Cantonese Claypot Rice with Chicken and Sausage

About This Recipe

Bo zai fan, claypot rice, is a Cantonese winter staple cooked directly in an unglazed clay pot over a flame, which lets the rice at the bottom form a thin, crackling crust called guo ba while the top stays fluffy and moist. Chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce, ginger and Shaoxing wine, along with slices of sweet Chinese lap cheong sausage, are layered over partially cooked rice and steamed together in the same pot so their juices drip down and season the rice as everything finishes cooking. The technique depends on listening rather than timing alone: after the initial simmer, the heat is lowered and the pot is left mostly undisturbed so the bottom layer can toast into a crust, and you can hear a faint crackling sound when it's ready. A soy-based sauce, often with a little sugar and sesame oil, is drizzled over the top just before serving and stirred through as everyone digs in. A regular heavy pot with a tight lid works if you don't have a traditional clay pot, though you'll get a slightly less dramatic crust.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gboneless chicken thighs(cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 tbsplight soy sauce(for marinade)
• 1 tbspShaoxing wine(for marinade)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 1 tspcornstarch
• 2 cupsjasmine rice(rinsed)
• 2.25 cupswater
• 2 linksChinese sausage (lap cheong)(thinly sliced on a diagonal)
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 3 tbsplight soy sauce(for finishing sauce)
• 1 tbspdark soy sauce(for finishing sauce)
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 2scallions(sliced, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Toss chicken with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ginger and cornstarch. Marinate at least 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Start the rice

   Combine rinsed rice, water and 1 tablespoon oil in a claypot or heavy lidded pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered, until small craters form on the surface, about 6-7 minutes.

3. 3

   Layer the toppings

   Arrange marinated chicken and sliced sausage evenly over the rice. Drizzle remaining oil over the top.

4. 4

   Steam covered

   Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.

   Resist lifting the lid during this stage — releasing steam early prevents the crust from forming properly.

5. 5

   Crisp the crust

   Increase heat to medium for the final 2 minutes, listening for a faint crackling sound from the bottom, which signals the crust has formed. Remove from heat.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Mix light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar; drizzle over the rice. Sprinkle with scallions and sesame oil, then scrape up the crispy bottom crust when serving.

Variations

• •

  Add sliced dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked first) under the chicken for extra umami, a common home addition.

• •

  Use pork ribs marinated the same way instead of chicken for a heartier, more traditional version.

• •

  Crack an egg on top in the last 5 minutes of cooking for a claypot rice with a soft, steamed egg finish.

Storage

Best eaten fresh for the crust's texture. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water, though the crust won't fully re-crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions