Clay Pot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong: A Comfort Food Classic
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Growing up, one of my favorite meals was the rice cooker one-pot dish my mom would make. It featured chicken, peas, lap cheong, and shiitake mushrooms. I loved the savory flavors and the variety of textures: soft shiitakes, tender chicken, and chewy Chinese sausage. I’ve added water chestnuts to this version for an extra crunch, creating a dish that’s both nostalgic and delicious.
What is Clay pot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong?
Clay pot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong is a traditional Chinese dish that combines marinated chicken, Chinese sausage (lap cheong), shiitake mushrooms, and rice. Traditionally cooked in a claypot, this recipe is adapted for a rice cooker, making it easier and more convenient while keeping the rich flavors and textures of the original dish.
Goals for Recipe Development
My goal is to create recipes that not only taste great but also have layers of textures and flavors, avoiding anything one-note. I also really try to make my dishes visually appealing, as we eat with our eyes first.
The Journey to Perfection
It took four rounds to perfect this Clay pot Chicken Rice recipe, but now it’s perfect. Here’s a look at the development process:
Round One
The first attempt had too much oil to cook the chicken and lap cheong. The white pepper was too mild, so I switched to black pepper. The dish turned out too salty and one-dimensional, needing sesame oil and more color. The meat was too dry, and I cooked it on the high-pressure white rice setting.
Round Two
I decided to add veggies like carrots, celery, red peppers, and edamame for color. I switched to the non-pressure white rice setting and tried the scorched rice mode, but the chicken fell apart, the rice got sticky, and the veggies lost their color. The dish was still too greasy, and the rice and veggies needed more flavor (doubling the ginger?). The flavors were good, but the veggies were cut too small, and I wanted the rice grains to be separated.
Round Three
I used larger cut veggies and the non-pressure white rice setting. The veggies were undercooked, the flavor wasn’t full, but the rice was well-cooked, separated, and not clumpy, and the meat was perfect. I questioned whether added veggies were needed as they are not in the traditional recipe. The lap cheong had to be cooked less in the initial stir-fry.
Round Four
The final round turned out perfect. The meat and lap cheong were perfectly cooked. By adding shallots and ginger to stir-fry the veggies, and garlic to marinate and stir-fry the meat, the dish became flavorful and layered in texture.
Ingredients for Clay pot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong
- Chicken thighs
- Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong)
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Water chestnuts
- Jasmine rice
- Chicken broth
- Soy sauce (light and dark)
- Oyster sauce
- Shaoxing wine
- Sesame oil
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Scallions
- Shallots
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Clay Pot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong
Step 1: Soak the Mushrooms
Put the dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof container to rehydrate them. Cover the mushrooms in boiling water or very hot water and soak until they are soft and tender. Squeeze the water out of the soaked mushrooms, trim the tough stems, and cut them in half.
Step 2: Marinate the Chicken
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken cubes with garlic, cornstarch, soy sauces, oyster sauce, salt, pepper, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and sesame oil. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Set aside to marinate.
Step 3: Stir-Fry the Vegetables
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir-fry ginger, white parts of scallions, and shallots for 15 seconds. Add water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Set aside.
Step 4: Stir-Fry the Meat
In the same skillet, cook the lap cheong for 30 seconds. Add garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Add more oil, if needed, and stir-fry the marinated chicken until the outside is just white. Set aside.
Step 5: Assemble the Dish in the Rice Cooker
Wash the rice and place it in the Cuckoo Rice Cooker with ginger. Layer the chicken and lap cheong mixture on top of the rice, followed by the veggie mix. Add chicken broth and mushroom soaking water. Cook on the non-pressure white rice setting.
Step 6: Cook and Serve
When the rice is done, mix everything together, garnish with scallion greens, and serve hot.
Tips for the Perfect Clay pot Chicken Rice
- Choose Quality Ingredients: Use fresh chicken thighs, good-quality lap cheong, and fresh shiitake mushrooms for the best flavors.
- Proper Rice Washing: Washing the rice until the water runs clear ensures a better texture and prevents stickiness.
- Layering is Key: Properly layer the ingredients in the rice cooker for even cooking and flavor distribution.
FAQs about Clay pot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong
Can I use other types of rice? Yes, but jasmine rice is recommended for its fragrance and texture. Adjust the water quantity based on the rice type.
Can I make this dish vegetarian? You can substitute the chicken with tofu and omit the lap cheong. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
How do I store leftovers? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to prevent drying out.
