Taiwanese Chicken Rice (Chiayi Turkey Rice)
Taiwanese Chicken Rice (雞肉飯) is a comforting dish of shredded poached chicken over rice, topped with savory shallot sauce. Easy, flavorful, and satisfying!
Traditionally, Taiwanese Chicken and Rice is made with turkey meat. Here in this recipe, I am using chicken thigh for convenience, and it is just as delicious! What makes this dish remarkable is its balance—rich yet light, flavorful but not overwhelming.
This was inspired by my Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice and Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken on this site, and pairs well with this Ginger Garlic Bok Choy.
What Is Taiwanese Chicken and Rice Bowl
Taiwanese Chicken and Rice, known as 雞肉飯 (Ji Rou Fan), is a delicious dish that embodies the heart of Taiwanese comfort food. Originating from Chiayi in southern Taiwan, this simple meal features shredded poached chicken laid over a steaming bowl of fragrant rice, drizzled with a savory shallot-infused sauce that brings everything together.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the best Taiwanese Chicken and Rice Bowl:
- Chicken Thigh
- Shallots
- Neutral Oil
- Ginger
- Scallion
- Soy Sauce
- Chicken Bullion
- White Pepper
- Sugar
- White Rice
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Taiwanese Chicken and Rice
- Step 1: Remove skin from the chicken thigh and render chicken skin for the fats.
- Step 2: Fry chicken skin until both sides are golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Step 3: Add more neutral oil to chicken fat. Then add slices shallots.
- Step 4: Fry shallots until golden brown and crispy. Remove and set aside.
Step 5: In a pot, add chicken, ginger, and scallion. Bring it to a boil and poach the chicken. Remove and set aside.
Step 6: Add soy sauce, chicken bullion, sugar, white pepper, and chopped chicken skin to the poaching liquid.
How to Serve Taiwanese Chicken and Rice
To assemble, top a bowl of rice with shredded chicken. Spoon the sauce over chicken and rice. Garnish with crispy fried shallots. Serve hot and enjoy!
Substitutions
- Chicken Thigh – you can also use chicken breast
- Soy Sauce – use tamari for gluten free option
- White Rice – feel free to substitute with brown rice or any other rice you like
How to Store and Reheat
To Store: It is best to enjoy Taiwanese chicken and rice immediately. However, you can store the leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Reheat: Gently reheat in the microwave until warm.
Top Tips for Success
Don’t overcook the chicken: Turn off the heat and let it finish poaching in the residual heat.
Use skin-on chicken for more flavor: The skin adds depth to the broth and sauce.
Crispy shallots = magic: Don’t skip them—they add crunch and umami.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Taiwanese Chicken Rice (Chiayi Turkey Rice)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken thigh, skin-on, boneless
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 shallots, sliced or chopped
- 4 slices ginger
- 1 scallion, chopped into half
- 1 L water
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp white pepper
- Rice
Instructions
Make Fried Shallots
- Remove the chicken skin from the thigh meat.
- In a frying pan over medium heat, add chicken skin and fry until both sides are golden brown. Remove chicken skin from the pan.
- In the same pan, add 2 tbsp of cooking oil to the chicken fat. Add sliced shallots and fry until golden brown and crispy. Turn off heat and transfer the shallots to a plate lined with paper towel.
Make the Sauce
- Then in a pot, add chicken (skin removed), ginger, scallion, and water (water should be enough to cover the chicken). Bring it to a boil and let it boil for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let the chicken sit, covered with a lid, for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the cooked chicken, scallion, and ginger. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Add soy sauce, chicken bouillon, sugar, and white pepper to the poaching liquid. Mix and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. [Optional]: cut the fried chicken skin into bite sized pieces and throw them into the poaching liquid to boost the flavor.
Assemble the Bowl
- To assemble, top a bowl of rice with shredded chicken. Spoon the sauce over chicken and rice. Garnish with crispy fried shallots. Serve hot and enjoy!
