One of my favorite Hawaiian dishes.  Traditionally found on all lu’au plates, Chicken Long Rice, is rich with broth containing four ingredients: the broth, chopped onion, chopped cooked chicken, and broken threads of soaked long rice.  If only I had poi, I would indeed feel I was enjoying a neighbor’s backyard lu’au table!

Even though long rice is one of the main ingredients, and because I don’t have Kalua Pork, Poi, or Lomi Salmon, I made this dish my entree tonight and served it over a bed of short-grain rice.  That means double the rice for this haole girl and so ono and satisfying it is!  I like my long rice served with plenty of broth and two kinds of onion: round onion for flavor in the broth and green onion for garnish on individual servings.

This recipe, found in my “Missouri to Maui” cookbook has a quick prep and since today I used chicken breast tenderloins, prep time was quicker by 30 minutes.  Chicken thighs are listed on my cookbook recipe and they work  well too.  Drain the chicken if using thighs, cool, remove the skin and bones and shred or chop well.

Cook your rice on the side, in your rice cooker if you have one, while the long rice dish sets and mellows for 30 minutes then spoon the long rice mixture over the rice in your bowl, garnish with snipped green onion tops and enjoy!  This dish is hearty with flavor that will remind you of homemade haole-style chicken noodle soup, and you will find that it will please your every taste bud.  Aloha!

Chicken Long Rice

Ingredients

1-(8 oz.) pkg. long rice
8 pieces chicken thighs
2 quarts water
2 T. salt
1-1/2 T. ginger root, grated
1 medium round onion, chopped
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon Hondashi
2 cans chicken broth
3 stalks green onions, chopped

Directions Soak long rice in a bowl of water for 20 minutes then cut 3-4” lengths; set aside. Place chicken in a large pot; add the water, salt, and ginger and bring to a boil. Skim off excess fat, lower heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and remove chicken, reserving broth. When chicken has cooled enough, remove skin and bones and shred or chop the chicken; set aside.

To the saved broth, add the chopped onion, bouillon cubes, Hondashi and the chicken broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil and add long rice. Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Stir in chicken and heat briefly. Before serving, garnish with the green onion.

Cook’s Note: Hondashi is a Japanese seasoning.  If you can’t find it, you can use additional chicken bouillon cubes.