The Viral Rotisserie Chicken Bag Rice
You’ve probably seen the viral rotisserie chicken bag hack by now. You add the shredded chicken and cooked rice directly in the bag the chicken came in, using all the juices and seasoning at the bottom to flavor the rice. It’s clever and the flavor is undeniable. But I’m going to be honest, eating out of the chicken bag isn’t really my thing. So I took the concept, ditched the bag and made it better.
I tossed it all into a large bowl and seasoned it with soy sauce, fresh lemon (although rice vinegar would be good too) and chilli crunch/chilli crisp. I also added some frozen peas to the rice for the last few minutes of cooking to give it a fried rice-feel. Then I crisped the chicken skin in the air fryer and crumbled it over the top like the world’s best crunchy garnish.
How to Make Rotisserie Chicken Bag Rice (Without the Bag)
This comes together in about 15 minutes and most of that is just the rice cooking. To make it even quicker, use store-bought microwave rice or pre-cook your rice.
Step 1: Save the juices. When you shred your rotisserie chicken, pour all the juices from the bag into a bowl. This is liquid gold. It’s seasoned, fatty and packed with chicken flavor. Don’t throw it away.
Step 2: Cook the rice. Cook your rice however you normally would. If you have leftover cold rice from a previous night, even better. I added a cup of peas to the rice for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Step 3: Crisp the chicken skin. Pull the skin off the rotisserie chicken in large pieces and lay them flat in the air fryer. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for about 5-10 minutes until they’re golden, crispy and crackly. Set aside and crumble once cool enough to handle.
Step 4: Build the rice. Shred the rotisserie chicken into a large mixing bowl then add the rice and peas. Season with soy sauce, lemon and a few generous spoonfuls of chilli crunch oil. Scatter over sliced spring onions/green onions and the crispy chicken skin.
Step 5: Serve. Pile into bowls and eat immediately.
Tips
- Save rotisserie chicken juices every time. Even if you’re not making this recipe, get into the habit of pouring the juices into a small container and refrigerating or freezing them. They’re an instant flavor boost for rice, soups, gravies and sauces.
- Use microwave rice for even quicker assembly. I’ve also gotten into the habit of freezing leftover rice so I always have cooked rice on hand.
- Don’t skip the chilli crunch oil. It adds heat, crunch and a savory depth that ties the whole bowl together. If you don’t have chilli crunch, a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes gets you close.
- The crispy skin keeps for a few hours. If you’re prepping ahead, crisp the skin and store it in an open container at room temperature. It stays crunchy for a few hours. Don’t refrigerate it or it softens.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice Basmati rice works too
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 rotisserie chicken skin and bones removed
- ¼ cup soy sauce to taste
- juice of ½ lemon to taste
- 2-3 tbsp chilli crunch oil to taste
- ½ cup spring onions / scallions finely sliced
Instructions
- Place the rice in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.
- Pour in the water and season with salt then cook until all the liquid has been absorbed (approximately 5 minutes).
- Add the peas to the rice (don't mix in just yet) then cover with a lid and turn the heat down. Allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes.
- While the rice is cooking, shred the chicken and discard or freeze the bones for stock.
- Place the skin in the basket of an air fryer and air fry at 400°F/200°C for 5-10 minutes until crisp and golden.
- Once cooked, toss the rice and peas together then add to a large mixing bowl with the shredded chicken.
- Season to taste with soy sauce, lemon juice and chilli crunch oil.
- Serve in bowls topped with sliced spring onions and the crumbled chicken skin.