This easy one pot Chinese chicken and rice dish is made in a rice cooker! The chicken and rice is cooked at the same time, and the rice soaks up the delicious ginger and garlic juices from the chicken.
To make this easy one pot Chinese chicken and rice, all you gotta do is put all the ingredients in the rice cooker and wait for the magic to happen! I also recommending adding Chinese sausage to this dish to add a sweet and savory taste to the rice.
You will love this easy rice cooker method when you’re feeling a little tired and want to eat something delicious!
What if my chicken doesn’t get cooked through?
Use boneless chicken thighs so the chicken cooks faster and the chicken stays juicy! The steam from the rice cooker is so hot that it will cook the chicken through (think pressure cooker!). You can also cut the chicken in smaller pieces and mix it in the rice prior to cooking. The dish is cooked for 45 minutes, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
If you want to be extra safe, you can measure your chicken with a thermometer and make sure the chicken is at 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celcius).
Interested in more easy Chinese recipes (less than 15 minutes)? Check out my favorites below!
- tomato & egg – classic chinese dish from my dad! goes great over rice and noodles
- shrimp & egg – side dish that is eaten with vegetables with lots of protein and home-y flavor.
- jalapeno and garlic on rice – the most delicious sauce eaten with rice or noodles! I put the sauce over a fried egg and rice!
Important Ingredient – Spicy Bake Mix
I personally love using spicy bake mix to marinate the chicken for an authentic Chinese flavor! The spicy bake mix consists of ginger, onion, salt, and MSG powder. I usually buy this at my local asian grocery store. Sometimes I haven’t been able to buy this at 99 ranch or big retail asian stores. If you cannot find this in your local asian store, you can buy it here on Amazon. I highly recommend this spicy bake mix for your chicken for great flavor!!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR EASY ONE POT CHINESE CHICKEN AND RICE:
Equipment:
- Zojirushi rice cooker – this is the rice cooker I use and it works great! I bought it at Costco 8 years ago and it’s still reliable to this day. The rice always comes out delicious! I recommend checking Costco if they have this brand or you can buy it on Amazon.
Chicken marinade:
- 0.6 to 0.75 pounds chicken thigh, cut in 1 inch pieces
- 2 garlic, sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, sliced
- 1.5 tablespoon of neutral oil (light olive oil or vegetable oil)
- 1.5 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch – helps makes the chicken texture smooth and juicy!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ tbs 4 seasons spicy bake mix (mix of ginger, onion, salt, and MSG powder) – see picture above. So fragrant and delicious!
- 1 tbs soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine (you can use dry sherry as an alternative or omit this ingredient)
Rice cooker:
- 1.5 cups jasmine rice or short grain rice – get high quality rice to make this dish extra delicious
- 1 ¼ cup water
- marinated chicken
- optional (highly recommended): 1 chinese sausage, sliced
garnish:
- 1 green onion, sliced
- sweet soy sauce (optional)
STEPS TO MAKE THE EASY ONE POT CHINESE CHICKEN AND RICE:
Step 1. You can cut the chicken thigh in one inch pieces (or leave them whole and cut them later after cooking!). Sliced 2 garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon ginger.
Step 2. To marinate, add garlic, ginger, 1.5 tablespoon of light olive oil, 1.5 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ tablespoon spicy bake mix, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine to the chicken. Mix together and set aside.
Step 3. Wash 1.5 cups jasmine rice 5-7 times until the water runs clear. Washing the starch off the rice helps makes the rice more delicious! Make sure to strain your rice and there is no leftover water. so your water measurement is correct.
Step 4. Next, add 1 & ¼ cup water to the rice. The water should barely cover the surface of the rice. We don’t need to add too much water because the chicken will provide some moisture to the rice and we don’t want soggy rice 😉
Step 5. (optional, but highly recommended!) Slice chinese sausage and add it on top of the rice.
Step 6. Add the marinated chicken (don’t add the liquid marinade to the rice or it will be too soggy) on top of the rice and place the rice in the rice cooker! If you don’t have a rice cooker, see instructions below (and in the notes section) to learn how to make this dish in a pot. Press the ‘cook’ button on the rice cooker.
Step 7. Once your rice is ready and cooked, let it rest in the rice cooker for 15 minutes! I know this is hard but this helps make your rice more fluffy and moist!
Step 8. Garnish the rice with green onions and sweet soy sauce (optional). To serve, mix the rice together and eat the rice while warm. Hope you enjoy!
If you don’t have a rice cooker, here are alternative cooking instructions:
I understand that not everyone has a rice cooker, so some of us might use pots to cook the rice and chicken. If that is you, get your medium sized pot ready. Add the rice and chicken according to the recipe directions. Once your pot is filled with rice, water and chicken (and sliced chinese sausage if you have it!)…follow the instructions below and you can make your chicken rice!
- Heat pot to medium high and cook for 7-9 minutes covered with a lid. The water will start boiling. Make sure to watch over the fire because the water might boil over ◡̈
- After 7-9 minutes, turn heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes covered. Do not open the lid during the entire cooking process.
- Then turn off the heat and do not open the covered pot. Leave for 20-25 minutes covered. After the 20-25 minutes is up, mix the rice together and garnish with green onions. Hope you enjoy.
