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Claypot Rice, or Bo Zai Fan (煲仔飯), is a beloved Hong Kong street food built around one simple pleasure: fragrant rice with a crispy, golden crust at the bottom. This chicken and shiitake mushroom version is my go-to, with marinated chicken thighs and softened dried shiitake cooked right on top of the rice, so every grain soaks up the savoury juices as it steams.

The dish traces back to Guangdong, where Cantonese cooks first perfected clay pot cooking, and it was street vendors in early 20th-century Hong Kong who turned it into the fast, affordable meal it’s known as today. Making it at home looks intimidating at first, but once you’ve got the rice-to-water ratio down, it comes together easily, with no professional clay pot skills required.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy golden crust: the contrast between fluffy rice and the crackling bottom layer is what makes claypot rice so addictive.
Juicy, marinated chicken: oyster sauce, soy, and ginger keep the chicken tender and full of flavour.
Deep umami from shiitake: dried shiitake mushrooms add an aroma fresh ones simply can’t match.
Proper comfort food: the kind of dish that turns a weeknight dinner into something a little more special.

The Equipment

Traditionally, claypot rice is cooked in a porous clay pot, which distributes heat evenly and gives the rice a subtle earthy aroma. If you don’t have one, here are a few alternatives that work well:

Cast iron skillet: a well-seasoned skillet retains and distributes heat much like a clay pot, giving you a properly crispy rice crust.
Non-stick pan: works too, though you may need a little extra oil to get the bottom layer crisp.
Rice pot: a Japanese donabe is the classic choice. I’ve also had great results using a HexClad Rice Pot (affiliate link) for this recipe.
Electric rice cooker: an easy option if you’d rather simplify the process on a busy weeknight.

Tips for Making This Recipe

Pre-Soak Your Rice: Soak the jasmine rice for at least an hour before cooking. It helps the grains cook through evenly and gives you a softer, fluffier texture.
Get the Rice-to-Water Ratio Right: I use a 1:1.25 ratio of jasmine rice to water. If you’re using short-grain or sushi rice instead, go for closer to 1:1, since it needs less water to cook properly.
Cut the Chicken Small: Dice the chicken thighs into small, bite-sized pieces. Cutting them small helps the chicken cook through fully in the short time it spends steaming on top of the rice.
Use Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: Dried shiitake have a much deeper aroma and flavour than fresh ones, and they’re what give this dish its signature savoury edge. Soak them until softened before slicing.
Layer the Toppings with Space: Spread the marinated chicken and mushrooms in a single layer, leaving a little space between pieces rather than piling them up. This lets the heat reach everything evenly.
Don’t Rush the Crust Let the rice cook undisturbed over medium-low heat for the final 6 to 8 minutes. This is what builds the crispy bottom layer that makes claypot rice worth making at home.
Finish with Sweet Soy Sauce A drizzle of sweet soy sauce over the finished dish ties everything together and adds a rounder, more balanced sweetness.

Final Thoughts

Chicken and Shiitake Mushroom Claypot Rice is proof that a dish this comforting doesn’t need to be complicated. With a well-marinated topping, dried shiitake for depth, and a bit of patience for the crust to form, you get a proper Hong Kong-style meal that’s so satisfying to eat.

If you’re a fan of claypot rice, you might also enjoy my Beef Claypot Rice recipe, for a heartier, beefier take on the same comforting bowl.

Chicken and Shiitake Mushroom Claypot Rice (Bo Zai Fan)

Wanting

A Cantonese classic made easy at home: fragrant jasmine rice cooked in a clay pot until the bottom turns golden and crispy, topped with marinated chicken and shiitake mushrooms. The crispy rice crust at the bottomis the real reward.

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Ingredients

200 g jasmine rice
250 ml water 1:1.25 ratio of jasmine rice to water
2 chicken thighs, boneless, cut into small bite-sized pieces (about 170g)
3 dried shiitake mushrooms, pre-soaked until softened and sliced
A few drops of vegetable oil
A handful of spring onion, finely chopped, for garnish
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce, for drizzling

FOR THE MARINADE

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice cooking wine
1 tsp sugar
A pinch of salt
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Soak the rice: Rinse the jasmine rice and place it in the rice pot. Add the water, drizzle with a few drops of vegetable oil, and soak for 1 hour.
Marinate the chicken: Combine the diced chicken thighs with the ginger, spring onion, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, sugar, salt, corn flour and oil. Cutting the chicken into small pieces helps it cook through evenly. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the rice: Heat the pot over medium-high heat until the rice boils. Stir gently, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 6 minutes.
Add the toppings: Arrange the marinated chicken and sliced shiitake mushrooms over the partially cooked rice, leaving space between the pieces so everything cooks evenly. Drizzle oil around the edges of the pot. This is what creates the crispy rice crust. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until you smell a charred aroma.

Don't overcrowd the chicken and mushrooms on top of the rice. Give them a little space so the heat can reach everything evenly.

Rest and steam: Turn off the heat and leave to steam with the lid on for 7 minutes.
Garnish and serve: Uncover, garnish with the spring onion, and drizzle with sweet soy sauce. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

This recipe works well in a traditional clay pot or a Japanese donabe. I made mine in a HexClad rice pot instead, as shown in the blog photos, which is also a great tool for this recipe.

Cutting the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces helps it cook through more easily.

I use a 1:1.25 ratio of jasmine rice to water. If you're using short grain or sushi rice instead, I'd recommend a 1:1 ratio, as it needs less water to cook properly.

If you don't have sweet soy sauce, simply mix soy sauce, cooking wine and sugar (or syrup or honey) in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has fully dissolved. Set aside to cool before using.

If you don't have corn flour, plain flour works as a substitute. Corn flour gives the chicken a lighter, silkier coating, while plain flour creates a slightly thicker one, but both help lock in moisture and tenderise the meat.