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One of my favourite comfort foods has got to be Claypot Chicken Rice.

Each time I smell it cooking in my conventional rice cooker, my heart quickens and my mouth waters.

Imagining the delicious taste and fragrance of Chinese mushrooms, Chinese sausages (lap cheong) and salted fish usually drives me insane with delicious anticipation.

I posted this “recipe” a while back, but have realised that I never gave any ingredients list, just a step by step, cooking process.

I’ve been using this delicious recipe from Amy Beh since my uni days, and it’s never failed me.

Lacking the patience and the use of a large claypot, this recipe utilises a conventional rice cooker!

I have modified it throughout the years, so my measurements and quantity will defer slightly from Amy’s recipe.

I do hope you enjoy!

Claypot Chicken Rice Recipe
(adapted from Amy Beh’s recipe)


500 grams of boneless chicken [breast and/or leg pieces] (bite sizes)
3 cups of long grain rice
500 ml of water (or enough to cover the rice and up to the first line on your index finger –> as demonstrated)
2 lap cheong
6-7 dried Shiitake mushrooms
5  cm x 10 cm piece of salted fish (optional) + 1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)

Ingredients for the Marinade:

 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon ginger juice
1 teaspoon cornflour
2 tablespoon Shao Tsing wine (Chinese Rice Wine)
Pinch of salt

Drizzling Sauce (mix together):

2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil


Mix the marinade ingredients with the chicken and let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes. I like leaving it for close to an hour, as it allows the chicken to absorb all the delicious tastes from the sauces.

Whilst the chicken is marinating, soak some dried Shiitake mushrooms in hot water, to rehydrate them. Slice the lap cheong (3mm slices) and set aside.

Once the mushrooms have been plumped up by the hot water, drain and squeeze out the excess water. Slice the mushrooms and set aside.

Slice the salted fish up into tiny pieces. In a small saucepan, heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and shallow fry the salted fish pieces. Add a teaspoon of sugar (if you like), to caramelise the salted fish. Set aside for garnishing later.

In a rice cooker, cook the rice according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A general rule is to cover the rice with water until the water reaches the first line of your index finger (from the top layer of the rice, not the bottom of the pot).

In a large wok, using a tiny teaspoon of oil, shallow fry the lap cheong (the lap cheong will release quite a bit of oil whilst being fried).

Once the lap cheong has been cooked (slightly charred), dish out and set aside. Drain excess oil and keep about 2-3 tablespoons of the oil in the wok.

Toss in the chicken and fry with the lap cheong oil. Drizzle in the drizzling sauce and fry until the chicken is semi-cooked.

Add in the Chinese mushrooms and lap cheong and toss.

Turn the heat off, and remove the wok from heat.

Once the rice in the cooker starts to bubble, mix-in the chicken mixture and cover until cooked.

Once the rice is cooked, mix the rice together, to incorporate the chicken thoroughly with the rice.

Serve hot with a sprinkling of the caramelised salted fish.

Although it does sound like a lot to do, this usually takes about 20-30 minutes (a bit of prepping) and fills about 3-4 hungry people.

If you are cooking for a larger crowd (which I’ve found myself doing occasionally), double the ingredients and sauces and this recipe still works!

Have you tried Claypot Chicken Rice before? How does yours differ from mine?