One pot meals are popular during those busy weeknights but have you tried Hong Kong style clay pot rice? It’s such an underrated one pot meal which usually consists of cooked rice topped with savory proteins and a sweet soy sauce. For my winter-inspired version, I added tender chicken thighs, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms and acorn squash. The best part is the crispy charred rice which is reminiscent of a paella socarrat.
Many cultures have their own version of clay pots (also known as earthenware pots) and they’re popular because they add more flavor to dishes due to its gentler cooking method. The clay also acts as an insulator for heat and keeps food warmer at the table. You can find clay pots on Amazon for under $40 or if you want to invest in one, Toiro carries beautifully crafted clay pots (as pictured below) from Japan.
key ingredients
- long grain rice
- chicken thighs
- Chinese sausage
- dried shiitake mushrooms
- shallots
- ginger
- scallions
3 foolproof tips for clay pot rice
1. soak rice, chinese sausage and shiitake mushrooms in water for faster cooking
After washing the rice, soak the rice in boiling water for about 30 minutes. This step will help speed up the cooking process of the rice in the clay pot.
I also recommend soaking the Chinese sausage and shiitake mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes as well which will speed up the rehydration and cooking time.
2. Marinate the chicken
Marinating the chicken overnight will give it more flavor. However, if you’re pressed for time, marinate the chicken while the rice, sausage and shiitake mushrooms are soaking in the boiling water.
3. use low to medium-low heat settings
For this recipe, nothing should be cooked in the clay pot over high heat. We want to gently steam the chicken, sausage and squash in the clay pot. It’s a bit of an art so it’s important to keep an eye on the ingredients in the clay pot while they’re cooking. Also, everyone’s stovetop is different so adjust the heat accordingly. If you start to smell the rice burning, don’t panic and just lower the heat. You do want to char the rice on the bottom of the clay pot so it’s normal to smell a faint smokiness from the rice as the bottom is charring.
Chicken, Sausage & Squash Clay Pot Rice
Ingredients
Main Clay Pot Ingredients
- 2 Chinese sausage links
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms stems removed and chopped
- 2 skinless boneless chicken thighs cut into 3/4" bite size pieces
- 10 oz uncooked long grain rice about 1.5 cups; washed and strained
- 4 oz acorn squash chopped into 1" pieces
- 1 scallion chopped
- 11 oz water for rice; about 1 2/3 cups
Marinade for Chicken
- 1 tbsp ginger finely chopped
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
Sweet & Savory Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
Cook the Rice
Instructions
Prepare the Rice, Sausage & Shiitake Mushrooms
- Soak the washed rice in boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Soak the Chinese sausage in a bowl with boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl with boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Once 30 minutes has passed, drain all the ingredients of the water and set aside.
- Squeeze the mushrooms of any excess water. Then cut the stems off the mushrooms and chop into bite size pieces.
- Chop the Chinese sausage on an angle into bite size pieces.
Marinate the Chicken
- While the ingredients are soaking in boiling water, prepare the chicken marinade. Transfer the chopped chicken and acorn squash to a bowl. Then add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken and squash. Mix everything together with your hands or a spoon and set aside.
- Once the shiitake mushrooms have been rehydrated, chop them into bite size pieces and add them to the chicken with the marinade.
Cook the Rice
- Add the drained rice to the clay pot and mix 1 tbsp of neutral cooking oil into the rice. Then add about 11 oz of water and cover the clay pot with its lid. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the rice for about 11-13 minutes. TIP: Everyone's stove is different so adjust the heat setting between low and medium as needed.
Cook the Chicken, Sausage, Squash and Mushrooms
- When most of the water has absorbed into the rice, add the marinated chicken, mushrooms, squash and Chinese sausage on top of the rice in an even layer. Then decrease the heat to low and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the squash is fork tender.
Make the Sweet & Savory Serving Sauce
- While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the sweet and savory sauce ingredients and set aside.
- When the chicken is finished cooking, add the chopped scallions, an egg yolk (optional) and drizzle the top with the sweet and savory sauce.
- Right before serving, mix everything together with a spoon and make sure to serve the crispy charred rice with each bowl. Enjoy!
