Chinese clay pot chicken rice is the ultimate comfort food meal that can be easily made with one pot! This clay pot recipe is made with marinated chicken, bok choy, and shitake mushrooms and then mixed with a mouthwateringly delicious garlic oyster sauce.
Chinese clay pot chicken rice is the ultimate comfort food meal that can be easily made with one pot! This clay pot recipe is made with marinated chicken, bok choy, and shitake mushrooms and then mixed with a mouthwateringly delicious garlic oyster sauce.
This Chinese clay pot rice bowl is made with crispy white rice topped with delicious, juicy marinated chicken, Chinese sausage, bok choy, and shitake mushrooms for the ultimate comfort meal. The juices from the mushrooms, chicken thigh, and Chinese sausage melt into the rice giving it a whirlwind of delicious flavor. Plus, the garlic oyster sauce that you mix into the clay pot rice makes this dish ridiculously addicting.
The best part about this classic clay pot dish is that you only need one pot to make it! And if you don’t have a clay pot for an authentic dish, don’t worry. You can alternatively use a small saucepan or dutch oven instead!
This clay pot chicken recipe is one of my quick and easy recipes to make at home when I am feeling lazy but don’t want to sacrifice flavor. If you loved this Chinese clay pot recipe, be sure to check out my other rice recipes like my Vietnamese sticky rice with chicken, Kimchi Fried Rice, and Thai Pineapple Fried rice.
Delicious and flavorful. You will have the most delicious marinated juicy chicken thigh, Chinese sausage, bok choy and shitake mushrooms glazed in an addicting garlic oyster sauce.
Easy one-pot dish. This Chinese clay pot recipe is so easy to make! All you will need is one pot to cook everything!
Foolproof recipe. This recipe will show you step-by-step on how to make this Chinese clay pot chicken recipe with photos and a tips and tricks section!
Kitchen Equipment
This clay pot chicken recipe can be made with only using a few pieces of kitchen equipment!
Mixing bowls: you will need two mixing bowlsto marinate the chicken thigh and shitake mushrooms.
Clay Pot: this wouldn’t be a clay pot chicken rice recipe without using a clay pot. You can find a clay potat your local Asian grocery store or online!
Ingredients
All of the ingredients for this Chinese clay pot recipe can be found at your local Asian grocery store or online.
White Jasmine rice: long grain white jasmine rice is the perfect base for this clay pot chicken recipe
Vegetable Oil: used to marinate the chicken and slightly toast the rice
Chinese sausage: Chinese sausage is a sweet-salty, smokey, savory sausage with little pockets of fat that melt when cooked. It is absolutely delicious and the perfect topping for this clay pot recipe.
Chicken thigh: chicken thigh is the main protein in this clay pot recipe.
Bok Choy: bok choy is my favorite veggie to add to this Chinese clay pot recipe. You can add any alternative veggies you prefer, more about that below.
Shitake Mushroom: I recommend marinating the mushrooms for the best-tasting results.
Green Onion: used as a garnish.
Ginger: used as an aromatic for the chicken thigh marinade.
Shallot: used as an aromatic for the chicken thigh marinade.
Garlic: used as an aromatic for the sauce.
Light Soy Sauce:light soy sauce is a saltier and thinner soy sauce. It adds a hint of umami soy to the sauce and marinade.
Shaoxing Wine:Shaoxing wine adds a subtle vinegary, spicy, and caramel-like flavor to the marinade.
Oyster Sauce:oyster sauce has an earthy, slightly sweet, and salty flavor that adds a depth of umami flavor to the sauce.
Sugar: a touch of sugar gently sweetens the chicken marinade and the sauce and balances out the salty flavors.
Salt and pepper: season the chicken thigh.
Cornstarch: adding cornstarch to the marinade provides a light coating to prevent the chicken from overcooking and creating a tender juicy chicken.
ToastedSesame Oil: a touch of toasted sesame oil adds a toasted nuttiness to the sauce
Substitutions and Additions
This is your clay pot rice recipe, you can personalize the toppings with whichever protein and veggies you choose.
Substitutions
Chicken breast: if you prefer chicken breast instead of thigh use chicken breast!
Pork belly: instead of chicken you can alternatively use small pieces of pork belly as well
Tofu: for a vegetarian Chinese clay pot recipe, you can alternatively use tofu instead of chicken and Chinese sausage.
Additions
Vegetables: you can add any vegetables that you’d like to add such as Chinese broccoli, regular broccoli, carrots, etc.
