Risotto-Style Stovetop Rice
This easy creamy Chinese rice with chicken broth is a simple stovetop rice recipe with the comforting texture of risotto without using Arborio rice. Chinese white rice cooks slowly in savoury chicken broth with onion, celery and garlic until the liquid reduces and the rice becomes soft and creamy. Finish it with green onion and unsweetened coconut, or fold in scrambled egg for an easy, filling meal.
Equipment
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small bowl for whisking the eggs
- Whisk or fork
- Small nonstick skillet, if cooking the scrambled egg separately
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup Chinese white rice uncooked
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1/3 cup onion finely diced
- 1/3 cup celery finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter for finishing
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut for serving
Optional Scrambled Egg
- 1-2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon butter or oil
Instructions
Sauté the vegetables.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and celery. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
Add the garlic.
- Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.
Add the Chinese rice.
- Stir the uncooked Chinese white rice directly into the skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring so the grains are coated with the butter and vegetables.
Cook in chicken broth.
- Pour in about 2 1/2 cups chicken broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Simmer until creamy.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 20–25 minutes, stirring regularly. The rice will absorb the chicken broth as it cooks, while some of the liquid boils down and thickens around the grains.
Add more broth as needed.
- If the rice is still firm when most of the broth has been absorbed, add the remaining chicken broth about 1/4 cup at a time. Continue cooking and stirring until the Chinese rice is tender and creamy.
Finish the rice.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The finished rice should be creamy and moist but still have visible individual grains.
Add green onion.
- Fold some of the sliced green onion into the rice, reserving a little for serving.
Optional Scrambled Egg
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat with a little butter or oil. Whisk the eggs and scramble them until just cooked.
- Break the scrambled egg into bite-size pieces and gently fold it through the finished creamy Chinese rice.
- You can also scramble the egg directly in the large skillet by pushing the cooked rice to one side, cooking the egg in the open area, then mixing everything together.
For the best creamy risotto-style Chinese rice, don’t let the chicken broth cook away completely. Take the rice off the heat while it is still a little loose and creamy. The rice continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so this helps keep your easy chicken broth rice soft and creamy instead of dry.
Notes
- Use Chinese white rice, not Arborio rice. This is an easy risotto-style Chinese rice recipe, so the texture is creamy and comforting without being a traditional Italian risotto.
- Let the chicken broth reduce slowly. As the Chinese rice cooks in chicken broth, the liquid thickens and the rice releases starch, creating that creamy risotto-style consistency.
- Stir regularly, but not constantly. A few good stirs while the rice cooks help prevent sticking and encourage a creamier texture. I usually stir more often once the broth starts getting low.
- Add extra broth if needed. Different rice brands can absorb liquid at different rates. If the rice is still a little firm, add a splash of warm chicken broth and keep cooking.
- Don’t let the pan go completely dry. The finished creamy chicken broth rice should still look soft and slightly loose when you remove it from the heat. It thickens as it sits.
- Taste before adding salt. Chicken broth can become saltier as it reduces, so season near the end instead of adding too much at the beginning.
- Keep the unsweetened coconut light. A small sprinkle gives this creamy Chinese rice a subtle nutty finish without making the dish taste sweet.
- Scrambled egg is an easy add-in. Fold in softly scrambled egg at the end for a more filling risotto-style rice dinnerwith extra protein.
- Serve it right away. Like most creamy rice dishes, this one has its best texture straight from the skillet while the rice is still soft and creamy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 124kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 999mgPotassium: 114mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 277IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 0.4mg
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