IDK about you, but I find pork belly too heavy sometimes. This version of lu rou fan (Taiwanese braised pork rice) uses chicken thigh instead of pork belly. It has the same rich, flavorful sauce, but lighter and higher in protein. SOOO delicious mixed with rice.
A few notes on the ingredients here:
- Rock sugar can be substituted with white or cane sugar
- No star anise or bay leaves? Use 1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder instead.
- The canned quail eggs can be substituted with boiled eggs (1 per serving).
Chicken Lu Rou Fan
A lighter, higher-protein version of Taiwanese braised pork rice
Ingredients
For marinating:
For braising:
To serve:
Instructions
Prep:
-
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water until softened, about 20–30 minutes. Once cooled, dice into small pieces.
Reserve the soaking liquid — you'll need it for braising later. -
Cut the chicken into 0.25" pieces. Add to a bowl along with Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and corn starch. Combine and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Braising the chicken:
-
Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, stir frying until slightly golden on the edges, about 3-5 minutes.
-
Add the marinated chicken and stir fry until the pieces are no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes.
-
Add the diced mushrooms and mushroom soaking liquid, plus enough water to fully cover everything.
Pour the mushroom soaking liquid in carefully, leaving behind any grit at the bottom. -
Stir in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ginger, star anise, bay leaves, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium, and cook, covered, for 20–25 minutes.
-
In a small bowl, mix the corn starch and water to make a slurry. Stir it into the braise, along with the quail eggs. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
-
Spoon over cooked rice and serve with blanched bok choy.
To blanch: boil for 2 minutes, then immediately transfer to a bowl of cold water.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 287kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 15g24%
- Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
- Protein 25g50%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
