Khao Man Gai Recipe (Thai Chicken Rice) ข้าวมันไก่ – Hungry in Thailand (2024)

Khao man gai recipe (Thai chicken rice) isn’t just one of my favorite Thai street food, it’s a delight I can’t wait to explore with you! Today we’re heading to the heart of Thailand, Bangkok, where you can find this dish at every corner of the street.

Love Thai chicken rice? Try one of these recipes later: Gai pad med mamuang (Thai chicken cashew), Thai garlic pepper chicken, and chicken pineapple fried rice.

What is khao man gai

Khao man gai is a popular Thai street food dish. It consists of tender boiled chicken served over fragrant rice cooked in chicken broth. Accompanied by a savory chili dipping sauce and usually garnished with cucumber and coriander, it’s a comforting, flavorful Thai meal.

Thai chicken rice

We’ll be cooking up a wonderful meal using simple and traditional ingredients like winter melon, garlic, palm sugar, and soybean paste. Along the way, we’ll whisk together a zesty homemade chili sauce that pairs perfectly with the flavored rice.

Variations of Hainanese chicken rice can be found across various countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Each country adds its own unique touch and cooking methods, and in this chicken rice recipe we’re making it Thai-style.

Chicken rice carts can be found on the street of Asian countries and are loved by both locals and tourists alike. With its simple but delicious flavors, khao mun gai has captured the hearts of people around the globe.

Chicken rice Thai street food

For Thai people, khao man gai (ข้าวมันไก่) is like a street food star. It’s light and simple – but it fills you up nicely, it’s cheap – but it’s a healthy choice, and the flavors are always different.

Have you ever seen those street food carts with the whole chickens hanging behind the glass? Those carts immediately draw me in, I simply can’t resist them. Just one smell of the aromatic broth is enough for me to order a portion of Thai rice with chicken.

But for my hubby, the chicken portions they serve are often not enough, and that’s where the advantage of cooking homemade food comes in. You can top your rice with as much of that delicious, tender chicken as you want, yummy!

Cooking method

In this authentic khao man gai recipe, we’re creating magic. I’ll be using chicken legs, but you can use a whole chicken if you prefer. The chicken is boiled in an aromatic bath of winter melon, coriander, black peppercorns, garlic, salt, and bouillon, giving it a light but totally irresistible flavor.

Then we’ll be cooking our rice in the aromatic broth, which infuses the rice with the incredible flavor of the broth. It’ll be the most flavorful rice you’ve ever tasted, Thai restaurant quality assured!

And the best part? The fiery and tangy dipping sauce. It’s the perfect addition to this recipe, and I absolutely love drizzling it all over my chicken and rice.

Making Thai chicken rice is a little more time-consuming than most Thai recipes or simply ordering takeout, but it’ll be totally worth your time. For me, cooking is not just about the end result, it’s also about the experience and being proud of what you create.

With this recipe, you’ll get a feel of traditional Thai cooking. Appreciate the food and ingredients, taste-test as you go, and fill up your house with the delightful aroma of Thai cuisine.

Ingredients

This recipe has three steps. Cook each step separately, then combine them at the end. Focus on one step at a time. As always, for the exact measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Soup

• Chicken – For this recipe, I used chicken leg, but you can totally go for a whole chicken if that’s what you prefer.
• Water – The broth base is made by combining water with all the other ingredients, resulting in a comforting soup.
• Winter melon – Winter melon adds a subtle sweetness and texture to the soup, and it’s incredibly healthy and nutritious.
• Coriander – Coriander is a staple herb in Thai food, you can add as much or as few of it as you wish.
• Black peppercorns – Peppercorns are key for adding a gentle heat to the soup.
• Bouillon – Bouillon intensifies the flavor of our soup.
• Garlic – Garlic is an essential ingredient for this khao man gai recipe.
• Salt

rice

• White rice – The rice will soak up the flavors of the soup, since we will be boiling it in the soup broth. Most Thai people prefer jasmine rice.
• Chicken skin – In Thai, “khao” means rice and “man” refers to fat or oil. This indicates that the rice is cooked with chicken fat or oil, infusing it with a rich flavor. The fat or oil we’ll be using will separate from the chicken skin.
• Ginger – Ginger adds a refreshing flavor to the rice and slightly spicy notes.
• Garlic
• Soup

Khao man gai sauce

• Chili peppers – If you like a spicy sauce, use Thai chilies such as bird’s eye chilies. For a mild khao man gai sauce, you can use a different type of chilies or remove the seeds, which is where most of the heat is.
• Palm sugar – Palm sugar is a key ingredient for sweetening the sauce. Palm sugar has a unique caramel-like flavor that sets it apart from both white sugar and brown sugar.
• Lime juice – For an authentic version of Thai chicken rice, the dipping sauce has to be sour and tangy. Always use fresh lime juice and not the bottled stuff.
• Soybean paste – Soybean paste adds a subtly sweet and umami flavor. It’s key for balancing out the heat and sour flavors.
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Salt

COoking instructions

Try one of my Thai chicken soup recipes next! Thai lemongrass soup recipe is a spicy soup with a clear broth, and tom kha gai is creamy and perfect for the family.

