Claypot Chicken Rice (鸡肉煲仔饭)

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Claypot Chicken Rice (鸡肉煲仔饭)

Chinese

Clay pot rice, or 煲仔饭 (bo zai fan), is the ultimate comfort food. It’s fluffy jasmine rice layered with juicy, savoury chicken wings and sweet Chinese sausage, all cooked together until the bottom develops that irresistible crispy, golden crust, then topped with a glossy, savoury sauce. It’s cosy, comforting and addictive - the one-pot meal you need in your life!

Recipe Stats

Cooking time

60 minutes

Serves

1

Difficulty

Easy

Spice

Mild

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Claypot Chicken Rice (鸡肉煲仔饭)

Ingredients

1 servings

for the chicken & rice

for the chicken marinade

for the sauce

Notes

Some secret knowledge

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Possible Substitutions

  • Chicken wings: Boneless chicken thighs work really well and cook a little quicker. You can also use chicken drumsticks.
  • Lap cheong: Chinese sausage is what gives this dish its signature sweet, savoury flavour, but you can leave it out or substitute with another cooked sausage but it will change the flavour profile.
  • Jasmine rice: Other medium or long-grain white rice can work, although the amount of water and cooking time may need adjusting.
  • Scallion oil: Sesame oil works well on its own too
  • Clay pot: A Dutch oven, stainless steel or non-stick pot can be used. A rice cooker can also work, although the crispy rice bottom won't be quite the same.
Shield

Things to Keep in Mind

  • Soak the rice: This helps the rice cook more evenly and gives you that lovely soft, fluffy texture.
  • Don't skip rinsing: Rinsing removes excess starch and helps prevent the rice from becoming overly sticky.
  • Keep the heat low while cooking the rice: Clay pots retain heat extremely well, so you don't need a high temperature once the water has come to a boil.
  • Watch the bottom: The crispy rice is the goal, but it can go from golden and crunchy to burnt surprisingly quickly!
  • Cooking times will vary: The size of your chicken pieces, type of pot and heat of your hob can all affect the cooking time. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked before serving.
  • Let the residual heat do the work: Once you add the egg and sauce, keep the lid on for a few minutes so the trapped heat can gently cook the egg and bring everything together.
Fridge

Storage

You can store leftover rice and chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat thoroughly in a pan or microwave until piping hot. Add a splash of water before reheating if the rice has dried out to make it fluffy again.

Unfortunately, the crispy rice won't stay crispy once refrigerated. If you want to bring some of that texture back, reheat the rice in a lightly oiled pan until the bottom becomes crisp again.

Method

marinate the chicken

Add the chicken wings to a bowl along with the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and white pepper.

Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

prepare the rice

Rinse the jasmine rice 2–3 times, or until the water runs mostly clear.

Cover with water and soak for 20 minutes.

While the rice is soaking, remove the skin from the lap cheong by soaking it briefly in hot water, then slice into bite-sized pieces.

sear the chicken

Place your clay pot over medium heat and add a drizzle of oil.

Add the marinated chicken wings and sear for 1–2 minutes on each side, just until they develop some colour.

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

Alternatively: you can skip this step and add the marinated chicken directly over the rice later.

fry the aromatics

Add a little more oil to the clay pot if needed.

Add the minced garlic, followed by the ginger and spring onion whites.

Fry for a minute or two until fragrant.

add the rice

Drain the soaked rice well, then add it to the pot.

Stir-fry the rice with the aromatics for 1–2 minutes, making sure everything is well combined.

cook the rice

Pour in 130–135ml water and bring everything to a boil.

Once boiling, cover with the lid and reduce the heat to low.

Cook for approximately 10 minutes.

add the chicken & lap cheong

Remove the lid and arrange the seared chicken wings and chopped lap cheong over the rice.

Cover again and continue cooking for another 10–15 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Cooking time will vary depending on the size and whether you're using boneless or bone-in chicken.

crisp up the bottom

Once the rice and chicken are cooked, drizzle a little oil around the edges of the clay pot.

Turn the heat up to medium and cook for another 2–3 minutes to develop that delicious crispy rice crust at the bottom.

add the egg & sauce

Turn off the heat.

Top with greens of spring onion then crack an egg directly over the rice.

Pour the prepared sauce evenly over everything.

Cover with the lid and leave for approximately 3 minutes, allowing the residual heat from the pot to cook the egg.

garnish & serve

Finish with fresh coriander.

Mix everything together, making sure to scoop up that crispy rice from the bottom, then serve immediately and enjoy!

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