Name: One-Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice Recipe
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs (approx. 680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free); 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry); 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon cornstarch (this helps to tenderize and create a light coating); ½ teaspoon white pepper; 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (like Jasmine or Basmati), rinsed thoroughly until water runs clear; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral cooking oil (like canola or avocado); 3-4 cloves garlic, minced; 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated; 2-3 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, dark green tops reserved for garnish; 4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in 1 cup of hot water for 20-30 minutes (reserve the soaking liquid!), stems removed and caps sliced (Optional, but highly recommended for umami) If not using dried shiitake, you can use 1 cup fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced.; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (for color and depth, optional but recommended); 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce); 1 teaspoon sesame oil; ½ teaspoon sugar (to balance flavors); ¼ teaspoon white pepper; 1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth; The reserved shiitake mushroom soaking liquid (approx. 1 cup, strained to remove grit) Note: You need a total of approximately 2.5 cups of liquid (broth + mushroom water). If not using dried shiitake, use 2.5 cups of chicken broth in total.; 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced or julienned; ½ cup frozen peas; 1 small head of bok choy, roughly chopped (optional, or use spinach); Reserved dark green scallion tops, thinly sliced; Fresh cilantro, chopped; Toasted sesame seeds; A drizzle of chili oil or Sriracha for those who like a kick

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken & Marinade:

1.5 lbs (approx. 680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch (this helps to tenderize and create a light coating)

½ teaspoon white pepper

For the Rice & Aromatics:

1.5 cups long-grain white rice (like Jasmine or Basmati), rinsed thoroughly until water runs clear

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral cooking oil (like canola or avocado)

3–4 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated

2–3 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, dark green tops reserved for garnish

4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in 1 cup of hot water for 20-30 minutes (reserve the soaking liquid!), stems removed and caps sliced (Optional, but highly recommended for umami)
- If not using dried shiitake, you can use 1 cup fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced.

For the Sauce & Cooking Liquid:

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (for color and depth, optional but recommended)

1 tablespoon oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon sugar (to balance flavors)

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth

The reserved shiitake mushroom soaking liquid (approx. 1 cup, strained to remove grit)
- Note: You need a total of approximately 2.5 cups of liquid (broth + mushroom water). If not using dried shiitake, use 2.5 cups of chicken broth in total.

For the Vegetables (add towards the end):

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced or julienned

½ cup frozen peas

1 small head of bok choy, roughly chopped (optional, or use spinach)

For Garnish (Optional but Recommended):

Reserved dark green scallion tops, thinly sliced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Toasted sesame seeds

A drizzle of chili oil or Sriracha for those who like a kick

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken:
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken pieces with all the marinade ingredients: 2 tbsp light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, 1 tsp sesame oil, cornstarch, and ½ tsp white pepper.
- Mix well to ensure each piece is coated. Let it marinate for at least 15-20 minutes at room temperature, or up to an hour in the refrigerator. This step is crucial for tender, flavorful chicken.

Prepare Aromatics and Sauce:
- While the chicken marinates, prepare all your aromatics: mince the garlic, mince/grate the ginger, slice the scallions (separating whites/light greens from dark greens).
- If using dried shiitake mushrooms, ensure they are rehydrated, stems removed, caps sliced. Strain and reserve the soaking liquid. If using fresh mushrooms, simply slice them.
- Rinse your rice thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and prevents sticky, gummy rice. Drain well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients: 2 tbsp light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, sugar, and ¼ tsp white pepper. Set aside.

Sauté Aromatics and Brown Chicken:
- Heat the 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in your large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, which steams rather than sears the chicken). Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly browned. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate.
- To the same pot, add the minced garlic, ginger, and the white/light green parts of the scallions. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning. If the pot seems dry, add a tiny splash more oil.

Toast Rice and Add Mushrooms:
- Add the rinsed and drained rice to the pot with the aromatics. Stir well to coat the grains with the oil and aromatics, toasting for about 1-2 minutes. This step adds a nutty depth to the rice.
- Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated or fresh) to the pot. Stir for another minute to combine.

Combine and Simmer:
- Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the rice and mushrooms. Stir well to distribute evenly.
- Nestle the browned chicken pieces (and any accumulated juices from the plate) on top of the rice.
- Pour in the chicken broth and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid (or just more broth if not using dried mushrooms). The liquid should just cover the rice and chicken. Gently stir once to ensure the rice is mostly submerged.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.

Cook the Rice (The “Don’t Peek” Phase!):
- Once simmering, reduce the heat to low – the lowest setting your stove can manage while still maintaining a very gentle simmer.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Crucially, do not lift the lid during this cooking time. This allows the steam to cook the rice and chicken perfectly.

Add Vegetables and Rest:
- After 18-20 minutes, quickly remove the lid. Scatter the diced carrots, frozen peas, and chopped bok choy (if using) over the top of the chicken and rice.
- Immediately replace the lid and let it stand off the heat for another 5-10 minutes. The residual steam will cook the vegetables to a tender-crisp texture and allow the flavors to meld further. This resting period is essential for fluffy rice.

Fluff and Serve:
- After resting, remove the lid. Use a fork or a rice paddle to gently fluff the rice and mix the chicken and vegetables throughout the dish.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, though it should be well-seasoned from the sauces.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the reserved dark green scallion tops, fresh cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili oil if desired.

Nutrition

Serving Size: One Normal Portion
Calories: 550-650