Khao Man Gai (Thai-Style Chicken and Rice)
By Bryan RoofPublished on June 11, 2020
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Chicken and Broth
12 cups water 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds2 tablespoons table salt 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled1 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discardedRice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 shallot, chopped fine1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut in half lengthwise2 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon table salt 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems½ English cucumber, sliced into thin roundsSauce
¼ cup Thai soybean paste ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup distilled white vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 3 garlic cloves, minced2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger2 scallions, sliced thin
Before You Begin
One tablespoon of Asian chili-garlic sauce can be substituted for the Thai chiles, if desired. Use a Dutch oven with at least a 7-quart capacity to comfortably fit the chicken. Thai soybean paste is sometimes labeled as yellow bean sauce or soybean sauce. If this ingredient is unavailable, you can substitute Japanese red miso.
Instructions
- Combine water, ginger, salt, and garlic in large Dutch oven. Add chicken to pot, breast side up, and bring to simmer over high heat. Place large sheet of aluminum foil over pot, then cover with lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register at least 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to bowl, tent with foil, and let rest while making rice. Using slotted spoon, skim foamy residue from surface of chicken broth. Set aside 3 cups broth for cooking rice. Cover remaining broth.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot, ginger, garlic, and salt and cook until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in reserved 3 cups broth and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir once more, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes. Without removing lid, remove saucepan from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Whisk all ingredients in bowl until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Rewarm remaining broth over medium heat. Using boning knife, remove breast meat from chicken carcass; discard skin. Remove chicken leg quarters by dislocating thigh joint from carcass. Using 2 forks, shred leg quarter meat into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones. Slice breasts crosswise ½ inch thick.
- Transfer rice to large serving platter. Arrange shredded chicken on top of rice. Arrange sliced breast meat on top of shredded chicken. Place cilantro in pile in 1 corner of platter and shingle cucumber along side of platter.
- Portion four to six 1-cup servings of remaining hot broth into individual soup bowls and sprinkle with scallions (you will have more than 6 cups broth; reserve extra broth for another use). Serve chicken and rice with sauce and portions of broth.
- Follow recipe through step 2 and let chicken and broth cool completely. Remove breasts and leg quarters from chicken carcass (as in step 6), but do not slice breasts or shred meat from leg quarters. Refrigerate broth and chicken for up to 24 hours. To serve, proceed with step 3. Reheat chicken in broth before shredding and slicing.
for the chicken and broth
for the rice
for the sauce
to make ahead
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Chicken and Broth
12 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons table salt
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
Rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon table salt
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
½ English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
Sauce
¼ cup Thai soybean paste
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken and Broth
12 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons table salt
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
Rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon table salt
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
½ English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
Sauce
¼ cup Thai soybean paste
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken and Broth
12 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons table salt
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
Rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon table salt
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
½ English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
Sauce
¼ cup Thai soybean paste
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
After feasting on the deservedly famous chicken and rice at Nong’s Khao Man Gai in Portland, Oregon (read about our visit here), we came back to the test kitchen to create a recipe for home cooks. Following the lead of the cooks at Nong’s, we began by poaching the chicken whole with garlic and ginger, simultaneously creating perfectly juicy meat and flavorful chicken broth. Then, while the bird rested, we cooked fragrant jasmine rice in the poaching liquid to make a rich, poultry-infused rice to serve alongside the sliced and shredded chicken. To re-create Nong’s bright, savory, spicy sauce, we whisked together a mixture of white vinegar, soy sauce, Thai soybean paste, garlic, ginger, and Thai chiles. The ultracomforting chicken and rice could stand on their own, but the sauce elevated them to a truly exceptional dinner.
Before You Begin
One tablespoon of Asian chili-garlic sauce can be substituted for the Thai chiles, if desired. Use a Dutch oven with at least a 7-quart capacity to comfortably fit the chicken. Thai soybean paste is sometimes labeled as yellow bean sauce or soybean sauce. If this ingredient is unavailable, you can substitute Japanese red miso.
Instructions
- Combine water, ginger, salt, and garlic in large Dutch oven. Add chicken to pot, breast side up, and bring to simmer over high heat. Place large sheet of aluminum foil over pot, then cover with lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register at least 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to bowl, tent with foil, and let rest while making rice. Using slotted spoon, skim foamy residue from surface of chicken broth. Set aside 3 cups broth for cooking rice. Cover remaining broth.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot, ginger, garlic, and salt and cook until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in reserved 3 cups broth and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir once more, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes. Without removing lid, remove saucepan from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Whisk all ingredients in bowl until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Rewarm remaining broth over medium heat. Using boning knife, remove breast meat from chicken carcass; discard skin. Remove chicken leg quarters by dislocating thigh joint from carcass. Using 2 forks, shred leg quarter meat into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones. Slice breasts crosswise ½ inch thick.
- Transfer rice to large serving platter. Arrange shredded chicken on top of rice. Arrange sliced breast meat on top of shredded chicken. Place cilantro in pile in 1 corner of platter and shingle cucumber along side of platter.
- Portion four to six 1-cup servings of remaining hot broth into individual soup bowls and sprinkle with scallions (you will have more than 6 cups broth; reserve extra broth for another use). Serve chicken and rice with sauce and portions of broth.
- Follow recipe through step 2 and let chicken and broth cool completely. Remove breasts and leg quarters from chicken carcass (as in step 6), but do not slice breasts or shred meat from leg quarters. Refrigerate broth and chicken for up to 24 hours. To serve, proceed with step 3. Reheat chicken in broth before shredding and slicing.
for the chicken and broth
for the rice
for the sauce
to make ahead
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments