Khao Kha Gai (Lao Braised Chicken on Rice)

About This Recipe

Khao kha gai is Laos's version of a pan-Asian comfort food family that stretches from Hainanese chicken rice to Thai khao kha moo — slow-braised meat in a dark, five-spice-forward soy broth, served over steamed rice with the braising liquid reduced to a sauce. The Lao version uses chicken thighs or legs braised with cinnamon, star anise, garlic, ginger, and Chinese dark soy sauce until the skin lacquers and the meat becomes fall-apart tender. It is served over steamed jasmine rice with a halved hard-boiled egg (braised alongside the chicken to absorb the sauce), pickled mustard greens (pak dong), and a small dish of chili-garlic sauce. Khao kha gai appears at lunch spots throughout Vientiane and Luang Prabang, served economically from large pots by vendors who have kept the same broth simmering for years — the older the 'master stock,' the deeper and more complex the flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 8chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 4hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 600 mlchicken stock
• 200 mlwater
• 3 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbspdark soy sauce
• 1 tbspoyster sauce
• 2 tbsppalm sugar or brown sugar
• 5 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 3 cmfresh ginger, sliced
• 2star anise
• 1cinnamon stick
• 3cloves
• steamed jasmine ricefor serving
• pickled mustard greenspak dong, for serving
• fresh chili and garlic saucefor serving
• fresh cilantrofor garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Heat a little oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden. Do not flip — let the skin render and brown. Remove from pot.

2. 2

   Build the braising liquid

   In the same pot, add garlic and ginger and fry 1 minute. Add stock, water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil.

3. 3

   Braise the chicken

   Return chicken to the pot, skin-side up. Add peeled hard-boiled eggs. The liquid should come halfway up the chicken — add water if needed. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook 45 minutes.

   Low and slow is essential — high heat toughens the chicken and muddies the braising liquid.

4. 4

   Reduce the sauce

   Remove chicken and eggs. Bring braising liquid to a boil and reduce by half until glossy and sauce-like, about 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Glaze and serve

   Halve the braised eggs. Serve chicken thighs over steamed rice. Ladle reduced sauce generously over chicken. Add halved egg and pickled mustard greens. Garnish with cilantro.

Variations

• •

  Pork version (khao kha moo): replace chicken with pork belly — the most common version in Thailand and also popular in Laos.

• •

  Add firm tofu to the braising pot alongside the eggs for a semi-vegetarian meal.

Storage

Refrigerate chicken and sauce separately up to 3 days. Reheat chicken in the sauce over low heat. The braising liquid itself improves with age — keep the 'master stock' as an ongoing pantry asset.

Frequently Asked Questions