How to Make Chinese Clay Pot Rice
You can easily make this clay pot chicken rice recipe all by using one clay pot!
Prepare the rice. Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Cover and soak the rice in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Marinate the chicken. In a medium mixing bowl, add the chicken marinade ingredients and mix until combined. Add the prepared chicken pieces and mix until each piece is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Marinate the mushrooms. In a small bowl, mix together the mushroom and marinade until combined. Add the sliced mushrooms and mix until evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the rice. Add the soaked rice, 1 1/2 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of oil to the clay pot over a stove on medium heat. Mix well. Cover and bring the water to a boil, for about 5 minutes. Once the water has reached a boil and the water has leveled out with the rice, add an even layer of the Chinese sausage, baby bok choy marinated chicken, and mushrooms over the rice. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Scorch the rice. After 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium heat, and pour about 1 teaspoon of oil along the edges of the pot to scorch the edges of the rice. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until you hear a crackling sound.
Make the sauce. While the rice is cooking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium mixing bowl until combined.
Serve. When the rice is done cooking, top the rice with the sauce and freshly sliced green onions. Toss and enjoy immediately.
Tips for the Best Chinese Clay Pot Rice
Wash your rice! Washing your rice is a very important step. If the grains aren’t washed, the residual starch will gelatinize and make the rice grains stick to each other.
Marinate the chicken and mushrooms for at least 30 minutes. For the best flavorful results, I recommend marinating your chicken and mushrooms for at least 30 minutes before adding them to your clay pot.
Carefully listen and smell for any burning when adding oil. Once you add the oil to make the crispy rice. Listen for the cackling sounds and make sure to smell any burnt smells. Remove from heat immediately if you do.
Storage Instructions
This clay pot chicken recipe is best served immediately, but you can store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s
What is clay pot rice?
Chinese clay pot also known as bao zai fan/煲仔饭 is a popular street food in Hong Kong and Canton. It is a dish made with rice with savory toppings cooked in a traditional Chinese clay pot and then tossed with a savory brown sauce.
Do you need a clay pot to make clay pot chicken rice?
No! Clay pots produce the most authentic Chinese clay pot recipe but you can make this with a small saucepan or dutch oven as well.
You can also make this clay pot chicken recipe in a rice cooker or instant pot but you may not have the same authentic crispy rice.
Does food taste better in a clay pot?
Clay pot chicken cooked in a clay pot tastes more flavorful because the meats are cooked in their own juices and their flavors and aromas seep down into the rice. The bowl shape also makes it possible to heat the side to create crispy rice edges.
Chinese clay pot chicken rice is the ultimate comfort food meal that can be easily made with one pot! This clay pot recipe is made with marinated chicken, bok choy, and shitake mushrooms and then mixed with a mouthwateringly delicious garlic oyster sauce.
Prepare the rice. Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Cover and soak the rice in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Marinate the chicken. In a medium mixing bowl, add the chicken marinade ingredients and mix until combined. Add the prepared chicken pieces and mix until each piece is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Marinate the mushrooms. In a small bowl, mix together the mushroom and marinade ingredients until combined. Add the sliced mushrooms and mix until evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the rice. Add the soaked rice, 1 1/2 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of oil to the clay pot over a stove on medium heat. Mix well. Cover and bring the water to a boil, for about 5 minutes. Once the water has reached a boil and the water has leveled out with the rice, add an even layer of the Chinese sausage, baby bok choy marinated chicken, and mushrooms over the rice. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Scorch the rice. After 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium heat, and pour about 1 teaspoon of oil along the edges of the pot to scorch the edges of the rice. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until you hear a crackling sound.
Make the sauce. While the rice is cooking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium mixing bowl until combined.
Serve. When the rice is done cooking, top the rice with the sauce and freshly sliced green onions. Toss and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Wash your rice! Washing your rice is a very important step. If the grains aren’t washed, the residual starch will gelatinize and make the rice grains stick to each other.
Marinate the chicken and mushrooms for at least 30 minutes. For the best flavorful results, I recommend marinating your chicken and mushrooms for at least 30 minutes before adding them to your clay pot.
Carefully listen and smell for any burning when adding oil. Once you add the oil to create the crispy rice. Listen for the cackling sounds and make sure to smell any burnt smells. Remove from heat immediately if you do.
Storage Instructions: this clay pot chicken recipe is best served immediately, but you can store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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