Steamed Chicken in a Rice Cooker

 A rice cooker isn’t just for rice—it’s a surprisingly great tool for making quick, flavorful meals.  Steaming chicken in a rice cooker helps the meat stay tender, juicy, and naturally sweet, without the risk of overcooking.  Unlike stovetop boiling, there’s no need to constantly adjust the heat.  Just set it and let the cooker do the work.

Ingredients:

Chicken

2–3 chicken thighs

For cleaning

Cooking wine (or white wine)

Ginger, finely chopped

Marinade

Salt

Pepper

Sugar

Chicken seasoning powder

A small pinch of five-spice powder

(Use equal parts of salt, pepper, and sugar)

For steaming

1 stalk lemongrass, lightly smashed

1–2 shallots, sliced

A few lime leaves

¼ cup water

Directions:

Cleaning the chicken:

Finely chop the ginger and mix it with about 100 ml of white wine.  Pour this mixture over the washed chicken and rub it evenly over the skin and meat.  This helps remove any strong odor and adds fragrance.  Rinse the chicken again with clean water and let it drain well.

Preparing the marinade:

Finely chop one shallot and mix it with salt, pepper, sugar, chicken seasoning powder, and a small pinch of five-spice powder.

Marinating the chicken:

Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken, focusing especially on the skin.  Let it rest for about 10 minutes so the flavors can penetrate.

Setting up the rice cooker:

Add ¼ cup of water to the rice cooker pot.  Line the bottom with lemongrass, sliced shallots, and lime leaves to create a fragrant base.

Steaming the chicken:

Place the marinated chicken on top of the aromatics. Close the lid and turn the rice cooker to Cook mode.

Checking for doneness:

After about 25 minutes, open the lid and use chopsticks to poke into the thickest part of the chicken.  If no pink liquid comes out, the chicken is cooked.  Close the lid and let it rest in the cooker for another 10 minutes before serving.

Steaming chicken in a rice cooker gives you juicy, tender meat with almost no effort—and no risk of overcooking.

Tips:

This dish really shines with the right Vietnamese dipping sauce. Here are two classic Vietnamese-style sauces that pair beautifully with steamed chicken. Both are simple and very “home kitchen” friendly.

1. Ginger Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm Gừng) – Classic & Comforting

This is the most traditional dipping sauce for steamed or boiled chicken in Vietnam, which is warm, fragrant, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp fish sauce

1–1½ tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)

1 tsp fresh lime or calamansi juice

1–2 tsp finely grated ginger

1 small chili, finely chopped (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients well until the sugar dissolves.  Taste and adjust—it should be savory, slightly sweet, gently sour, and fragrant with ginger.

Best for:

Plain steamed chicken, chicken rice, or chicken served with herbs and rice.

2. Lime–Pepper Salt Dip (Muối Tiêu Chanh) – Bright & Bold

This is especially popular in Southern Vietnam and works beautifully with juicy chicken thighs.

Ingredients:

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp sugar

Fresh lime juice (to taste)

Optional: chopped chili or a pinch of chili powder

Directions:

Mix salt, pepper, and sugar first, then squeeze in lime juice little by little until you get a thick, punchy dipping sauce.

Best for:

Rich, tender chicken—especially when served hot straight from the rice cooker.

·      Serving Tip (Very Vietnamese):

Serve the chicken chopped into bite-size pieces with:

Fresh herbs (Vietnamese coriander, mint, or basil)

Sliced cucumber or pickled vegetables

Steamed rice or rice cooker chicken rice

In Vietnamese cooking, the dipping sauce isn’t a side—it’s where the soul of the dish lives.