Chicken Sticky Rice Recipe

Chicken Sticky Rice in a Lotus Leaf is a cherished classic in Cantonese cuisine. The combination of tender chicken, fragrant sticky rice, and the subtle aroma of lotus leaf creates a truly unforgettable dish. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy sticky rice, and I have no doubt it’ll quickly become one of yours, too.

Chicken Sticky Rice Recipe

Serving: 2 to 4 people
Prep time: 30 minutes
Rest time: overnight and 2 hours
Cook time: 30 minutes to 1 hour

For the chicken:
1 chicken thigh, skinless, boneless, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
Pinch of five-spice powder
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for stir-frying

Toppings:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for stir-frying
2 Chinese sausages, sliced into ¼-inch rings
4 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated for 2 hours, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons dried shrimp, rehydrated for 2 hours
3 cloves garlic, finely minced

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch of five-spice powder
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of sea salt

For the sticky rice:
1½ cups sticky rice, washed and presoaked for 2 hours
Pinch of five-spice powder
Pinch of white pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Additional ingredients:
1 lotus leaf, quartered, rehydrated overnight (available at Chinese supermarkets or online)

Chicken Sticky Rice Instructions

1. Preparation:

• Transfer chicken to a bowl. Add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, five-spice powder, white pepper, and sea salt. Mix well and marinate for 20 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, five-spice powder, white pepper, and sea salt to make the sauce. Set aside.

2. Stir-frying:

• Heat vegetable oil in a pan over moderate heat. Add Chinese sausage and stir-fry until some oil is released, about 1 minute. Add shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp; stir-fry until aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
• In the same pan, add vegetable oil, then chicken. Cook over high heat for about 3 minutes until medium well done. Add garlic, return toppings to the pan, pour in the sauce, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.

3. Putting everything together:

• Drain water from soaked sticky rice. Season rice with five-spice powder, white pepper, sea salt, and sesame oil.
• Mix thoroughly. Place a quartered lotus leaf in a bamboo steamer. Transfer sticky rice over the lotus leaf. Spread chicken and toppings evenly over the rice.

4. Steaming:

• Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Place bamboo steamer over the pot and steam on high heat for 20 minutes.

5. Serve:

• Carefully remove the steamer and serve hot.

Tips & notes

• Soaking lotus leaves overnight softens them and enhances their fragrance.
• Rehydrating dried mushrooms and shrimp intensifies their flavor and texture.
• Using a bamboo steamer allows the aroma of the lotus leaf to infuse the rice perfectly.
• Adjust seasoning to your taste before steaming for the best balance of flavors.