Claypot Chicken Rice

I can breath a sign of relieve today since it's partnership tax deadline and I made it through in one piece, but not without pimples. This tax deadline have been brutal with new tax laws and inexperience staff.  But, I am proud of myself that I handled work and still took care of the family.  Still driving kids to their activities, participated in their activities, and cooked dinner 4 out of 5 week nights.  But I did have to make myself pull back from over commitment and say no to certain activities so I can take care of myself.  I love cooking and feeding people, especially those who love to eat.  I sooo want to cook for Caleb's swim team.  They are growing, can eat a lot and I want to get to know them.  But no, I must not over extend myself.  I believe that growing kids need more nutritious food and not junk or fast food.  No matter how busy, I think it's important to still make homemade food.  Growing up, my parents cooked daily.  That's how I always thought should be.  It's not that hard with my handy dandy Instant Pot and some fore planning.


To make cooking easier, I tried to take the thinking of what to make out of my week.  Every week I have the same structure in my menu.  Whatever your family like to eat, revolve around that category and just switch up with different variety.

Monday - Pasta Day - Usually pasta, meat, salad, and/or roasted veggies.  Pasta possibilities are endless, it can be red sauce, white sauce, pesto, cheese, or oil, or lasagna.  etc...

Tuesday - Soup Day - Usually a hardy soup with salad and bread.  So many possibilities here like chili, chicken noodles, chicken taco, unstuffed cabbage, lentils, zuppa tuscana, etc...

Wednesday - Rice Day - Usually flavored rice with a meat and Chinese veggies.  I have made many variety of rice such as fried rice, claypot rice like this recipe, taro chicken rice, sticky rice, biryani, risotto, and Hainan chicken rice, etc...

Thursday - Misc Day - Usually I allow kids to tell me what they want to eat and I will squeeze it in the week.  For this day we had taco, baked potatoes with sides, hamburger, or quesadilla, musubi, etc...

To still cook when I work 10-12 hrs day, I had to prepare and plan in advance AND choose the kind of meals that are easy.  This recipe is super easy and tastes good.  If you cook this in a clay pot or dutch oven, it will have crunchy rice at the bottom, but the down side is that you have to watch it.  When I don't have time, I just use IP so I don't have to watch it, but of course, no crunchy rice.
If you don't have time to marinate the meat you can add the optional sauce at end prior to eating to make meat more flavor.  Veggies are cooked on the side.

Happy cooking and enjoy!  I hope you are feeding children nutritious food.

Clay Pot Chicken Rice

Ingredients:

Chicken marinade:

6-8 Drumsticks or thighs

1 TBS Soy sauce

1 tsp Dark soy sauce

½ tsp Sugar

½ tsp Corn starch

1 tsp Shaoxing wine

½ tsp salt

1 tsp Five spice powder

Rice:

1 ½ C Rice (more if desire)

1 ½ C Water/chicken broth

1 tsp Salt

Chinese sausages (couple of sticks)

Shiitake mushrooms (about 8-10)

Wood ears (some)

Ginger slices (alittle)

Green onions (a few stalks)

Sauce topping (optional):

1 TBS Oyster sauce

2 TBS Water- warm

1 tsp Sugar

Sesame oil

1. Cut chicken into smaller chunks. Or boneless is ok.
2. Marinate the chicken overnight or for at least 1 hr.  
3. Rinse rice and add in liquid and salt.  
4. Lay mushrooms and chicken on top.  Sprinkle with ginger.
5. Cover and cook on high for 5-7 minutes and then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 25-30 mins.  
6. In Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 9 min, then natural release for 10 mins. (If more rice and chicken, then add a few more minutes.)
7. Can top with some sauce (oyster sauce, sugar, water, and sesame oil).