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Garlic Chicken Claypot Rice

Chinese

Y’all know I love a good claypot rice, so here's another one for you. We're talking crispy chicken, smoky rice and a garlicky sauce that's straight-up addictiveeeee. The rice gets all those delicious flavours from the chicken as it cooks, then we finish it with a soy-marinated egg yolk and that garlicky chilli sauce. Basically, pure comfort in a pot.

Recipe Stats

Cooking time

30 minutes

Serves

1

Difficulty

Easy

Spice

Mild

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Garlic Chicken Claypot Rice

Ingredients

1 serving

for the chicken marinade

for the garlic sauce

for the rice

to serve

Notes

Some secret knowledge

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Possible Substitutions

substitutions

  • Chicken thigh: Chicken breast can be used, but thigh stays juicier and has more flavour.
  • Short-grain rice: Japanese short-grain or another sticky short-grain rice works well.
  • Claypot: Use a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, stainless steel or non-stick pot if you don't have a claypot.
  • Chicken powder: Substitute with MSG or chicken bouillon powder.
  • MSG: Optional, but it adds extra savouriness to the garlic sauce.
  • Fresh chilli: Use chilli flakes or chilli oil instead, depending on what you have.
  • Egg yolk: Use a soft-boiled egg instead if you don't want to marinate an egg yolk.
Shield

Things to Keep in Mind

things to keep in mind

  • Keep the chicken pieces relatively small so they cook through at the same time as the rice.
  • Don't overcrowd the pot when browning the chicken — cook in batches if needed.
  • Make sure the rice is drained well after washing so you're not accidentally adding extra water.
  • The exact cooking time can vary depending on your pot, hob and type of rice.
  • Keep an eye on the crispy bottom. Claypots retain a lot of heat, so the rice can go from golden and crispy to burnt pretty quickly.
  • Make sure the chicken is fully cooked through before serving — it should reach 74°C / 165°F internally.
  • If the rice looks a little dry while cooking, add a small splash of water and continue cooking with the lid on.
  • Add the garlic sauce right before serving so the crispy rice stays crispy.
Fridge

Storage

Claypot rice is best eaten fresh, especially when you want that crispy rice crust.

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, add the rice to a pan with a small splash of water, cover and heat gently until warmed through. For crispy bits, finish uncovered with a little oil to bring some of that texture back.

Store any leftover garlic sauce separately in the fridge and warm gently before serving.

Method

marinate the chicken

Add the chicken thigh, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, white pepper and cornflour to a bowl.

Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated, then set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

make the garlic sauce

Add the minced garlic and chilli to a heatproof bowl.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil until hot, then pour it directly over the garlic and chilli. Give it a good mix.

Add the chicken powder, oyster sauce, sugar, light soy sauce, water and MSG.

Mix until everything is well combined, then set aside.

prepare the rice

Wash the short-grain rice several times until the water runs mostly clear.

Drain well.

brown the chicken

Heat the claypot over medium heat and add 1 tsp neutral oil.

Add the chicken pieces and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, around 2 minutes per side.

If your pot is small, cook the chicken in batches so you don't overcrowd it.

Remove the chicken and set aside.

cook the rice

Using the residual oil and chicken juices left in the pot, add the washed rice.

Stir-fry briefly to coat the rice in all those delicious flavours.

Add 80ml water and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 6 minutes.

add the chicken

After 6 minutes, uncover and check that most of the water has started to be absorbed.

Using the end of a wooden spoon or chopsticks, poke a few holes into the rice to help it cook evenly.

Arrange the browned chicken on top of the rice.

Cover and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes, or until the rice and chicken are fully cooked through.

crisp up the bottom

Drizzle a little extra oil around the edges of the pot as this will drip down to the bottom of the claypot to help crisp up the rice.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 3-4 minutes to develop that delicious crispy rice crust at the bottom.

Keep an eye on it so the rice gets crispy and golden, not burnt. Use your nose and smell to see if the rice starts to get burnt, take it off the heat immediately if it starts to burn.

finish & serve

Turn off the heat and let the claypot sit for a minute or two.

Garnish with chopped spring onions, then top with the soy-marinated egg yolk.

Drizzle generously with the garlic sauce and serve hot.

Make sure you scrape up that crispy rice from the bottom as that's the best bit!

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