Morning Market Khao Mun Gai — Thai Chicken Rice
Poached chicken so tender it practically falls from the bone, served over fragrant rice cooked in the same rich chicken broth with garlic and ginger. Accompanied by a bold, slightly spicy soybean dipping sauce and a cup of the golden cooking broth on the side, this is the breakfast that fuels Bangkok every single morning.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lbs) or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 8 cups water
- 4 cilantro roots or stems
- 1-inch knob galangal or ginger, smashed
+ 12 more ingredients
Instructions
Place the chicken in a large pot with water, cilantro roots, smashed galangal, and salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to the lowest possible simmer. Poach gently for 35-40 minutes (25 minutes for thighs only) until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Remove the chicken and plunge it into a large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to stop cooking and firm the skin. Reserve the poaching broth.
Cook the rice by sauteing minced garlic in chicken fat in a rice cooker pot or saucepan for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the rinsed rice and 2 3/4 cups of the reserved chicken broth. Cook as you normally would until fluffy and aromatic.
Prepare the dipping sauce by blending or mashing together the fermented soybean paste, vinegar, Thai chilies, grated ginger, dark soy sauce, and sugar until combined but still slightly chunky.
Chop or slice the chicken into pieces, keeping the skin on. Arrange over plates of the chicken-fat rice alongside cucumber slices.
Serve with a small bowl of the hot poaching broth (season with a dash of soy sauce and cilantro) and the dipping sauce on the side.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI