispy Bottom Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ingredients
For the Crispy Bottom Rice
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, skin and fat removed and reserved, meat cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and pounded into a paste
- 2 shallots, peeled and pounded into a paste
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup Japanese chicken stock
- 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced into thin rounds
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
For the Greens
- 4 ounces bok choy, trimmed and quartered
For Garnish and Serving
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, for drizzling sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, for drizzling sauce
- 1 cucumber, sliced, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the aromatics and chicken: Using a mortar and pestle or a small food processor, pound the peeled garlic cloves and shallots into a coarse paste. Set aside. Take the reserved chicken skin and fat, roughly chop them into small pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the cut chicken thigh pieces with dark soy sauce, cornstarch, and white pepper. Mix well to coat and set aside to marinate.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Render chicken fat: Place a large Dutch oven or clay pot with a lid over medium-low heat. Add the chopped chicken skin and fat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the skin pieces are crispy and golden brown. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Remove the crispy skin bits with a slotted spoon and set aside (these are delicious for snacking or garnish!). Leave the rendered chicken oil in the pot.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Sauté aromatics: Add the pounded garlic and shallot paste to the chicken oil in the pot. Sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn the aromatics.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Toast rice and add liquids: Add the washed and drained jasmine rice to the pot with the aromatics. Stir well to coat the rice grains in the aromatic chicken oil. Toast for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the water and Japanese chicken stock, and add the sliced ginger rounds. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Cook chicken and rice: Once simmering, carefully arrange the marinated chicken pieces on top of the rice in a single layer. Do not stir. Cover the pot tightly with its lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. The chicken will steam gently, infusing the rice with its juices.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Add greens and rest: After 15 minutes, remove the lid and quickly add the trimmed and quartered bok choy pieces on top of the chicken. Replace the lid and remove the pot from the heat. Let it rest, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. This resting period allows the flavors to meld, the rice to fully absorb the liquid, and helps create the desirable crispy bottom layer.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Prepare serving sauce and serve: While the rice rests, whisk together the soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl for the drizzling sauce. Once rested, remove the lid from the pot. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, being careful to preserve the crispy bottom. Serve the chicken and rice immediately, garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and crispy fried shallots. Drizzle with the prepared soy-sesame sauce and serve with sliced cucumber on the side.
⏱️ 5 min