Khao Na Gai: Chicken in Brown Gravy over Rice

Khao Na Gai (ข้าวหน้าไก่) is one of my favorite one-dish foods in the whole world. I can tell you all about my favorite Khao Na Gai joint in Phlapphlachai district which has been feeding grateful Bangkokians for almost a century, and how if there's one place worth schlepping your kids, pets, and parents across town for just a plate of Chinese-style chicken in brown gravy over rice for, it's this one. But I won't.

For once, I'll make a post short and free of tangents so you can focus on this comfort food. It's easy and costs very little money to make. The version presented here is also one of the simplest out there. Some people add shiitake mushrooms to the sauce. Some people add sliced bamboo shoot. Some insist on topping it all off with a fried egg. I don't. I never have. The beauty of Khao Na Gai is in the tender marinated chicken and the rich, flavorful gravy redolent of Chinese rice wine and sesame oil. The browned and crisped Chinese sausage slices are optional. The sliced jalapeño and fresh cilantro leaves, on the other hand, are not, if you ask me.


Don't tweak the recipe just yet. Please do exactly as I'm telling you here, at least for your first run. My friend B has spent a long time perfecting this recipe, and, frankly, I don't think it can be improved upon. So far, I've been making a quick version with the help of my guy, Bruno. But B's recipe is so much better and so much closer to the version we enjoyed at our favorite Khao Na Gai shop. The original sauce formula, according to B, contains fresh sugar cane juice (น้ำอ้อย) as sweetener, but she says brown sugar works very well too. The key is to use the best Shaoxing wine (紹興) you can get (or the best sherry), chicken thigh or leg meat, and really good sesame oil.

B will get mad at me for telling you this, but you can use chicken breast meat, if you prefer. The reason chicken thigh and leg meat is used in this recipe is because the dark meat is less prone to becoming dry and tough compared to the breast meat. So here's my only contribution to the recipe: if you insist on breast meat, it is imperative that you add baking soda to the chicken along with the other marinade ingredients. It tenderizes the meat and once you taste the end result, you'll know why it is necessary.

This post is for you, B. I'll always fondly remember all those trips we made to Phlapphlachai after class.

Khao Na Gai Recipe
4 very generous servings
Downloadable Version

Chicken Preparation:
You need:
1.5 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (If breast meat is used, add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the marinade to keep it from becoming dry and tough. The same amount of baking soda can also be used even if you use the thigh meat, especially if you have a tendency to overcook chicken.)
4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or sherry

Mix everything together in a mixing bowl, cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours up to overnight.


Chinese Sausage Preparation:
Just before you start making the gravy, slice up 4 links of Chinese sausage (lap cheong/lap chong 臘腸) thinly and on the diagonal. Brown and crisp the sausage slices in a pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Lots of fat will be rendered and the surface area will caramelize quite quickly due to the sugar content. You can't walk away from the pan even briefly as the sausage pieces burn very easily and constant monitoring of the heat is, therefore, needed. You want each piece to be thoroughly browned on the outsides and crisped up without turning tough and rubbery. Once that is achieved, transfer the sausage pieces to a paper towel-lined plate. Let them cool while you prepare the chicken sauce.


For the Chicken Sauce:
Whisk together and set aside:
2 cups chicken broth (or 2 cups of water plus some chicken bouillon granules or cubes)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

In a large skillet with a raised edge, heat up 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (use the blandest one you have) over medium-high heat.

Add the marinated chicken to the pan and stir until the chicken is cooked half-way through.

Give the sauce mixture a quick whisk as some of the cornstarch may sink to the bottom and add it to pan; stir.

The sauce will get bubbly and start to thicken up. Monitor it closely. If the sauce is too thick, add more water, a little bit at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add more dark soy sauce, if necessary.

Remove the sauce from heat.

Put a mound of steamed jasmine rice on a plate and pour the chicken sauce over or around the rice. Add a few of the crisped Chinese sausage slices to the side. Garnish with sliced fresh jalapeño peppers and fresh cilantro leaves.

Khao Na Gai is best served immediately.