How to make Khao Mok Gai or Thai Chicken Biryani effortlessly at home… with a rice cooker! Khao Mok Gai: A fragrant, balanced dish in just one pot!
Whenever I pass by a Thai-Muslim restaurant or stall in Bangkok, I canāt resist seeking out Khao Mok Gai. This aromatic Thai dish, a fusion of Thai and Indian flavors, has become a favorite of mine. If youāre looking for a comforting, aromatic meal thatās both easy to make and packed with flavor, this Rice Cooker Khao Mok Gai is your answer! Combining fragrant spices with tender chicken and rice, all cooked in one convenient pot, this dish brings a taste of Thai cuisine right to your table with minimal fuss.
Khao Mok Gai is a Thai-Muslim dish that takes its roots from traditional biryani recipes. Itās a delightful blend of marinated chicken and spiced rice, often cooked together to infuse the rice with savory flavors. The result is a flavorful, aromatic meal thatās as satisfying as it is delicious.
Why Youāll Love This Recipe
- One-Pot Wonder: Everything cooks together in your rice cooker, saving you time on cleanup.
- Easy to Make: Minimal prep and cooking time, perfect for busy days.
- Balanced Meal: With carbs from the rice, protein from the chicken, and nutrients from the tomatoes and fresh herbs, this dish provides a complete, balanced meal in one.
- Deep Flavours: The spices and aromatics in this dish makes it such a rich, warm and comforting dish to serve!
- Versatile: Serve it with your favourite sides, or enjoy it as a complete meal on its own.
Key Ingredients for Khao Mok Gai
Chicken and Marinade
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless chicken thighs are the star of this dish, providing tender, juicy meat that absorbs all the flavorful spices and seasonings. Feel free to use your chicken of choice. Boneless chicken will work best to ensure the chicken cooks through in the rice cooker.
Marinade
- Yogurt: Acts as a tenderizer and adds a creamy texture to the marinade!
- Spices: Ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon create a rich, aromatic base for the marinade.
- Aromatics: Garlic, ginger, and onion paste add depth and complexity. Iām using my easy homemade aromatics paste, but you can also finely mince or grate the ingredients.
- Fish Sauce: Provides a savoury, umami flavour that enhances the overall taste. You can also just use salt to season.
- Cilantro or Coriander Roots: Finely minced cilantro or coriander roots and stems bring freshness and a distinct herby flavour! If your cilantro or coriander do not come with roots attached, no worries, just use the stem portion of the herb. Save the leaves for garnish and for the sauce!
Rice
- Jasmine Rice: This fragrant rice becomes infused with the spices and chicken juices as it cooks.
- Aromatics for Rice: Onion paste, garlic paste, and ginger paste are stirred into the rice along with ground turmeric, giving the rice its distinctive colour and flavour.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Optional, but they add a slight tanginess and sweetness that complements the dish.
Cilantro Chilli Sauce
- Sweet Chili Sauce: A simple sauce made with Thai sweet chili sauce, water, and chopped cilantro, perfect for drizzling over the chicken and rice.
What Rice Cooker To Use?
The secret to the ease and success of this dish isā¦ the rice cooker. In this recipe, we are layering all the ingredients in the rice cooker to create a one-pot meal that is both convenient and flavourful. I love that the rice cooker takes care of the cooking process, so I can spend my time doing other important things ā like catching up on that latest Netflix show.
As with this recipe and all other rice cooker recipes on the blog ā ANY rice cooker will work! Of course, I love my ultra-reliable Zojirushi:
- Zojirushi NS-ZAQ10 Micom Fuzzy Logic (the exact one I purchased ā this is the same as the model above; itās labelled differently in Singapore/Southeast Asia. This is a āMade in Japanā model.)
Key Steps to Making Rice Cooker Khao Mok Gai
1. Marinate the Chicken
- In a bowl, mix the marinade ingredients to form a paste.
- Rub the marinade all over the chicken thighs. Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavour.
2. Prepare the Rice
- Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
- Place the rice into the rice cooker pot.
