Ninja Combi Roast Chicken and Crispy Rice Casserole
Here’s my adaptation of chef Ron Hsu’s chicken and rice casserole recipe that was originally prepared on the stovetop and in the oven. Cooking in the Ninja Combi yields a super tasty casserole that also comes with a crispy rice crust to boot! Use fresh shiitake mushroom with big, thick caps if you want them to stand out. Otherwise choose large cremini (aka baby bella) mushrooms.
Equipment
- Ninja Combi Oven
Ingredients
- 2 large (1 ¾ pounds | 780g) chicken leg quarters, split into drumsticks and thighs
- Fine sea salt
- Ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- ½ cup | 60g finely chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (1 tablespoon)
- 1 packed tablespoon minced peeled ginger
- 4 ounces | 140g big cremini mushrooms, cut into ½-inch (1.25cm) thick pieces
- 2 cups | 380g raw jasmine rice, rinsed and drained well
- 1 can (14.5 oz | 411ml) chicken broth, preferably Swanson
- ¾ cup | 180ml coconut milk
- 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, split lengthwise, and crushed with the side of a knife or meat mallet
- 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion, green parts only
- ½ lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Season, sear, and roast the chicken: Season the chicken with salt and white pepper, lifting the skin to get some underneath to flavor well.
- Using the Air Fry/Stovetop mode, set the oven to SEAR / SAUTE at medium heat (default). When hot, add the oil to the deep Combi cooker pan. Add the chicken, skin side down. Let let sear 3 minutes, undisturbed, until pale gold. Stop the Ninja Combi and leave the pan in the oven.
- Set the oven to BAKE at 390F (default temp). Roast the chicken until golden brown, 5 minutes, then flip the chicken and roast for an additional 5 minutes. Stop the Ninja Combi. Transfer the chicken to a plate or small baking sheet. Leave about 2 tablespoons of oil and fat in the pan.
- Saute the aromatics: Set the Combi to SEAR / SAUTE on medium heat (default level). Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, translucent but not brown, about 4 minutes.
- Increase the SEAR / SAUTE temp to High, then add the mushrooms and continue to saute, stirring often, until soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Stop the Ninja Combi.
- Pour in the broth and coconut milk, then taste and season with salt and white pepper to finish bold. Add the rice, stir to combine the level out. Arrange the chicken on top and add any cooking juices. Add the lemongrass pressing it down slightly into the rice. Return the pan the oven.
- Combi Crisp the casserole: Switch to COMBI COOKER mode and set to COMBI CRISP at 390F (the default level). Let cook 15 minutes, pausing midway to open the door and cover with the Ninja Combi lid.
- When done cooking, remove the pan from the oven and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes to finish cooking the rice grains. For a crisp bottom, set the oven to Combi Crisp at 350F and let cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, until the rice grains at the edge are richly golden brown.
- Rest and serve: Cool briefly then shower the pan with cilantro and green onion. Serve from the pan with wedges of lime, if you like. The aromatic lemongrass is inedible.
