Aromatic Chicken Rice Recipe

Rinse rice

Place the jasmine rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear, about 1–2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

Combine rinsed rice, chicken stock and bay leaf in a medium saucepan. If your stock is low in volume, add up to 1/4 cup water to reach 2 1/4 cups total liquid. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Cook chicken

While the stock comes to a boil, heat the oil and butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add the diced chicken in a single layer, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and lightly browned, about 4–5 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon). Sauté until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the turmeric and cook 15 seconds to bloom the spice.

Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, stir to combine with aromatics, and remove from heat while the rice finishes cooking.

When the stock in the saucepan reaches a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer without lifting the lid for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes to finish steaming. Discard the bay leaf.

Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to the skillet with the cooked chicken and aromatics (or add the chicken mixture into the rice pot). Gently fold to combine so the chicken and aromatics distribute evenly through the rice.

Stir in soy sauce, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) and remaining 3/8 teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Fold in chopped cilantro and sliced scallions. Serve warm with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over individual portions.