Something old, Something new
The traditional method of preparing chicken rice involves poaching a whole chicken and then using the flavorful broth to cook the rice. While delicious, this approach can be impractical for busy evenings when you crave something quick yet satisfying. Enter our simplified recipe: a time-saving twist where both the chicken and rice are cooked together in a rice cooker (or a pot), all within an hour!
But that’s not all—we’re adding a playful twist to this beloved dish. First, we’ll transform the rice into chicken rice balls, a delightful and traditional way to serve chicken rice, perfect for kids to enjoy with their hands or as a portable snack. Then, we’ll take it a step further by crafting chicken rice oshizushi, a contemporary and fun variation that brings this classic into the 21st century. It’s a fantastic project to do with the kids and a creative way to savor chicken rice in an entirely new way!
Jump straight to recipe
USA Calrose Rice
In this recipe, we are using USA Calrose rice, a medium-grain variety grown in the United States. This rice is ideal for making chicken rice balls due to its slightly sticky texture when cooked. Its versatility comes from its perfect balance of firmness and tenderness, making it a staple in many dishes. We have used it to make Risotto, Claypot Rice, Nasi Lemak, Fan Choy, and other dishes! Check out the rest of our USA Calrose rice recipes here.
USA Calrose rice is grown sustainably. Farmers in California, where most of the Calrose rice is produced, employ advanced agricultural practices to minimize environmental impact. These practices include efficient water management, crop rotation, and the use of renewable energy sources. It has also earned acclaim in prestigious rice competitions, winning the “World’s Best Rice” awards in 2013 and 2015.
Recipe Card
Yields: 6-8 rice balls with a Chicken Fillet and a 7 x 14 inch Chicken Rice Oshizushi
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
Rice
US Calrose Rice 2 cups
Water 2.2 cups
Garlic 4 cloves
Ginger 30g
Chicken powder 1 Tbsp
Peanut oil 2 Tbsp
Pandan leaves 2 pieces
Chicken
Chicken Thigh – skin on, boneless 2 x 300g
Gardenia seeds 2 pieces
Sesame Oil
Cucumber
Dipping Sauce
Ginger 30g
Scallions x 3
Peanut oil 3 Tbsp
Chicken powder 2 tsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Method
1. Pound Chicken thighs to even out the thickness
2. Smash the gardenia seeds with a cleaver and steep in 2 Tbsp water for 5 mins
3. Sieve and use the water to paint the skin side of the chicken
4. Wash the rice and drain
5. Mince garlic and set aside
6. Mince ginger, squeeze out the liquid and set aside
7. In a pot, fry the garlic and half the ginger till fragrant
8. Add washed rice and stir to coat evenly
9. Add water, chicken stock powder and bring to boil
10. Lower the flame and start timer for 20mins
11. After 5 mins, place pandan leaves on top of rice and then lay chicken on top of the leaves
16. Once all the water is absorbed, (about 15-20mins) turn off the heat.
17. Remove the chicken and brush the skin with sesame oil
18. Fluff the rice and allow it to rest for another 10 minutes.
19. Mold rice into balls
19. Slice chicken and serve with cucumber and dipping sauce
Equipment
Sushi Press
Ceramic Plate Grater (for grating ginger)
Cooking Tips & Notes
Giving your chicken that yellow hue
Unless you are using yellow-skinned Kampung chicken, common broiler chickens tend to look rather anemic. To make our chicken more appetizing, I use gardenia seeds to give the skin a golden yellow color. I learned this little hack from a Zi Char chef who is famous for his “Kampung Chicken” dish.
If you are poaching a whole chicken, simply add a few seeds to the poaching liquid, and the chicken will glimmer like gold. Gardenia seeds are natural and have a mild flavor, so they will not alter the taste of the chicken. You can omit this step if you don’t need to have the yellow color.
One Pot To Cook Both Chicken and Rice
To reduce the amount of washing, I’ve developed a recipe that requires only a single pot to cook both the rice and chicken. With this method, not only do you have less washing up, but all the flavors of the chicken are also absorbed into the rice as it steams! You can do this in a rice cooker too! I’ve decreased the amount of water to account for the extra liquid that will be released by the chicken when it cooks.
Making the Ginger and Scallion Dipping Sauce
The Ginger and Scallion Sauce
Method
- Add chicken powder and sugar to the green part, mix, and set aside.
- Chop scallions, separating the white and green sections.
- Heat up oil with ginger and the white part of the scallions. Remove once the oil is hot and bubbling.
- Add the green part and toss to mix.
This ginger and scallion dip goes well with the chicken rice and also appeals to the kids as it is not spicy. It’s even better if you use rendered chicken fat! This stuff is so good that I can almost guarantee that you will add it to your repertoire of frequently made sauces!
Making Rice Balls
My wife Lisa recalls her Hainanese mother molding chicken rice into balls for fun when growing up. Traditionally, the rice balls were made as it was easier to transport during excursions. It is always a novelty especially for the kids to help mold and eat the rice balls.
The slightly sticky texture of US Calrose rice is perfect for this. You want to mold it when it is still warm. I like to use an ice cream scoop to portion out the balls. Just make sure you wet your hands frequently so that the rice doesn’t stick to your hands.
To make Oshizushi
Method
1. Line the box with cling wrap.
2. Slice chicken to size of the press and lay skin side of chicken onto bottom of the box.
2. Top with chicken rice.
3. Cover with cling wrap and use sushi press to form oshizushi.
4. Wet knife and slice. Serve with ginger and scallion sauce.
Conclusion
I hope you are inspired to make chicken rice balls and perhaps even try your hand at making chicken rice oshizushi! As you can see, making chicken rice isn’t all that intimidating and it can be a fun project for the whole family!
You can buy USA Calrose Rice here:
Okome Rice
PaddyKing Rice
Check out other recipes that are perfect with USA Calrose Rice:
Disclosure: This post is made in collaboration with USA Rice Federation and using Okome Shortgrain rice by Topseller Pte Ltd.
https://www.facebook.com/USARice.SG/
https://www.facebook.com/okomeshortgrain
https://www.instagram.com/usarice.sg/
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