Tender chicken baked over a bed of fried rice with creamy coconut curry sauce and melted cheese on top. This easy and simple Macau-style baked Portuguese chicken rice is a great main or meal for the whole family to enjoy and restaurant quality.
Jump to:
This Macau-style baked Portuguese chicken rice features egg fried rice, chicken with a creamy coconut curry and bubbling mozzarella cheddar cheese on top.
As the name suggests, this dish originates from Macau, a former colony of Portugal (hence the name) but it itself doesn't exist in Portuguese cuisine and it's a Chinese dish.
It's a popular Asian-style baked rice casserole dish served at Hong Kong style cafe's or "cha-chang-tengs". These cafés serve Western classics with an Asian twist because Hong Kong used to be a British colony.
These HK-style cafés serve dishes like Baked Pork Chop on Rice, Hong Kong French Toast and more! The great thing about this rice casserole recipe is you can easily make at home for a fraction of the cost in a large batch.
This is one of my husband's favourite dishes to order with HK style milk tea. It's absolutely delicious, indulgent and a must-try if you enjoy Asian-style baked rice dishes.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: or substitute with bone-in skin on chicken thighs and debone them leaving the skin on for extra flavor! For a leaner option, substitute with boneless chicken breast.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: or substitute with shredded cheddar mozzarella cheese or shredded cheddar cheese.
For the Fried Rice
- Jasmine rice: or substitute with any long grain white rice or medium grain white rice. Avoid using short-grain rice.
- Large Eggs
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Chicken Marinade
- Shaoxing wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine. Or substitute with Dry Sherry. For a non-alcoholic or gluten-free version, substitute with any broth.
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Curry Powder: any curry powder will work. For a milder taste, use Japanese curry powder or Indian curry powder for a stronger taste.
Coconut Curry Sauce
- Onion
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: or substitute with yellow russet potatoes or white potatoes as a last resort.
- Curry Powder: any curry powder will work. For a milder taste, use Japanese curry powder or Indian curry powder for a stronger taste.
- Whole Fat Canned Coconut Milk: avoid using light coconut milk as it's not thick enough. Or substitute with heavy cream or whipping cream but it won't have a coconut taste.
- Ground Turmeric: for that yellow color.
- Salt
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 10 minutes for more flavor.
- Don't small dice the potatoes or they will be too small and will dissolve into the sauce.
- Don't over cook the fried rice. Once the cooked rice is mixed with the eggs and soy sauce, immediately transfer to the baking dish.
- Brown the chicken for extra flavor. The browning really takes the taste of chicken to the next level.
- Monitor the broiling process as cheese can melt fast and can easily burn.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Macau-Style Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice:
- Slice chicken thighs into half. Season chicken with the marinade ingredients as listed above and set aside to marinate as you work on the next step.
- Peel and dice potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Then in the large pot of filled with enough water, bring it to boil on high heat and boil the diced potatoes for 5 minutes or until fork tender. Strain the potatoes and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoon or 30 ml vegetable oil in a large pan on medium high heat. Add the cooked rice, breaking it apart. Then season rice with soy sauce and pour eggs onto the rice. Toss everything together until eggs are cooked. Transfer fried rice into a 9x13 baking dish and evenly spread it out.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
- Heat 1 tablespoon or 15 ml vegetable oil in the same pan on medium-high heat. Fry diced onions until softened. Add in marinated chicken thighs. Brown the chicken on each side for 5 minutes. Next add cooked potatoes, coconut milk, ground turmeric, curry powder and salt. Mix well.
- Spoon the chicken and sauce over fried rice and spread out evenly. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top. Broil in the oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese has melted and browns slightly, monitoring the process. Remove from the oven and serve hot to enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave or re-bake in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 until hot.
- Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing Macau-style Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice as the sauce will make the fried rice soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
Macau-style Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice serves well with:
- chow mein, lo mein, or soup noodles
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Soy Sauce Chicken, Oven-Roasted Char Siu or Air Fryer Char Siu, or Chinese Roasted Pork Belly.
FAQ
Macau-style Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave or re-bake in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 until hot.
Yes, feel free to substitute the chicken with boneless pork shoulder or extra-firm tofu for a vegetarian version.
Yes, feel free to omit the potatoes or cheese if you wish but this will take away from the taste of the overall dish.
