Golden Lemongrass Chicken Brothy Rice

Video

Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is one of those dinners that feels like a hug in a bowl but still tastes bright and fresh. You get crisp-skinned chicken, a golden broth scented with lemongrass and turmeric, and a big spoonful of jasmine rice to soak it all up. It is part cosy soup, part rice bowl, with all those fresh herbs on top to keep things light.

Saucy Garlic Chicken Rice

The broth is built right in the same pan you use to brown the chicken, so all those caramelised bits turn into flavour. Then it is just a matter of piling everything into deep bowls, ladling the broth around the rice and finishing with a generous handful of coriander, Thai basil and mint. A few fried shallots and a drizzle of chilli oil at the end make it feel restaurant special, without any fuss.

The Secret to Perfect Golden Brothy Rice

The trick is to treat the chicken and the broth with equal care. Start with a properly hot pan so the chicken skin turns deep golden and crisp before you build the broth underneath. Those rendered chicken fats mix with the aromatics and spices to give you a really full-flavoured base.

When the broth is simmering, keep it at a gentle bubble rather than a fierce boil so the chicken stays juicy and the broth stays clear and golden. Taste and adjust with fish sauce and salt at the end. You want the broth to be well seasoned so it does not get lost once it hits the rice.

What You Need

Chicken thighs

Shallots

Garlic

Ginger

Fresh turmeric

Lemongrass

Shaoxing wine

Light soy sauce

Dark soy sauce

Sugar

Chicken stock

White pepper

Fish sauce

Jasmine rice

Coriander

Thai basil

Mint

Spring onions

Fried shallots

Chilli oil

Steps

Use

a mortar and pestle

to pound the garlic, ginger, turmeric and ½ teaspoon of sea salt to a rough paste. It does not need to be completely smooth, just well broken down so it will melt into the broth. Set aside.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel and season the skin and flesh sides lightly with salt.

Heat

a large, deep frying pan

or wide

saucepan

over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, place the chicken thighs into the pan skin-side down.

Cook for 6-8 minutes without moving them, or until the skin is deep golden and crisp and most of the fat has rendered out. Flip the chicken and cook the second side for 3-4 minutes until lightly coloured.

Transfer the chicken to

a plate

and set aside. Leave about 1 tablespoon of the chicken fat in the pan and pour off any excess if you need to.

Turn the heat down to medium. In the same pan, add the sliced shallots. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until they soften and start to turn translucent.

Add the garlic, ginger and turmeric paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is very fragrant and the raw smell of the garlic has gone. Take care not to let it brown too much.

Pour the Shaoxing wine into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the base. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar. Add the chicken stock, white pepper and the bruised lemongrass stalk. Bring everything up to a gentle simmer.

Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up, along with any resting juices from the plate. The chicken should sit partly above the liquid so the skin stays as crisp as possible while the flesh cooks through.

Simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is rich, golden and aromatic. Taste the broth and add the fish sauce, plus extra salt or fish sauce if needed. Remove the lemongrass stalk before serving if you prefer. While the broth is simmering, combine the chopped coriander, Thai basil, mint and spring onions in

a small bowl

. Toss gently so the herbs are evenly mixed and ready to sprinkle.

Divide the hot jasmine rice among four deep serving bowls.

Transfer the chicken to

a board

and slice each thigh into thick strips. Arrange the slices over the rice in each bowl, keeping the crisp skin visible on top.

Ladle the golden lemongrass broth around the rice so it pools at the bottom of each bowl without completely drowning the rice.

Generously scatter the herb mixture over the top. Finish with fried shallots and a drizzle of chilli oil, if you like a little heat. Serve straight away while everything is hot and fragrant.

Special Ingredient Notes

Lemongrass:

Use a fresh lemongrass stalk, trimmed and bruised with the back of your knife so it releases its citrusy fragrance into the broth. If it is very thick, you can split it lengthways first.

Fresh turmeric:

Fresh turmeric gives the broth that deep golden colour and an earthy aroma. It will stain your fingers, so you might like to wear gloves. If you cannot find fresh, use 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric instead.

Shaoxing wine:

This Chinese cooking wine adds savoury depth and helps dissolve all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. If you need to skip the alcohol, you can use a splash of chicken stock with an extra pinch of sugar.

Thai basil and fresh herbs:

The mix of coriander, Thai basil, mint and spring onion is what makes each bowl look and taste so vibrant. If you cannot find Thai basil, regular basil will still be delicious.

Golden Lemongrass Chicken Brothy Rice

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PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

35 minutes

SERVES

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Ingredients

4 garlic cloves

3cm piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

3cm piece fresh turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)

4 chicken thighs, skin-on

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 lemongrass stalk, bruised

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

2 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

3 cups

chicken stock

¼ tsp white pepper

1 tbsp fish sauce, plus extra to taste

sea salt

4 cups cooked jasmine rice, to serve

Fresh herb topping:

¼ cup finely chopped coriander (leaves and stems)

¼ cup Thai basil leaves, torn

2 tbsp finely sliced mint leaves

2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 tbsp fried shallots

chilli oil

, to taste (optional)

Instructions

Build the aromatic paste

Use

a mortar and pestle

to pound the garlic, ginger, turmeric and ½ teaspoon of sea salt to a rough paste. It does not need to be completely smooth, just well broken down so it will melt into the broth. Set aside.

Brown the chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel and season the skin and flesh sides lightly with salt.

Heat

a large, deep frying pan

or wide

saucepan

over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, place the chicken thighs into the pan skin-side down.

a plate

and set aside. Leave about 1 tablespoon of the chicken fat in the pan and pour off any excess if you need to.

Build the aromatic base

Turn the heat down to medium. In the same pan, add the sliced shallots. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until they soften and start to turn translucent.

Create the golden broth

Pour the Shaoxing wine into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the base. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar. Add the chicken stock, white pepper and the bruised lemongrass stalk. Bring everything up to a gentle simmer.

Prepare the herb topping

While the broth is simmering, combine the chopped coriander, Thai basil, mint and spring onions in

a small bowl

. Toss gently so the herbs are evenly mixed and ready to sprinkle.

Serve

Divide the hot jasmine rice among four deep serving bowls.

Transfer the chicken to

a board

and slice each thigh into thick strips. Arrange the slices over the rice in each bowl, keeping the crisp skin visible on top.

Ladle the golden lemongrass broth around the rice so it pools at the bottom of each bowl without completely drowning the rice.

Generously scatter the herb mixture over the top. Finish with fried shallots and a drizzle of chilli oil, if you like a little heat. Serve straight away while everything is hot and fragrant.