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One Pot – Chinese Chicken Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
chicken marinade
- 0.6 to 0.75 pound chicken thigh cut in 1 inch pieces
- 2 garlic sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger sliced
- 1½ tablespoon neutral oil light olive oil or avocado oil
- 1½ tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon 4 season spicy bake mix if you don't have, sub with ½ tbs chicken bouillon
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine you can use dry sherry as an alternative or omit this ingredient
rice cooker
- 1½ cups jasmine rice or short grain rice – get high quality rice to make this dish extra delicious
- 1¼ cup water
- marinated chicken
- 1 sliced chinese sausage optional but highly recommended!
garnish
- 1 green onion sliced
- sweet soy sauce optional
Instructions
- You can cut the chicken thigh in one inch pieces (or leave them whole and cut them later after cooking!). Sliced 2 garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon ginger.0.6 to 0.75 pound chicken thigh, 2 garlic
- To marinate, add garlic, ginger, 1.5 tablespoon of light olive oil, 1.5 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ tablespoon spicy bake mix, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine to the chicken. Mix together and set aside.0.6 to 0.75 pound chicken thigh, 2 garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1½ tablespoon neutral oil, 1½ tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ tablespoon 4 season spicy bake mix, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine
- Wash 1.5 cups jasmine rice 5-7 times until the water runs clear. Washing the starch off the rice helps makes the rice more delicious! Make sure to strain your rice and there is no leftover water. so your water measurement is correct.1½ cups jasmine rice or short grain rice – get high quality rice to make this dish extra delicious, 1¼ cup water
- Next, add 1 & ¼ cup water to the rice. The water should barely cover the surface of the rice. We don’t need to add too much water because the chicken will provide some moisture to the rice and we don’t want soggy rice 😉1 sliced chinese sausage
- (optional, but highly recommended!) Slice chinese sausage and add it on top of the rice.
- Add the marinated chicken (don't add the liquid marinade to the rice or it will be too soggy) on top of the rice and place the rice in the rice cooker! If you don't have a rice cooker, see instructions below (and in the notes section) to learn how to make this dish in a pot. Press the 'cook' button on the rice cooker.
- Once your rice is ready and cooked, let it rest in the rice cooker for 15 minutes! I know this is hard but this helps make your rice more fluffy and moist!marinated chicken
- Garnish the rice with green onions and sweet soy sauce (optional). To serve, mix the rice together and eat the rice while warm. Hope you enjoy!1 green onion, sweet soy sauce
Video
@cookwithdana A good rice cooker always saves the day 🍚 #easyrecipes #chinesefood
♬ 人生のメリーゴーランド(ハウルの動く城) – Kazumi Tateishi Trio
Notes
- Heat pot to medium high and cook for 7-9 minutes covered with a lid. The water will start boiling. Make sure to watch over the fire because the water might boil over ◡̈
- After 7-9 minutes, turn heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes covered. Do not open the lid during the entire cooking process.
- Then turn off the heat and do not open the covered pot. Leave for 20-25 minutes covered. After the 20-25 minutes is up, mix the rice together and garnish with green onions. Hope you enjoy.
Nutrition
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May says
Made this with chicken breasts and still turned out so yummy!! The rice was so flavorful and chicken was juicy and tender!
Jacquie Atkinson says
Hi, am I suppose to use the rice cooker cup that comes with the Zojirushi or are you using standard measuring comes in the recipe?
Dana says
Hi, please use a standard measuring cup for the recipe!
Sandy says
Hi! I’d like to try this in my Tiger rice cooker. Will it work with brown rice or will that setting be too long for the chicken? Thanks!
Dana says
Yes, you can do brown rice! As long as you use chicken thigh, it will still be juicy and delicious ◡̈
Serena Ngan says
This is my favorite recipe from Dana thus far! It’s so easy and versatile when it comes to substituting with different proteins. Adding rehydrated shiitake mushrooms also works for this recipe. Satisfies all my savory cravings and really hits the spot! Made this for my husband and he loved it!
Maddie Hsin says
I love this recipe and I make it for quick and easy lunches all the time! It’s especially good with kimchi!
Thanks Dana!
Stephanie says
Can’t wait to try this set it and forget it recipe. Perfect for an inpatient cook like moi. Yum!!
Leila says
This recipe is super tasty. I made it 4 times in one week and everyone who tried it loved it. The chicken is super tender and the rice finally has some real flavor. I recommend this to everyone. Thanks Dana!
Amy says
The dish is easy and so nostalgic for me! It’s a comfort dish with all the fixings!
Tuvy says
I’ve made this again and again and played with various ingredients. Love this recipe so much!
-murdanista
Irene Huynh says
I tried this recipe on a date night and now it’s been on weekly meal prep rotation! It’s soo easy, super yummy, and fool proof!
Emily says
Love love love how simple this recipe is and how easy to follow!! Reminds me of home while I’m away for university. Thank you for sharing!!
Cheryl says
Really appreciate all your recipes especially these one pots! Love this one<3 Thank you for hosting this giveaway!
Sindy Chen says
I have been trying to recreate this as my parents use to make this all the time when I was a kid – this was perfect.
Jessica Mei says
Absolutely love making this dish!! Many of the ingredients are things I already have in the pantry/fridge. I like adding some rehydrated shiitake mushrooms as well 🙂