There’s chicken rice… and then there’s CHICKEN RICE. Amp up the epicness with this winner dinner and enjoy next-level savoury flavour.
Claypot Chicken Rice
300g (10.5 oz) chicken thigh fillets, cut into 4cm pieces
2 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp dark sweet soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra to drizzle at the end
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
6 dried shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 Chinese lap cheong sausages, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
¼ cup Chinese Shaoxing wine
1 cup jasmine rice
¼ tsp white pepper
1 cup chicken stock
sliced spring onion (scallions) to sprinkle
- Combine the chicken with the soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, sesame oil and corn flour. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 15 minutes to soften. Strain the soaking liquid, reserving ½ cup for later. Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms in half.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the lap cheong sausage and stir-fry for half a minute. Add the chicken and stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until just starting to colour. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another minute. Toss in the mushrooms. Then pour in the Shaoxing wine and use a spatula to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Then stir through the rice and white pepper.
- Transfer the rice mixture to a Chinese claypot or a heavy-based saucepan or a dutch oven. Pour over the chicken stock and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Place the pot over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Gently cook for 30 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Remove the lid. Sprinkle the top of the rice with spring onion and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve straight from the pot.
