Khao Man Gai (Thai Style Chicken)
SERVES 4 TO 6
One tablespoon of Asian chili-garlic sauce can be substituted for the Thai chiles, if desired. Use a Dutch oven with at least a 7-quart capacity to comfortably fit the chicken. Thai soybean paste is sometimes labeled as yellow bean sauce or soybean sauce. If this ingredient is unavailable, you can substitute Japanese red miso.
Ingredients CHICKEN AND BROTH 12 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced into
1⁄4-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons table salt
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 (31⁄2- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded RICE 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/2 English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds SAUCE 1/4 cup Thai soybean paste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, sliced thin
Directions
1. FOR THE CHICKEN AND BROTH: Combine water, ginger, salt, and garlic in large Dutch oven. Add chicken to pot, breast side up, and bring to simmer over high heat. Place large sheet of aluminum foil over pot, then cover with lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register at least 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
2. Transfer chicken to bowl, tent with foil, and let rest while making rice. Using slotted spoon, skim foamy residue from surface of chicken broth. Set aside 3 cups broth for cooking rice. Cover remaining broth.
3. FOR THE RICE: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot, ginger, garlic, and salt and cook until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in reserved 3 cups broth and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir once more, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes. Without removing lid, remove saucepan from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
5. FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients in bowl until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
6. Rewarm remaining broth over medium heat. Using boning knife, remove breast meat from chicken carcass; discard skin. Remove chicken leg quarters by dislocating thigh joint from carcass. Using 2 forks, shred leg quarter meat into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones. Slice breasts crosswise 1⁄2 inch thick.
7. Transfer rice to large serving platter. Arrange shredded chicken on top of rice. Arrange sliced breast meat on top of shredded chicken. Place cilantro in pile in 1 corner of platter and shingle cucumber along side of platter.
8. Portion four to six 1-cup servings of remaining hot broth into individual soup bowls and sprinkle with scallions (you will have more than 6 cups broth; reserve extra broth for another use). Serve chicken and rice with sauce and portions of broth.
9. TO MAKE AHEAD: Follow recipe through step 2 and let chicken and broth cool completely. Remove breasts and leg quarters from chicken carcass (as in step 6), but do not slice breasts or shred meat from leg quarters. Refrigerate broth and chicken for up to 24 hours. To serve, proceed with step 3. Reheat chicken in broth before shredding and slicing.
Photo Credit: Cook's Country
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