Kimchi Fried Rice may be all the rage, but once you try my One-Pot Kimchi Rice with Juicy Chicken Thighs, you may be an instant convert! Unlike Kimchi Fried Rice, the rice in this recipe is cooked in the kimchi juices itself. How’s that for flavour? There is also less mess as it is all made in one pot and can be ready in 30 minutes.
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made with salted, fermented vegetables. It usually contains cabbage and seasonings like sugar, salt, onions, garlic, ginger and chilli peppers.
While kimchi is basically vegetables, it contains fish sauce and dried shrimp. If you are vegan and can’t close one eye to that, you’ll have to ferment your own vegan kimchi. In which case, see you in 3 weeks! Haha! Here’s a recipe for vegan kimchi!
For the rest of us flexitarians, buy the ready-made bottled kimchi at any well-stocked Asian supermarket.
Other Ingredients for Kimchi Rice
For extra oomph and flavour, here are some other ingredients you will need:
- soya bean paste
- mirin
- fried shallots
- toasted sesame seeds
- crispy fried anchovies (totally optional)
- soy sauce
- coriander
- freshly cracked black pepper
- boneless chicken thighs
- mung bean sprouts (also known as tau geh)
- eggs
- coriander
- spring onion
- garlic
- red onions
Food For Thought
Packed with nutrients, kimchi also contains probiotics which aid in digestion, boost your immune system, reduce inflammation and even promote weight loss. It is notoriously high in sodium, however, so do check with your doctor if you have high blood pressure.
Here’s some other healthy recipes to try:
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ONE-POT KIMCHI RICE WITH JUICY CHICKEN THIGHS
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
If you love kimchi, this recipe is for you! My One-Pot Kimchi Rice with Juicy Chicken Thighs, is full of flavour and can be made in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- olive oil, for cooking
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 800g chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 400g kimchi
- 3 cups water
- 1–2 heaping tablespoons soybean paste
- 300g mung bean sprouts
- 30g coriander, chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted white sesame seeds
- fried egg, for serving
- fried shallot, for serving
- spring onion, for serving
Instructions
In a cast iron pot, on medium high heat, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil. Sauté garlic and onions. Sear the chicken thighs. Deglaze with mirin. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Add it to the pot with the kimchi, 3 cups of water and soybean paste. Stir to combine. Once the water starts to boil, bring the heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer on low until the liquids are mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes or so. Turn the fire off. Add raw bean sprouts, coriander and sesame seeds. Stir to mix it all up.
Serve with fried shallots and extra sesame seeds. Top with fried egg.
Notes
For a non-meat option, replace the chicken with firm tofu instead (800g, diced). However, vegans, do note that traditional kimchi is made with shrimp and fish sauce. It’s a little hard to find vegan kimchi so you may have to make it yourself. Here’s an authentic Korean recipe I found online.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Easy Meals
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Korean