What can I serve with Clay pot Chicken Rice? This dish is a complete meal on its own but pairs well with a simple vegetable stir-fry or a light soup.
Notes for a perfect Clay Pot Chicken Rice
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in boiling water until soft and fluffy. Remove stems, then cut mushrooms in halves. Reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking water to use as part of the water to cook the rice.
- Use the non-pressure white rice setting on the Cuckoo rice cooker for best results.
- Velveting Chicken: Find my Velvet Chicken Blog Post here which describes how Chinese restaurants use this technique that involves marinating chicken with cornstarch and then quickly blanching it in water or oil. It helps keep the chicken tender and juicy.
Claypot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong and Shiitake Mushrooms
Equipment
- 1 Rice Cooker I love the Cuckoo Induction Heating Twin Pressure Rice Cooker.
- 1 12" Cast Iron Lodge Skillet I prefer cooking in a cast iron pan for the crispyness it imparts.
Ingredients
Shiitake Mushroom Soak
- 8 small dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and halved *(approximately 1/2 cup of mushrooms) (reserve 1/4 cup mushroom soaking water to cook rice)
Chicken Marinade
- 10 oz boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped and divided (half to marinate chicken, half to stir-fry into meats)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce or regular soy sauce
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (for marinating chicken)
- 3 Chinese lap cheong sausages sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (for deglazing pan)
Veggie Mix
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil I use canola, avocado, or grapeseed, divided (half to stir-fry veggies, half to stirfry meat)
- 2 tbsp ginger slivered and divided (half to stir-fry with vegetables, half to mix with rice)
- 2 scallions finely chopped (green and white parts separated) whites to stir-fry with vegetables, greens to garnish.
- 1 large shallot slivered
- 7 water chestnuts drained and sliced into quarter-sized circles (approximately 1/3 cup)
Rice Cook
- 1 cup jasmine rice washed until water is almost clear
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup reserved mushroom soaking water
Instructions
Mushroom Soaking
- Put the dried Shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof container to rehydrate them. I like to use my 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Cover the mushrooms in boiling water or very hot water and soak until they are soft and tender, approximately 30-60 minutes or until very soft. In a pinch, if I forget to soak them, I'll cover them and microwave for a few minutes, and then let them cool down before using.
- Squeeze the water out of the soaked mushrooms. Trim the tough stems, and cut them in half. Set aside.
Chicken Marinade
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken cubes with half of the garlic (~1.5 cloves), cornstarch, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, black pepper, sugar, sesame oil and 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine.
- Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined, making sure the chicken pieces are covered with the cornstarch slurry.
- Set aside for at least 30 minutes so the chicken will be tender.
Aromatics and Vegetable Par-Cook Stir-fry
- Put 1 tbsp oil in skillet set over medium heat, let the oil heat up until starting to shimmer.
- Put half of the ginger (1 tbsp), white part of the scallions, and shallot in the pan and stir quickly for 15 seconds.
- Add water chestnuts and softened shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Set vegetables aside.
Meat Par-Cook Stir-fry
- Using same skillet without washing, turn stove onto medium heat and add lap cheong. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Add rest of garlic (~1.5 cloves) and stir for another 30 seconds.
- Add 1 tbsp remaining oil to skillet, and then add marinated chicken.
- Stir-fry chicken for 1 minute, until the outside of all pieces have just turned white. (The inside will still be raw. However, the meat will finish cooking in the rice cooker.) This is similar to my Velvet Chicken recipe, which you can find in the notes below. It allows the cornstarch coating to set on the chicken to keep it juicy.
Rice and Claypot Chicken Cook
- Wash rice in a colander, or strainer set over a bowl, so that you don't lose extra rice. Drain rice when water is almost clear.
- Put rice in Cuckoo Rice Cooker with remaining ginger slivers (1 tbsp). Stir to incorporate.
- Layer chicken and lap cheong mixture on top of rice.
- Layer veggies mix on top of Chicken. (Do not stir together until after cooked)
- Cook on non-pressure white rice setting. (approximately 33 minutes)
- When rice is done, stir together all components, dish up, garnish with scallion greens, and enjoy!
Notes
Put the dried Shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof container to rehydrate them. I like to use my 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Cover the mushrooms in boiling water or very hot water and soak until they are soft and tender, approximately 15-30 minutes. In a pinch, if I forget to soak them, I'll cover them and microwave for a few minutes, and then let them cool down before using. *How to Velvet Chicken: This technique involves marinating chicken with cornstarch and then quickly blanching it in water or oil before using it in a stir-fry. It helps keep the chicken tender and juicy.
