If comfort food had a Thai passport, Khao Mun Gai would be it. This iconic dish of poached chicken served with silky, fragrant rice and a bold, garlicky dipping sauce hits all the right notes – savoury, soothing, and satisfyingly simple. It’s a one-bowl wonder you can serve up for dinner and repurpose for lunch the next day. The homemade broth? Total game-changer. You’ll want to sip every last drop.
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For the chicken and broth:
8 cups chicken stock
2 spring onions, cut into large batons
3 slices ginger
1 whole chicken
1 tbsp sea salt
For the rice:
¼ cup chicken skin and fat trimmings (or use finely diced skin-on chicken thigh)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 cups jasmine rice
For the ‘nahm jim’ dipping sauce:
3 coriander roots
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp sea salt
2cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp Thai soybean paste*
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Thai black soy sauce or kecap manis
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp white vinegar
½ tsp white sugar
3 bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
- Remove excess skin and fat from the chicken, reserving the trimmings for the rice. Rub the chicken all over with the sea salt.
- In a large stockpot , combine the chicken stock, ginger, and spring onion. Lower the chicken into the pot and add water until just submerged. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 1 hour, skimming any foam from the surface.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce. Using a mortar and pestle , pound the coriander roots, garlic, and salt into a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Carefully lift the cooked chicken from the pot and place it on a board to cool slightly.
- To make the rice, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken trimmings and cook for about 5 minutes until golden and the fat has rendered. Remove the solids. Return the pot to heat, add the garlic, rice, and 2¼ cups of the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10–12 minutes or until rice is tender.
- To serve, carve the chicken and lightly pound the breast meat with a rolling pin to tenderise before slicing. Plate up with the rice, dipping sauce, and a small bowl of the cooking broth on the side.
- Notes: *Thai soybean paste (also known as yellow soybean sauce) is available in Asian grocers or online. It’s made from fermented soybeans, wheat, and salt.
