Description
This Easy Macau-Style Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice combines creamy coconut curry chicken baked over savory egg fried rice topped with a layer of melted, lightly browned mozzarella cheese. A comforting casserole that blends rich coconut curry flavors with tender chicken and fragrant fried rice in a single dish.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs (cut in half)
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine or dry sherry
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon yellow curry powder
Fried Rice
- 6 cups cooked jasmine rice, cold and day-old, broken up
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
Coconut Curry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ¾ cup diced onion
- 2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 14 fl oz full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Cut each chicken thigh in half and place in a medium bowl. Add Shaoxing cooking wine, salt, garlic powder, and yellow curry powder. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly and set aside for 15 minutes to marinate while preparing other ingredients.
- Boil the Potatoes: Peel and cut the Yukon gold potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) to prepare for baking later.
- Prepare the Fried Rice: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the cold, day-old jasmine rice, breaking up any clumps. Pour in the soy sauce, then add the beaten eggs, stirring continuously to scramble them into the rice until cooked and grains are separated. Transfer the fried rice evenly into a deep 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Sauté Chicken and Onions: Using the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer and brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, ensuring the chicken is partially cooked.
- Make the Coconut Curry Sauce: Add the cooked potatoes, coconut milk, turmeric, yellow curry powder, and salt to the chicken and onions. Stir well and let simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon but remains pourable.
- Assemble the Casserole: Pour the chicken and coconut curry mixture evenly over the fried rice layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven at 500°F. Bake for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and lightly browned on top.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let the casserole cool slightly before serving to allow flavors to meld and to avoid burning your mouth.
Notes
- Use day-old jasmine rice for best texture in fried rice; freshly cooked rice will be too moist and clumpy.
- Watch the cheese closely while baking to prevent burning, as the oven temperature is high.
- You can substitute Yukon gold potatoes with other waxy potatoes that hold shape well when boiled.
- Shaoxing wine can be replaced with dry sherry or omitted if unavailable.
- This dish can be made ahead by preparing components separately and assembling before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
