Chinese Waterless Braised Chicken in the Rice Cooker
Chinese waterless braised chicken delivers a lot of flavor for very little effort, using a rice cooker’s sealed pot to trap steam from napa cabbage and chicken (no added water) for tender meat, sweet-savory broth, and gentle ginger-scallion aroma with jujube notes.
Equipment
- Rice cooker (with inner pot and lid)
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 900 g napa cabbage core removed and cut into 2–3 cm (1-inch) pieces
- 6 scallions (green onions) cut into 5 cm (2-inch) lengths; whites for cooking, greens for garnish
- 30 g fresh ginger thinly sliced
- 60 g dried Chinese red dates (jujubes) pitted if possible
- 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 900–1,000 g total
- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 Tbsp light soy sauce optional but recommended
- 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine optional
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil optional, for finishing
Instructions
- Prep the aromatics and vegetables. Rinse the napa cabbage and shake off excess water. Cut into 2–3 cm (about 1-inch) pieces. Cut scallions into 5 cm (2-inch) lengths, keeping whites and greens separate. Slice ginger thinly. If your jujubes aren’t pitted, slice along one side and pop out the pit. If very dry, soak the dates in hot water for 5 minutes and drain.
- Season the chicken. For a clean, light version, sprinkle the thighs evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp white pepper. For a deeper, soy-forward version, toss thighs with 2 Tbsp light soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1/2 tsp salt; marinate 15–30 minutes while you prep the pot.
- Build the rice cooker base. In the rice cooker’s inner pot, add all the cabbage (compress if needed). Scatter on scallion whites and all the ginger. Tuck the jujubes throughout so a few sit under each thigh (hold goji berries for the end if using).
- Set the chicken on top. Nestle thighs skin-side up in a single layer. Drizzle on any marinade left in the bowl, plus 1 tsp sesame oil if using. Do not add water—cabbage and chicken provide all the liquid.
- Start the cooker. Close the lid and set to a standard “Cook/White Rice” cycle. Many basic models will click to “Warm” after 25–35 minutes. Leave it on “Warm” for 5 minutes, then start a second “Cook” cycle. In fuzzy-logic cookers with simmer/steam functions, use “Steam” for 35–45 minutes total instead.
- Check doneness. Open quickly and check the thickest thigh for 165°F / 74°C. If not there yet, close the lid, wait 3–5 minutes, and re-start “Cook” once more; total time is typically 45–60 minutes for thighs.
- Finish and serve. Fold scallion greens (and any reserved goji berries, if using) into the pot. Taste broth and adjust with a pinch of salt or a few drops of soy if needed. Spoon broth over the chicken and cabbage in bowls. Optional: broil chicken on a tray for 2–3 minutes to crisp the skin, then return to the broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 33gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 820mgPotassium: 780mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5200IUVitamin C: 95mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 3.2mg
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