Kitchen tools

• Mortar and pestle for making khao man gai sauce
• Large wok for infusing your rice with spices
• Cutting board and sharp knife
• Rice cooker
• Soup pot

How to serve khao mun gai

Presentation is key in Thai-style chicken rice. Scoop the chicken-infused rice into a dome-shaped bowl. Invert it into a plate to create a rice dome. Place the tender boiled chicken next to the rice. Serve the sauce in a small bowl. Offer the chicken stock in a small bowl and complete the dish with cucumber slices on the side. Feel free to garnish with freshly chopped green onions.

How to store khao man kai

Let your khao man gai leftovers cool to room temperature and transfer it into an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. The soup can be stored longer, it’s best to check for freshness before using. Also keep the dipping sauce in a separate airtight container.

Reheating instructions: Simply reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warm.

Frequently asked questions

More Thai chicken recipes you’ll love

• Pad priew wan (Thai sweet and sour chicken)
• Gaeng daeng (Thai red curry with chicken)
• Gaeng panang gai (chicken panang curry)
• Thai chicken satay with peanut sauce
• Authentic chicken pad Thai recipe
• Pad kee mao (drunken noodles)
• Hat yai fried chicken

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Print Recipe

Khao Man Gai Recipe (Thai Chicken Rice) ข้าวมันไก่

Author:Praew Cooking Method:Stovetop Cuisine:Thai Cuisine Courses:Dinner Recipe Keys: egg-free Egg Free high-protein High Protein Low Fat nut-free Nut Free

Prep Time30 minCook Time90 minTotal Time2 hrs

Servings:5 Calories:675

Description

This authentic recipe for khao man gai is easy to follow with step-by-step instructions. Make an authentic version of this dish in your own kitchen.

Ingredients

Servings

For the soup

• 100 fluid ounces water
• 7 ounces winter melon (sliced)
• 3 coriander (stalks)
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 bouillon cubes (chicken flavor)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 35 ounces chicken (legs)

For the rice

• 25 ounces rice
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled)
• 0.5 ounces ginger (sliced)
• 40 fluid ounces soup
• chicken skin

For the dipping sauce

• 10 cloves garlic
• 5 chilies (Thai chilies)
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (chop to measure)
• 0.5 ounces ginger (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons soybean paste
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Soup

1. Begin by preparing the soup. Slice the winter melon into medium to large chunks.

2. Remove a portion of the chicken skin. We’ll use this later as a source of fat or oil for the rice.

3. Crush black peppercorns, garlic, and coriander root with a mortar and pestle.

4. Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add the chicken, the spice mixture from the previous step, winter melon slices, and bouillon cubes. Let the chicken soup simmer for about 40 minutes and make sure the chicken is cooked.

5. Next, we’ll cook the rice. Rinse your rice thoroughly and let excess water drain.

6. In a non-stick wok or skillet, fry the chicken skin until it turns golden brown and releases its oil and fat.

7. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and fry until golden.

8. Add rice to the pan and continue frying until it has fully absorbed the flavorful chicken oil.

9. Transfer the rice to a pot, then pour in the prepared chicken soup. Cook until the rice is fully cooked and tender.

10. Lastly, we’ll make the khao man gai sauce. Crush garlic, ginger, and chili peppers using a mortar and pestle.

11. Add palm sugar, lime juice, soybean paste, and salt into the mortar and thoroughly mix into one sauce.

12. Portion out your rice on a serving dish. Add chicken and serve with your dipping sauce. Serve your chicken stock in a small bowl. Enjoy!

Tools you need

Granite Mortar and Pestle

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Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 675kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 23.9g37%

Saturated Fat 6.5g33%

Total Carbohydrate 33.3g12%

Dietary Fiber 1.6g7%

Sugars 12.3g

Protein 70g140%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
• This recipe can be split into 3 stages: cooking the soup, the rice, and the dipping sauce.

Keywords: khao man gai, khao mun gai, Thai chicken rice

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