Khao Man Gai (Thai Chicken Rice)

Khao Man Gai is one of Thailand’s most beloved comfort foods, inspired by Hainanese-style chicken and rice. It features tender poached chicken served with fragrant garlic-ginger rice and a bold dipping sauce. This healthier version uses chicken breast while keeping the authentic flavors strong. It is a complete meal often served with fresh vegetables and a small bowl of broth.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Water (enough to cover the chicken)

Rice

• 3 cups jasmine rice
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ cup sliced ginger
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 5 pandan leaves (optional)
• 3 cups chicken stock

Sauce

• 1 cup chopped ginger
• ½ cup chopped garlic
• 10–15 Thai bird chilies
• 6 tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ¼ cup vinegar
• ¼ cup salted soybean paste
• Handful fresh cilantro

Equipment

• Large pot
• Rice cooker
• Blender
• Strainer
• Spatula

Steps

1. Boil the chicken.
   Place chicken breasts in a pot, cover with water, and simmer until fully cooked.
   Poaching keeps the chicken juicy and produces broth for rice.

2. Cool and reserve the chicken.
   Remove the chicken and let it cool before slicing.
   Cooling makes it easier to cut into neat slices.

3. Rinse the rice.
   Wash jasmine rice under cold water twice to remove excess starch.
   This prevents the rice from clumping and becoming too sticky.

4. Sauté aromatics for rice.
   Heat oil, then cook garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the rice and stir well.
   Coating rice in oil builds savory flavor into every grain.

5. Cook the rice.
   Transfer everything to the rice cooker, add pandan leaves and chicken stock, and cook until tender.
   Chicken stock adds richness without extra fat.

6. Blend the sauce.
   Combine ginger, garlic, chilies, sugar, soy sauces, lime juice, vinegar, soybean paste, and cilantro in a blender until smooth.
   Blending creates a consistent dipping sauce that coats the chicken nicely.

7. Simmer the sauce.
   Heat the sauce gently for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
   Simmering removes the harshness of raw garlic.

8. Slice the chicken.
   Cut the poached chicken into thin pieces.
   Even slices help with presentation and easy serving.

9. Assemble the dish.
   Serve chicken on top of fragrant rice with sauce on the side.
   This allows diners to control how much sauce they want.