This recipe was inspired by one of my favorite meals in Portland (Oregon) – Nong’s Khao Man Gai. “Khao man gai” is Thai for “chicken and rice” and it doesn’t get much better than Nong’s!
To recreate it, chicken breasts get gently poached in a ginger, garlic, and scallion infused broth until perfectly cooked. Then that broth gets reduced down and ladled over the warm rice. One of the best parts of Nong’s is her famous sauce – so I did my best to recreate it. It’s packed with spicy ginger flavor and has a delicious balance of salty and sweet. A little bit goes a long way! Spoon the sauce over the chicken and keep it nearby in case you need more.
Ingredient highlight
Ginger! gets it’s medicinal effects from a substance called gingerol. It is a carminative, which means it helps get rid of gas and soothes our digestive system. It can also boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts*
- 1 bunch scallions, white/light green ends trimmed off, dark green parts thinly sliced
- 2-inch knob ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2-3 cups cooked rice
- 1 large cucumber, sliced into rounds
- Fresh cilantro
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus more for topping
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 or 2-inch knob ginger
- *If your breasts are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise in the thickest part so they cook faster and more evenly.
Instructions
- Cook the rice (instructions here).
- In a large pot, add water, chicken, the white/light green parts of the scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Give it a gentle stir to combine, then bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to low to maintain a gentle simmer for 7 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chicken over, cover again, and simmer for 4-8 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (depends on size of breast, 160F).
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Continue to simmer the broth rapidly, uncovered, over medium heat for about 5-7 more minutes to reduce it a bit. Remove the ginger, scallion, and garlic chunks (or pour the liquid through a strainer into a liquid measuring cup).
- In a high-speed blender (a small or personal sized blender works best), add all of the sauce ingredients. Blend until totally smooth. Slice up the chicken.
- To assemble, scoop rice into a bowl. Pour some of the broth into the bowl. Top with sliced chicken, cucumbers, and lots of herbs. Spoon some of the sauce all over the chicken. Top with more sesame seeds and dig in!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 2-3 cups worth of rice (about 1-2 cups dry)
- Trim white/light green parts off the scallions and thinly slice the dark green parts
- Thinly slice a 2-inch knob ginger into strips
- Poach the chicken and simmer the broth
- Make the sauce
- Slice 1 large cucumber into rounds
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian/vegan, use tofu cubes in place of chicken – simmer them in the broth uncovered for the same amount of time and follow the recipe as is.
- You could serve this with noodles instead of rice.
- Sub cucumbers with radishes or any raw crunchy veg.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Sauce: up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Broth: up to 7 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- I found the best way to reheat this is to reheat each component separately and then assemble. Be sure to give the sauce a stir before spooning over the chicken. Top with cukes, herbs, sauce, and sesame seeds.
- To reheat rice, cover it with a dripping wet paper towel and microwave for 1-2 minutes until it’s warmed through.
- Top your bowls with a fried or boiled egg.
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