Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 30 ml neutral oil, room temperature
- 50 g fresh ginger, julienned into thin matchsticks
- 3 garlic, minced
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
- 30 g tomato paste
Soup & Grains
- 1500 ml chicken stock
- 150 g jasmine rice, uncooked, rinsed
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, whole
Finishing
- 1 lime, juiced
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- red chili flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare your ingredients: cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, julienne the ginger into fine matchsticks, and mince the garlic. Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear.
Heat neutral oil in the heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the julienned ginger and fry, stirring constantly, until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove half of the ginger and set aside on a paper towel for garnishing. Leave the remaining ginger and oil in the pot.
Add the chicken pieces to the pot with the remaining ginger oil. Sear for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is opaque. Add garlic and tomato paste, stirring vigorously to coat the chicken and caramelize the paste until it deepens in color (about 2 minutes).
Pour in the chicken stock, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any fond (browned bits). Bring to a boil, then stir in the rinsed rice. Reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, add the whole cherry tomatoes, and simmer for another 5-7 minutes. The rice should be tender, the chicken cooked through (internal temp 74°C/165°F), and the tomatoes just starting to burst skins.
Remove from heat. Stir in the lime juice and toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and top generously with the reserved crispy ginger, fresh cilantro, and chili flakes if using.
Chef's Notes
- Frying the ginger first is the critical step. It flavors the oil that cooks the chicken and provides a textural contrast at the end that makes the dish pop.
- Do not skip rinsing the rice. Excess starch will make the soup slimy rather than silky.
- For a deeper umami punch, use bone-in chicken thighs and simmer for 10 minutes longer before adding the rice.
- The tomatoes should be 'jammy' but not disintegrated—add them only in the last stage of cooking.
- If you love heat, sauté a sliced fresh chili along with the garlic in step 3.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Rice will continue to absorb liquid; add a splash of water or stock when reheating.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture of rice may degrade slightly upon freezing.
Reheating: Simmer gently on stovetop, adding water to loosen consistency.
