Shredded Chicken Rice Recipe

Poach the chicken

Place chicken thighs in a medium pot. Add 6 cups water, sliced ginger, smashed white part of green onion, rice wine and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low to maintain a very gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes (thighs) or 8–10 minutes (breasts) until cooked through. Do not boil vigorously to keep meat tender.

Turn off heat and leave chicken in the pot for 10 minutes to finish cooking and stay moist. Remove chicken and set on a cutting board to cool slightly. Reserve at least 2 cups of the poaching liquid and strain out solids for use in the rice.

When cool enough to handle, remove skin (if desired) and shred chicken finely with two forks or by hand into thin strips. Toss shredded chicken with 1 tsp sesame oil and set aside. Keep warm.

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and quickly fry 10–15 seconds until fragrant (do not burn).

Remove from heat and stir in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper and 1 tsp sugar. Taste and adjust—sauce should be savory with mild sweetness. Keep warm. This sauce will be mixed with shredded chicken and spooned over rice when serving.

Rinse 2 cups rice under cold water until the rinse water runs mostly clear to remove surface starch. Drain well.

Place rinsed rice in a rice cooker or medium saucepan. Add 2 cups reserved strained chicken poaching liquid. If the poaching liquid level seems low for the rice cooker’s usual water ratio, add up to 1/2 cup additional water. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil or fat if using.

Cook rice according to rice cooker instructions or, if using a saucepan, bring to a boil with lid on, reduce to low and simmer 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Turn off heat and let rice steam, covered, 10 minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork or paddle and taste for seasoning; adjust with a pinch of salt if desired.

Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully add 4 large eggs and boil for 7 minutes for slightly jammy yolks (adjust 8–9 minutes for firmer yolks). While eggs boil, prepare an ice bath.

Remove eggs to ice bath and cool thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Gently crack shells all over and peel.

In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water, 1/4 cup light soy sauce, 1 tbs dark soy sauce, 1 tbs rice wine, 1 tbs sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick and crushed ginger and sliced green onion. Bring to a gentle simmer until sugar dissolves; turn off heat and cool slightly.

Place peeled eggs in a jar or container and pour the cooled (or warm) marinade over them, ensuring eggs are submerged. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, up to 24 hours for deeper color and flavor. When ready to serve, remove eggs and slice in half.

Warm the seasoning sauce if cooled. Toss shredded chicken lightly with 1–2 tbs of the seasoning sauce (reserve remaining sauce for drizzling).

Scoop warm chicken-flavored rice into bowls. Top each bowl with a generous mound of shredded chicken.

Place 1–2 halved marinated eggs beside the chicken. Spoon a little extra seasoning sauce over the shredded chicken and rice.

Add garnishes: scatter chopped pickled mustard greens, fried shallots, scallions and cilantro. Finish with a small drizzle of chili oil or a spoonful of chili crisp to taste.

Serve immediately. Leftover marinated eggs keep covered in their marinade up to 3 days refrigerated; leftover shredded chicken keeps 3–4 days refrigerated.