CantoneseMedium 90 min serves 4

Sticky Rice Chicken (Nuo Mi Ji)

Name: Sticky Rice Chicken (Nuo Mi Ji)
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: glutinous rice; boneless chicken thigh; dried shiitake mushrooms; light soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; fresh bamboo leaves

糯米鸡 · nuò mǐ jī

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses steamed bamboo leaves instead of fried wrappers — tender, fragrant, and gentle on digestion.

My aunt in Guangzhou made this every Dragon Boat Festival — she’d soak the bamboo leaves overnight in her courtyard well, then wrap each parcel while humming old Cantonese opera tunes. I still remember the scent of steaming rice and star anise clinging to her cotton apron.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

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Ingredients

glutinous rice糯米🏮 asian300 g
boneless chicken thigh去骨鸡腿肉🛒 local250 g
dried shiitake mushrooms干香菇🏮 asian40 g
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian15 ml
Shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian10 ml
fresh bamboo leaves新鲜竹叶🏮 asian12 pieces

glutinous rice: Rinse until water runs clear; soak 4 hours or overnight.

boneless chicken thigh: Cut into 1.5 cm cubes; substitute boneless chicken breast if needed (less tender).

dried shiitake mushrooms: Soak in warm water 30 min; reserve soaking liquid for rice.

Shaoxing wine: Substitute dry sherry if unavailable.

fresh bamboo leaves: Blanch 2 min in boiling water to soften and sterilize. Substitute dried bamboo leaves (soak 2 hrs) if fresh unavailable.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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Instructions

1Drain soaked glutinous rice and mix with reserved mushroom soaking liquid (add water to reach 300 ml total). Steam rice in a lined bamboo steamer for 25 minutes until translucent and plump.
蒸至透亮饱满
🔍 Look for High heat 25 分钟 · 25 minutes
Visual: 米粒油亮，用筷子可轻松拨散，无白芯。Rice grains are glossy, separate easily with chopsticks, and no opaque centers remain.
You know it's right when: 蒸汽持续稳定上升；锅盖均匀结雾。Steam rises steadily; lid is fogged evenly.
2Marinate chicken cubes with light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp white pepper, and 1 tsp sugar for 20 minutes.
腌制20分钟
🔍 Look for 20 分钟 · 20 minutes
Visual: 鸡丁均匀裹酱，略显胀润。Chicken pieces are evenly coated and slightly swollen.
You know it's right when: 表面泛光，无多余酱汁积聚。Surface glistens with marinade; no pooling liquid.
3Sauté marinated chicken and drained shiitakes in 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat until chicken browns lightly and mushrooms release aroma (3–4 min). Stir in 1 tsp oyster sauce and remove from heat.
炒至微黄出香
🔍 Look for Medium-high 3–4 分钟 · 3–4 minutes
Visual: 鸡丁边缘微金黄；香菇略缩小，散发泥土清香。Chicken edges turn golden; mushrooms shrink slightly and emit earthy fragrance.
You know it's right when: 香味骤然升腾；滋滋声转为匀长。Fragrance lifts sharply; sizzle becomes steady.
4Fold warm rice and sautéed filling together gently. Cool to room temperature before wrapping.
拌匀后放凉
🔍 Look for 10 分钟 · 10 minutes
Visual: 米粒柔软裹附馅料，不碎粒。Rice clings softly to filling without breaking grains.
You know it's right when: 混合物仅微微冒热气。Steam just barely rises from mixture.
5Wrap ⅓ cup rice-filling mixture in one blanched bamboo leaf: fold sides inward, then tuck ends tightly to form a compact pyramid. Steam wrapped parcels 30 minutes over high heat.
包成金字塔形，大火蒸
🔍 Look for High heat 30 分钟 · 30 minutes
Visual: 竹叶转深橄榄绿；轻压有弹性不松散。Leaves deepen to olive-green; parcels feel firm but yielding when pressed.
You know it's right when: 厨房弥漫竹香与米香。Strong aroma of bamboo and rice fills kitchen.

Tips

· Use only glutinous rice — regular rice won’t hold shape.
· Bamboo leaves must be fully softened; stiff leaves tear during folding.
· Leftovers re-steam 10 minutes — never microwave (rice hardens).

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide