Chicken Claypot Rice

Traditionally, this dish is made with a claypot, but I made this dish seen in the photo above using a rice cooker since my claypot wasn't big enough for the amount I wanted to make. Feel free to use any heavy bottomed pot you have in your kitchen, but make sure it really has a heavy bottom like with a traditional claypot or most high quality rice cookers because using a standard pot would likely cause the rice at the bottom to burn. This dish is excellent because it uses up dried Shiitake mushrooms, chicken thigh, and any other vegetables you want to get rid of. For instance, some cooked down eggplant in this dish would be absolutely delicious! I topped it with some chili oil, but that's completely optional. Enjoy! :)

INGREDIENTS: 

• 10.5 oz chicken thigh cut into small pieces

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce, plus extra at the end for taste

• 1/2 tsp dark sweet soy sauce 

• 1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra to drizzle at the end

• 2 tsp corn four (cornstarch) 

• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in water 

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil 

• 4 garlic cloves, minced 

• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger (or ginger paste)

• 1/4 cup Chinese Shaoxing wine 

• 2 cups jasmine rice 

• 1/4 tsp white pepper 

• 1 cup chicken stock 

• 3/4 cup mushroom water from soaked shiitake mushrooms 

• 1 sliced green onion (scallions) to sprinkle as garnish 

• Optional: chili oil 

​ INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water for at least 15 minutes to soften them. The longer, the better because the mushrooms will leave behind a tasty mushroom flavored broth which will be used later with the chicken stock to cook the rice

• Cut the chicken thigh into bite-size pieces 

• Combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornflour with the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients 

• Take the mushrooms out of the liquid, remove and discard the stems (too tough to eat) and sliced them into small pieces. Save the liquid for later

• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms into the hot oil and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan, drizzle a bit more oil, and add the marinated chicken into the hot oil and let it sit for at least 1 minute to develop some color before stir-frying. Continue to stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked through evenly

• Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another minute. 

• Pour in the Shaoxing wine and use a spatula and wooden spoon to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it rest while stir-frying occasionally until the alcohol has evaporated. 

• Season with white pepper and mix. 

• Transfer the mixture into a rice cooker. Add the rice, chicken broth, and reserved mushroom liquid. Set the rice cooker to the Quick setting, or cook for 30 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. 

• Remove the lid. Taste for seasoning and add more light soy sauce or salt to taste. Sprinkle the top of the rice with the chopped green onion and a drizzle of sesame oil. 

• For a delicious spicy kick, add a generous spoonful of chili oil to the rice dish

• This recipe could work great with cooked down eggplants as well!