HYPEBEAST Eats... Chicken and Rice by Matt Abergel of Yardbird

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Last time around, we launched our HYPEBEAST Eats with Eddie Huang’s rendition of Hainanese Chicken in which he touched briefly on the relation of chicken and rice. Although it was far from deliberate, former Masa (NYC)/ZUMA (HK) chef Matt Abergel of Hong Kong’s Yardbird had a similar objective when he set out to put his own spin on Chicken and Rice that is probably much different than what you’re used to ethnically speaking. Forgoing the literal approach of using chicken protein, it’s the bit parts that factor into this scrumptious dish comprised of rendered chicken fat and rice, topped with double fried chicken skin.

If you’re in Hong Kong, make a stop on quiet Bridges St. for chicken-centric yakitori, a myriad of interesting and delectable eats… and Yardbird’s own Japanese shochu and sake, the latter which is brewed in Shiga, Japan.

Ingredients

01 chicken skin
02 steamed mochi rice
03 chicken stock
04 chicken fat
05 caramelized onions
06 spring onions
07 sweet peas
08 black pepper
09 onsen egg
10 sea salt

Step 1

The ingredients needed for Chicken and Egg Rice (from left to right, top to bottom) – chicken skin, steamed mochi rice, chicken stock, chicken fat, caramelized onions, spring onions, sweet peas, black pepper, onsen egg, sea salt.

Step 2

Pour 2 tablespoons of rendered chicken fat into a pan and coat thoroughly.

Step 3

Add par-cooked mochi rice into the pan and saute lightly.

Step 4

Add caramelized onions.

Step 5

Combine onions into the rice.

Step 6

Slowly add chicken stock and stir.

Step 7

Heat a skillet in the salamander.

Step 8

Continue stirring the rice.

Step 9

Season rice with sea salt.

Step 10

Season rice with black pepper.

Step 11

Add raw sweet peas and combine.

Step 12

Add cooked rice to the hot skillet and make a small nest in the center.

Step 13

Remove onsen eggs from steamer (onsen eggs are cooked at 62.5 degrees in the shell) and crack onto a paper towel to remove excess water and egg white.