Claypot Chicken

Delicious rice and chicken dish with a lovely mixture of flavours. Once all the prep is out of the way, it's all cooked in one pot.

So, yesterday saw myself in search of a dried Chinese sausage; as you do!

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I found them - yes 'them' being ten in a pack! Can't say as I wanted ten sausages but it seems to be how they come.

They are also known by their Cantonese name Lap Cheong. I got the sausages and the dried Chinese mushrooms from a Chinese supermarket that's opened not too far away.

If you live in a city then I'm sure you'd be able to get these things a lot easier.

Chinese Sausage - Lap Cheong

As they're dried they will last a while if they're wrapped and refrigerated, or so I'm told. They're quite strange things and very fatty so I can't say they'd do you a bit of good but they really made the chicken and rice dish delicious.

Apparently, there are a few different varieties. The nice lady in the shop explained that the darker ones are made of offal and stuff and are a much stronger flavour.

So that sorted that out, I went for the pork ones! I wouldn't add more than one sausage to this recipe even if you have got nine left, as they are quite a strong flavour; smokey, sweet and very seasoned.

Dried Chinese Mushrooms

These need to be re-hydrated before use as they're like little rocks. Just soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes. Give them a squeeze to remove the excess water and they're ready to cook.

Here they are in their dried state and below you can see them sliced after a good soak. You can buy them in any good supermarket - or buy Chinese dried mushrooms on Amazon.

Rehydrated Chinese Mushrooms

You can of course just use a lidded flameproof casserole dish but I have this Emile Henry Clay Pot which I love.

I'm not going to make out this is a truly authentic recipe as I added bits as I went along. I searched the net for clay pot rice recipes and some have salted fish on top and none seem to have chilli in the ingredients.

Even though I can eat for England, I don't think you'd want a very big portion because of the strong flavours.

Okay, that's all that out of the way - on with the recipe. Put the chopped spring onions on top and serve them at the table from the clay pot.

Claypot Chicken and Rice

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claypot chicken, claypot chicken and rice, recipe

Dinner

Chinese

Yield: 4

Author: Jan Bennett

Claypot Chicken

Delicious rice and chicken dish with a lovely mixture of flavours. Once all the prep is out of the way, it's all cooked in one pot.

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

Ingredients

• 500g skinless chicken breast fillets or boneless thighs - cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• a pinch of salt
• a pinch of white pepper

Rest of the Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
• 1-inch piece of ginger - peeled and thinly sliced (to make about a tablespoon)
• 1 dried red chilli pepper - seeds removed and cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors
• 3 dried Chinese mushrooms - re-hydrated in hot water and sliced
• 1 x 50g dried Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) - sliced
• 270g long grain rice
• 500ml chicken stock - made from a Knorr stock cube
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
• 4 or 5 baby pak choi leaves - washed and sliced

For the Topping

• 2 banana shallots - thinly sliced
• 3 spring onions (scallions) - sliced

To Serve

• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

1. Fry the sliced shallots in hot oil - drain on kitchen paper and put to one side.
2. Mix the above together in a bowl, then add the chicken pieces, mixing well to coat and set aside for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a wok then add the garlic, ginger and the dried chilli, fry for a minute until fragrant.
4. Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade mixture stirring all the time.
5. When the meat starts to brown, add the mushrooms and Chinese sausage, stirring for a minute to mix well.
6. Add the rice to the wok stirring it into the liquid so that it starts to absorb all the lovely flavours.
7. Now transfer the contents of the wok to your clay pot or flameproof casserole along with the oyster sauce.
8. Add the hot chicken stock and the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Once it boils lower the heat down to low and put the lid on.
9. Leave the ingredients to cook for about 20 minutes then give it all a good stir to make sure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom.
10. Continue to cook for another 20 minutes, checking and giving the rice a stir now and then.
11. Add the sliced pak choi, cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
12. Once the rice is cooked (the chicken will most certainly be cooked by now) it's ready to serve.

To Serve

1. Put the fried shallots on top of the lot and drizzle over the dark soy sauce and sesame oil.
2. Put the chopped spring onions on top and serve them at the table from the clay pot.

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