📖 Recipe
Easy Macau-Style Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice
Ingredients
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese or mozzarella cheddar cheese, shredded
For the Fried Rice
- 6 cups cooked jasmine rice or cooked long grain white rice
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Chicken Marinade
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine or dry sherry wine or chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
For the Coconut Curry Sauce
- 2 cups Yukon gold potatoes or yellow russet potatoes
- ¾ cup onion diced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 14 fl oz. coconut milk full fat kind
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Slice chicken thighs into half. Season chicken with the marinade ingredients as listed above and set aside to marinate as you work on the next step.
- Peel and dice potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Then in the large pot of filled with enough water, bring it to boil on high heat and boil the diced potatoes for 5 minutes or until fork tender. Strain the potatoes and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoon or 30 ml vegetable oil in a large pan on medium high heat. Add the cooked rice, breaking it apart. Then season rice with soy sauce and pour eggs onto the rice. Toss everything together until eggs are cooked. Transfer fried rice into a 9x13 baking dish and evenly spread it out.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
- Heat 1 tablespoon or 15 ml vegetable oil in the same pan on medium-high heat. Fry diced onions until softened. Add in marinated chicken thighs. Brown the chicken on each side for 5 minutes. Next add cooked potatoes, coconut milk, ground turmeric, curry powder and salt. Mix well.
- Spoon the chicken and sauce over fried rice and spread out evenly. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top. Broil in the oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese has melted and browns slightly, monitoring the process. Remove from the oven and serve hot to enjoy!
Justin
This was so simple to make and it turned out so delicious! It has become a regular in my dinner rotation. I highly recommend this dish if you are like me, and have been looking for a change from regular boring old chicken and rice!
Christie Lai
Ahh thank you so much for making my recipe! This is music to my ears. So glad you enjoyed it and found it simple to make!
Sandy
I accidentally bought coconut cream instead of coconut milk. Will it work? If not, I’ll go buy the milk.
Christie Lai
Ideally coconut milk as it's more viscous in texture.
Jennifer
What kind of curry powder do you suggest using?
Christie Lai
I recommend using Japanese curry powder or Indian curry powder could work.
Cha
Yummy and easy to make! Reminds me of hkg and macau!!! A lil serving leaves you stuffed. 謝謝 你
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving a positive review! I'm so glad you found it satisfying, Cha 🙂
R
What's a substitute for Chinese cooking wine? I don't like the taste. Can I go without it in making this recipe?
christieathome
You can omit the Chinese cooking wine.
Flo
Made this for lunch and the family devoured every last bite. Much better than the HK cafe we normally order this dish from. Thank you for sharing!
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Flo! I am so happy to read that it was better than the HK cafe! Appreciate your kind comment 🙂
Belinda
Great recipe! I’ve tried making this dish from a few other recipes and this one was the best. I really miss ordering this at Hong Kong cafes but I can’t find it where I live now. Will be keeping this for sure!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe Belinda! So glad I could share this recipe with you so you can make it at home 🙂
Ada
This was delicious, tasted just like my local HK cafe’s dish! Thanks for the recipe!
christieathome
So thrilled to read this Ada! Thanks for making my recipe and glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Debbie
Would love to make this but my grand daughter is dairy free..would it still be good without the mozzarella cheese?
Christie Lai
Yes, absolutely! Or feel free to substitute with a vegan cheese that is close to the texture of mozzarella cheese.
Liz Rahal
Some in my family don't care for dark meat chicken. Do you forsee any negative results in using chicken breasts or tenders instead of thighs?
christieathome
Chicken breast can be used but it can easily dry out so I would reduce the cooking time as you brown it on the stove top (until you reach an internal temperature of 160 F). Then when you pop it in the oven to bake, it should reach 165 F.
kevin O'Shea
The video was enticing, so I thought I'd give it a try. I had to tweak a couple of minor things but it tuned out REALLY good! We're definitely having this as a regular dinner dish from now on.
christieathome
Thanks so much for the kind words and for making my recipe Kevin! I'm so glad you enjoyed it with the tweaks and happy it'll be a regular dish on rotation.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I have had quite a few different chicken and rice casseroles, but your coconut curry sauce really brings something fun and fresh to this dish. YUM!