Clay Pot Rice With Spicy Sausage and Mushrooms Recipe

By
Shao Z.
Shao Zhi Zhong is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Shao Z.
Shao Zhi Zhong is a Chinese-born and Philadelphia-raised food writer and recipe developer who specializes in Chinese home cooking. She's also a web designer.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 29, 2018
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Shao Z.

There's something very comforting and satisfying about a meal served and cooked in one pot. One of my favorite one pot meals is clay pot rice. For this version, I wanted to use an ingredient that's not normally seen in clay pot rice: spicy Italian sausage. Combined with slivers of chicken, marinated dried mushrooms, and a sweet and savory sauce, this speaks comfort to me.

Why this recipe works:

  • Tons of flavorful ingredients are packed together and cooked under a lid to combine.
  • The rice gets a nice crisp crust as it slowly cooks and absorbs flavor from the chicken and sausage above.

    • Recipe Details

    Clay Pot Rice With Spicy Sausage and Mushrooms Recipe

    Active 60 mins
    Total 90 mins
    Serves 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 5 dried wood ear mushroom

    • 4 dried shiitake mushroom

    • 12 ounces chicken, dark or white meat, sliced into thin strips

    • 5 ounces hot Italian sausage, removed from casing (about 1 sausage)

    • 4 cloves garlic, minced

    • 2 slices of ginger, minced, about 1 teaspoon

    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

    • 1 tablespoon oil

    • 1 teaspoon fish sauce

    • 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine

    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

    • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce

    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

    • 1 cup long grain rice

    • 1 cup water

    • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

    For the Sauce:

    • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

    • 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

    • 1 teaspoon water

    • 1 teaspoon fish sauce

    Directions

    1. Rinse wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms under cold running water. Transfer mushrooms to a large bowl and cover with water. Soak until fully rehydrated, about 1 hour. When the mushrooms are rehydrated, rinse under cold running water again to remove any grit. Squeeze out excess moisture, pat dry with paper towels, slice into thin strips, and set aside.

    2. Combine chicken, sausage, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, oil, fish sauce, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and the sliced wood ear and shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl. Mix and combine well. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight.

    3. When ready to cook, wash the rice thoroughly and drain. Place the rice and one cup of water in an enameled cast iron pot. Soak the rice in the water for 30 minutes.

    4. After 30 minutes, place the cast iron pot with the rice on top of a stove. Turn to medium heat, with the lid off, bring water and rice to a simmer. When it starts to simmer, add the chicken and the sausage. Gently spread the mixture evenly on top of the rice. Place the lid on top of the pot, turn flame down to second lowest setting. Cook for 30 minutes.

    5. While the rice is cooking, make the sauce: Combine sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, water, and fish sauce in a small bowl.

    6. After 30 minutes, open the lid and check to see if the chicken and sausage is cooked. If not, close the lid and check again in 10 minutes.

    7. To serve, bring the cast iron pot to the table. Sprinkle chopped scallions on top and drizzle on half of sauce. With a large wooden spoon, mix the rice with the chicken and sausage. Serve immediately.

    Special equipment

    Enameled cast iron pot

    This Recipe Appears In

    Nutrition Facts (per serving)
    429 Calories
    19g Fat
    26g Carbs
    37g Protein
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    Nutrition Facts
    Servings: 4
    Amount per serving
    Calories 429
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 19g 24%
    Saturated Fat 5g 26%
    Cholesterol 92mg 31%
    Sodium 913mg 40%
    Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
    Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
    Total Sugars 4g
    Protein 37g
    Vitamin C 5mg 24%
    Calcium 47mg 4%
    Iron 2mg 14%
    Potassium 634mg 13%
    *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
    (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)