Winter in Australia calls for cosy, comforting food — and this stewed chicken with Chinese herbs and dry rice porridge is just perfect! It’s a home-cooked dish full of flavour and good for your health. You can enjoy it for breakfast or dinner.

This dish is well-known in Phuket, Thailand, but there are many versions across Thailand. One popular and easy version is dry rice porridge with pork mince. It’s full of flavours that kids and adults love. You can use different meats like seafood, roasted pork, or chicken. Today, I’m sharing my family’s recipe with braised chicken drumsticks (or wings if you prefer).

If you’re ready, let’s make this warm, comforting rice dish that will fill your heart and soul. It’s simple, not spicy, and you will want to cook it again and again.

Ingredients for Braised Chicken:

• 2–3 chicken drumsticks or thighs
• 100g chicken or duck blood (optional)
• 1 pack of Chinese herb mix (usually includes star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds)
• 3–4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoon palm sugar
• 2–3 coriander roots
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet dark soy sauce
• A little sweet dark soy sauce
• A pinch of salt
• 1 litre water
• Sliced coriander and spring onion (for garnish)

Ingredients for Dry Rice Porridge:

• 1 cup cooked jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon garlic oil (from frying garlic)
• A pinch of ground black pepper
• A splash of light soy sauce or seasoning sauce
• Chopped spring onion and coriander
• Fried garlic for topping

How to Make It:

Prepare the Braised Chicken:

1. In a large pot, bring 1 litre of water to a boil. Add the crushed garlic and coriander roots. These add flavour to the broth.
2. Add the chicken pieces and the Chinese herb mix to the pot. If you want, add chicken or duck blood at this stage — this is optional and adds richness.
3. Season the broth with palm sugar, fish sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sweet dark soy sauce, and a pinch of salt.
4. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours. This slow cooking makes the chicken tender and the broth very aromatic.
5. When the chicken is soft and cooked through, turn off the heat and leave it covered.

Prepare the Dry Rice Porridge:

1. Take the cooked jasmine rice and place it in a bowl.
2. Drizzle the garlic oil over the rice and mix gently. The oil adds a delicious aroma and flavour to the rice.
3. Add a little light soy sauce or seasoning sauce to taste.
4. Place some braised chicken on top of the rice. Spoon a small amount of the broth over the rice to moisten it — not too much, just enough to keep it soft but not watery.
5. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion, coriander, fried garlic, and a pinch of black pepper. These toppings add freshness and crunch.

On the table, you can serve some fresh sliced chilli with vinegar, fish sauce, crushed black pepper, and something crunchy like pork crackling, fried tofu, crispy anchovies, crispy fried shallots, or fried garlic. These are optional garnishes and condiments that help brighten up the dish. Feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand — everyone can enjoy it their own way!

Enjoy this warm, healthy, and tasty Chinese herb chicken dry porridge — perfect for chilly winter days in Australia!