Thai poached chicken rice with ginger broth and a spicy fermented bean dipping sauce — Bangkok's beloved lunch.
Khao man gai (chicken fat rice) is Thailand's version of Hainanese chicken rice — poached chicken served over rice cooked in the chicken broth with chicken fat and ginger, accompanied by a pungent, complex dipping sauce of fermented yellow bean paste, ginger, chilli and vinegar. Unlike Singaporean chicken rice, the Thai version uses a more pungent, spicier sauce that transforms the mild, silky chicken. It is the most popular lunch in Bangkok, served from 6am until the lunch stock runs out.
Serves 4
Place chicken in a pot with garlic, ginger, coriander roots and salt. Cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a simmer. Simmer gently 35–40 minutes until cooked through. Do not boil — gentle poaching keeps the flesh silky.
Blend yellow bean paste, dark soy, grated ginger, minced garlic, vinegar, sugar and chillies into a sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Remove chicken from broth. Skim fat from the surface of the broth. Reserve 2 tbsp fat for cooking rice.
Heat reserved chicken fat in a pot. Add rinsed jasmine rice and fry 1 minute. Add 600ml of the strained chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on very low heat 15 minutes. Rest 10 minutes.
Slice or shred chicken. Serve over rice with a small bowl of warm broth on the side, dipping sauce, and fresh coriander. Cucumber slices and a small bowl of broth complete the classic presentation.
Never boil the chicken — a gentle simmer gives silky, juicy flesh. Boiling makes it tough.
The dipping sauce is as important as the chicken — make it punchy and pungent.
Cooking the rice in chicken broth and fat is non-negotiable — this is what makes khao man gai extraordinary.
Add a tablespoon of light soy sauce to the poaching broth for a more seasoned chicken.
Roasted garlic khao man gai versions are popular — roast the garlic before adding to the broth for a deeper, smokier flavour.
Broth and rice keep 3 days. Chicken 3 days. Best assembled fresh.
Khao man gai was brought to Thailand by Hainanese Chinese immigrants in the early 20th century, who established the first chicken rice shops in Bangkok. The dish adapted to Thai tastes — spicier, more pungent sauce, different aromatics — and became one of Thailand's most universal comfort foods across all regions and social classes.
Tao jiew is a Thai fermented soybean condiment, similar to Japanese miso but less sweet and more pungent. It is available at Thai and South Asian grocery stores. Substitute with white miso mixed with a little extra soy sauce if unavailable.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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