3. Combine Ingredients
- Pour the chicken broth over the rice.
- Stir in onion, ginger, garlic paste and the turmeric powder.
- Add cherry tomatoes, if using. Lightly mash the tomatoes to release some juices into the rice.
- Layer the marinated chicken thighs on top of the rice.
4. Cook
- Close the lid and set your rice cooker to the regular rice cooking setting.
- The rice cooker will take about 20-30 minutes, depending on your rice cooker.
5. Make the Sauce
- While rice is cooking, make the chilli sauce to serve by combining Thai sweet chilli sauce, water to loosen it, and cilantro.
- I like a 2:1 ratio of chilli sauce to water, for a more liquid saucier consistency. Adjust according to your preference! You may even not need water if the chilli sauce is a good liquid consistency for you!
6. Garnish and Fluff
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the dish sit in the rice cooker for an additional 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
- Remove the chicken thighs.
- Garnish with fried shallots and cilantro leaves.
- Gently fluff the rice with a rice cooker paddle to combine.
7. Serve
- Plate rice, and top with the chicken on top.
- Serve with the chilli sauce and sliced cucumbers on the side. Enjoy!
How to Serve
- Plating: Serve the spiced rice on a plate, topped with the tender chicken thighs. Drizzle the sweet chili sauce over the top or serve it on the side for dipping.
- Accompaniments: Pair with sliced cucumbers for a refreshing contrast, or enjoy with a simple side salad. You can also serve this with a side of my White Sauce or Raita!
- Serve with Curry: While not traditionally Thai, I love serving this dish with curryā¦ especially when I have plenty leftover! If you’ve made a big batch of curry and all the proteins and veggies are gone but you still have plenty of sauce, this rice cooker Khao Mok Gai is the perfect match. The spiced rice and tender chicken soak up the curry sauce beautifully, making for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Tips and Tricks
- Marination Time: For the best flavour, marinate the chicken overnight. If you’re short on time, 30 minutes will still yield delicious results.
- Rice Cooker Size: Make sure your rice cooker can accommodate the ingredients. Adjust the recipe as necessary to fit your appliance.
- Tomato Tips: Lightly mashing the cherry tomatoes helps release their juices into the rice, adding a subtle sweetness and tang.
Storing and Reheating
Storing
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water to maintain moisture. If using a rice cooker, you can use the “reheat” function for gentle warming.
More Recipes Like This
Rice Cooker Khao Mok Gai
2
servings10
minutes30
minutesIngredients
- Chicken:
300 g boneless chicken thighs
- Chicken Marinade:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 -2 stalks cilantro or coriander roots and stems, finely minced
1 tbsp onion paste
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Rice
1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed until water runs clear
1 cup chicken broth or water (or as indicated by your rice cooker)
1 tbsp onion paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
Fried Shallots, for garnish
Cilantro, for garnish
Cucumbers, sliced to serve
- Sweet Chilli Sauce
2 tbsp Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
1 tbsp water, adjust according to consistency
1 cilantro leaves, chopped
Directions
- Marinate the Chicken: Prepare a marinade with yogurt, spices, minced garlic, ginger, onion paste, and fish sauce. Coat the chicken thighs thoroughly and let them marinate to soak up all the flavors.
- Prepare the Rice: Rinse jasmine rice until the water runs clear, then place it in the rice cooker. This ensures the rice cooks evenly and remains fluffy.
- Combine Ingredients: Add chicken broth to the rice, then stir in onion, garlic, and ginger paste, along with turmeric powder. If using cherry tomatoes, lightly mash them before adding them on top of the rice. Layer the marinated chicken thighs over the rice.
- Cook: Set the rice cooker to its regular cooking cycle. The chicken and rice will cook together, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Prepare the Sweet Chili Sauce: While the rice is cooking, mix Thai sweet chili sauce with water and cilantro to create a refreshing sauce to accompany the dish.
- Finish: Once the rice cooker cycle completes, let the dish sit for an additional 10 minutes to enhance the flavour. Remove the chicken, fluff the rice, and garnish with fried shallots and cilantro.
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