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Plate of Khao Man Gai, Thai-style chicken and rice.

Khao Man Gai: Thai Comfort Food at Its Finest

Susie Thompson
This was one of my favorites from the beginning. Not something I grew into, something I loved from the first time I had it as a young child. The broth and the soft rice, easy and warm and gentle. My mother made it at home and she loved it too, she would eat this every time, with the same quiet certainty she brought to everything she loved. Simple food. The kind that does not ask anything of you. The kind that gives instead. I still make this when I need what this dish gives. Comfort food, to this day.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Chicken, Family meal, Light meal, Street food, Main Course, Rice
Cuisine Thai
Servings 5
Calories 650 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken and Rice:

  • 1 whole chicken about 3-4 pounds
  • 8 cups water
  • 2- inch piece of ginger sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 onion
  • 1 lemon grass chopped
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups jasmine rice
  • 4 cups chicken broth from cooking the chicken
  • 4 cloves garlic minced

For the Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons ginger minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chili chopped (optional)
  • 1/4 cup spring onion chopped

For the Cucumber Salad:

  • 2 cucumbers thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Chicken
    Combine the whole chicken, water, ginger, garlic, onion, lemon grass and salt, pepper in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 45-60 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. (Skim off any foam that rises to the surface during cooking). Once done, remove the chicken from the broth and let it cool slightly before carving into pieces. Reserve the broth for cooking the rice.
  • Cook the rice
    Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of neutral oil over medium heat, then add the minced garlic. Add the rice and stir for a few minutes. Pour in 4 cups of the reserved chicken broth, boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
  • Make the sauce
    While the rice is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, ginger, chopped fresh chili (if using), and spring onions. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and combine all the flavors. Taste it. The sauce should be savory, sharp, and bright.
  • Prepare the cucumber salad.
    For a refreshing side, make the cucumber salad. In a bowl, add cucumbers, vinegar, sugar, salt, and Thai chilies if using. Mix well to combine, let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  • Assemble and Serve
    To serve, place a generous portion of the rice on each plate, topped with slices of poached chicken. Serve with the ginger-garlic dipping sauce on the side and a small cucumber salad. Garnish with fresh cilantro and additional chili.
    A small cup of the warm reserved broth alongside each serving is the traditional finish.

Notes

The broth is the whole dish. The rice is cooked in it, the chicken is poached in it, and a cup of it is served alongside. Season the broth properly. Taste it after the chicken is removed and before the rice goes in. It should taste like something worth drinking on its own. If it does not, add more salt and let it simmer for another five minutes before proceeding.
Start the chicken in cold water. A chicken placed into already-boiling water seizes immediately. Cold water, the chicken goes in, the heat comes up gently, the broth develops slowly and clearly. This produces the clean, golden broth and the tender, silky chicken texture that Khao Man Gai is known for.
Skim the foam. When the broth first comes to a simmer, gray foam will appear at the surface. Skim it off. It takes two minutes and it is the difference between a clear golden broth and a cloudy one. Skim it. Then lower the heat and leave it alone.
The dipping sauce is not a condiment to skip. The savory, sharp sauce is the necessary contrast to the gentle poached chicken and fragrant rice. Without it, the dish tastes complete but not fully itself. My mother always had it on the table. It belongs there.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 650kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 35gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 1200mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6g
Keyword thai chicken and rice
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