A flavor-packed take on traditional claypot chicken rice—made right in your rice cooker. Tender chicken, Chinese sausage, and shiitake mushrooms all layered over fluffy rice, with an optional crispy rice step that’s totally worth it!
I love a good Claypot Chicken Rice—but making it the traditional way can be a bit of a production.
If you don’t have a claypot (or just don’t feel like babysitting the stove), this rice cooker version is the perfect shortcut. You still get all the savory, umami-packed flavor with a lot less fuss.
It’s easy to prep ahead, and the rice cooker does most of the heavy lifting. You’ll end up with tender, marinated chicken, Chinese sausage, and fragrant shiitake mushrooms—all layered over perfectly cooked rice.
And yes, I’ll even show you how to recreate that irresistible crispy rice crust at the bottom. It’s optional, but so worth the extra step!
Making Claypot Chicken Rice in a Rice Cooker: Here’s the Strategy
The key to getting this dish just right in a rice cooker is all about timing. You’ll start by cooking the rice partway—just until the water on the surface has been absorbed. That’s when you layer the marinated chicken on top. This way, the chicken steams gently as the rice finishes cooking, instead of getting boiled.
This strategy is different from my Rice Cooker Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe, where the chicken goes on top before turning on the rice cooker so it has enough time to steam and cook through alongside the rice.
Rather than using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (like in the traditional version), we’re cutting boneless chicken into smaller 1-inch pieces to make sure it cooks all the way through. The result? Juicy, flavorful bites in every scoop.
And if you're after that crispy rice layer you’d normally get at the bottom of a claypot—don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. You won’t get it from the rice cooker alone, but there’s a quick extra step in a separate pan that totally delivers. So worth it!
How to Prepare Rice Cooker Claypot Chicken Rice
Heads up—this recipe does need a bit of prep, so it’s best to plan ahead. You’ll want to marinate the chicken for at least an hour (or overnight, if you can), and soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about an hour as well.
After soaking, slice the mushrooms thinly—or leave them whole if you’re using smaller ones.
Cut 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Marinate the chicken with:
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A dash of white pepper
Short on time?
If you forgot to soak the mushrooms or marinate the chicken—don’t stress. You can start marinating the chicken while the rice begins cooking; even 10–15 minutes makes a difference.
As for the mushrooms, place them in boiling water and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. These steps can be done while you wait for the rice to reach that halfway point.
Rinse 2 cups of uncooked white rice directly in your rice cooker’s inner pot. When measuring, be sure to use the rice cup that came with your cooker (it’s typically around ¾ of a US cup).
After rinsing, fill the pot with water up to the 2-cup line as marked inside the cooker.
Optional: Add ½ a chicken bouillon cube for a little extra flavor. Break it up with your fingers before adding it to the pot.
Turn on your rice cooker—either the basic “Cook” setting or “White Rice” if your model has multiple options.
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We’re aiming to cook the rice halfway. The time it takes will depend on your rice cooker:
- Basic models usually take around 25 minutes total (so the halfway point would be around 12 minutes)
- Fancier fuzzy logic or induction cookers can take up to 50 minutes total (so the halfway point would be 25 minutes)
The next time you make plain white rice, try using a timer so you can figure out the full cook time for your specific rice cooker—then just aim for the halfway mark in this recipe.
If you’re not sure when to add the chicken, start checking every 5 minutes or so. Once the surface of the rice looks dry and most of the water has been absorbed, it’s time.
PRO TIP: I highly recommend setting a kitchen timer or phone alarm to remind you when it’s time to add the chicken. This helps ensure the chicken steams together with the rice at just the right time. Otherwise, you’ll end up with fully cooked rice and raw chicken—and have to finish the chicken in a pan....speaking from experience...
Carefully layer the marinated chicken on top of the rice, along with the mushrooms and 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong), thinly sliced.
Close the lid and let the rice cooker finish its job. When the rice is done, the chicken and sausage should be fully cooked and tender.
Before serving, check to make sure the chicken is cooked through. If it needs a bit more time, just press “Cook” again and let it go a few more minutes.
Drizzle with dark soy sauce, a splash of sesame oil, and a dash of white pepper.
Give everything a good mix, then top with chopped scallions. Serve with extra dark soy sauce on the side if you like.
How to Get That Claypot Crunch—Without the Claypot
One of my favorite parts of Claypot Chicken Rice is the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot. While it’s not something a rice cooker can replicate on its own, it’s actually really easy to mimic in a separate pan.
This step is totally optional, but if you’re like me and love those crispy bits, it’s well worth the extra few minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Make sure the pan is nice and hot—it should just start to smoke.
Add about ½ cup of the cooked rice and spread it out in a thin layer. Let it sizzle undisturbed until the bottom is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.
Once it’s ready, you can mix it into the rest of the rice or just spoon it over the top for that extra crunch.
If you’ve been craving Claypot Chicken Rice but don’t want to deal with the extra cookware, this rice cooker version is your new weeknight hero.
It’s simple, satisfying, and has just enough flexibility to fit into a busy day—crispy rice step optional, but highly recommended!
Jumped straight here to the recipe? Please consider coming back to read the whole post when you have the time as I have included step-by-step instructions with photos.
Rice Cooker Claypot Chicken Rice
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash white pepper
Other ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked white rice measured using your rice cooker cup
- water (fill to the 2-cup line in your rice cooker)
- 3–4 shiitake mushrooms soaked and sliced (or 1 cup small ones)
- 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong) thinly sliced
- ½ chicken bouillon cube optional
- chopped scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Combine chicken with all marinade ingredients. Let it sit for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.
- Place dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 1 hour, then slice. (Shortcut: simmer in boiling water for 15 minutes if short on time.)
- Add 2 cups of rice to the rice cooker’s inner pot. Rinse, then fill with water up to the 2-cup line. Add bouillon cube if using.
- Start the rice cooker. Once most of the water has been absorbed (about halfway through the cycle), open the lid.
- Layer the marinated chicken, sliced mushrooms, and lap cheong over the rice. Close the lid and let the rice cooker finish cooking.
- Make sure the chicken is fully cooked. If needed, press "Cook" again for a few more minutes.
- Drizzle with dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and a dash of white pepper. Stir to combine and top with chopped scallions.
Optional: Crispy Rice
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add ½ cup cooked rice in a thin layer. Let it sizzle undisturbed for about 5 minutes until crispy. Mix into the rest of the rice or serve on top.
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