Thai-Style Poached Chicken and Rice

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A beloved Thai street food staple, this dish features tender poached chicken served over jasmine rice cooked in chicken fat and broth, accompanied by a bold ginger-chili dipping sauce and crisp cucumber. Each element is prepared with care so the rice absorbs all the chicken essence while the meat stays silky and juicy.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 720 kcalCalories
• 28 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 62 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 48 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 580 mgPotassium
• 90 mgCalcium
• 3 mgIron
• 8 mgVitamin C
• 110 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Poached Chicken

• 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lb / 1.6 kg), rinsed and patted dry
• 3-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 scallions, tied into a bundle
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 pandan leaves, knotted (optional)
• Cold water to cover

For the Jasmine Rice

• 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat (or vegetable oil)
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 1/2 cups reserved chicken poaching broth
• 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Ginger-Chili Dipping Sauce

• 3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 to 3 Thai bird's-eye chilies, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fermented soybean paste (or yellow miso)
• 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar or granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons reserved chicken poaching broth

For Garnish and Serving

• 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Prepare the chicken: rub the whole chicken inside and out with salt. Stuff the cavity with smashed ginger, garlic, scallion bundle, and pandan leaves if using.
2. Place the chicken in a large stockpot and add cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming any foam that rises. Poach at a bare simmer for 45 to 55 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165°F / 74°C.
3. Lift the chicken out and immediately plunge it into an ice water bath for 5 minutes to firm up the skin. Strain and reserve all of the poaching broth. Once cool enough to handle, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, keeping the skin intact.
4. Make the rice: melt the chicken fat in a saucepan over medium heat, add minced garlic, and cook gently until pale golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the rinsed rice and toast for 1 minute.
5. Pour in 2 1/2 cups of the reserved chicken broth, soy sauce, and salt. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover, and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cook 18 minutes, then remove from heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
6. While the rice rests, whisk together the dipping sauce: combine grated ginger, garlic, chilies, fermented soybean paste, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of the chicken broth in a small bowl until smooth and the sugar dissolves.
7. Mound the rice on warm plates, arrange the poached chicken alongside or on top, and spoon a little sauce over the meat. Scatter cucumber, cilantro, and scallion greens around the plate, and serve with the remaining dipping sauce and lime wedges.
8. Encourage diners to dip the chicken in the sauce rather than pouring it over the rice, so the grains stay fluffy and separate.

Cook’s Notes

• Ice-bathing the cooked chicken tightens the skin and makes for much cleaner slicing.
• Always cook the rice in the reserved poaching broth; this is the single biggest flavor boost.
• Toast the garlic in chicken fat on medium-low only until pale gold; any darker and the rice will taste bitter.
• Fermented soybean paste (tao jiao) gives the most authentic dipping sauce flavor; yellow miso or mashed fermented tofu work as substitutes.
• Eating the chicken alongside the rice rather than mashing it together preserves the contrast of textures.
• If your chicken is larger than 4 lb, poach it an extra 10 to 15 minutes and let it rest in the hot water off the heat for 10 minutes to finish gently.

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