Rice Cooker Chicken

My mom designed this recipe to free up the stove by using the rice cooker to steam and stew chicken thighs, yielding tender, almost slow-cooked chicken with a comforting taste. It takes a while to make but requires minimal prep and attention. You can use any cut of chicken, but dark meats come out especially soft. Serve with white rice and a side of leafy vegetables and enjoy!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  boneless chicken thighs
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon Accent seasoning (monosodium glutamate, this is just for taste, feel free to leave it out)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6  garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 -5  slices gingerroot, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup soy sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  sesame oil
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2  tablespoons water

Directions

1. Place the first 8 ingredients in a Ziplock bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible, then seal the bag and lay flat. Marinate each side of the thighs for an hour.
2. After marinating, pour the contents of the Ziplock bag into the rice cooker. Mix the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch is dissolved, and add that to the rice cooker. Add more water until the thighs are nearly covered. Mix well and turn on the rice cooker.
3. As soon as steam begins to come out of the cooker (about 20 minutes), set the timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir the thighs and cook another 10 minutes.
4. Turn off the rice cooker and let the chicken sit in the cooker for 20 minutes, then serve over white rice.