Hot-Oil Garlic Cilantro Scallion Chicken (Rotisserie)
Erin Rea·15 min·Serves 3–4This is a lightning-fast, big-flavor way to turn rotisserie chicken into a rice-bowl dinner: shredded chicken gets topped with a sizzling hot-oil pour-over packed with garlic, scallions, and cilantro. The hot oil blooms the aromatics and carries their fragrance into the chicken, while a salty-sweet, lightly tangy sauce keeps it punchy without being harsh. Great for weeknights when you want something that tastes restaurant-level in under 20 minutes.
- quick
- weeknight
- rice bowl
- rotisserie chicken
- garlic
Ingredients
- Chicken + Rice
- •3–4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed if you prefer)
- •Cooked white rice, for serving
- Aromatics
- •4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- •5 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced (separate whites and greens)
- •1 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
- Sauce
- •2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- •1 tbsp rice vinegar (or lime juice)
- •1–2 tsp sugar
- •1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
- •1–2 tsp chili crisp or red pepper flakes (optional)
- Hot Oil
- •1/3 cup neutral oil (avocado, canola, grapeseed)
Instructions
Make the sauce + set up
In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil (if using). Taste: it should be savory, a little sweet, and gently tangy (not sharply sour).
Put the shredded chicken in a wide heatproof bowl or shallow serving dish and spoon the sauce over it. Toss to coat and spread the chicken into an even layer.
Build the aromatic pile
In a separate heatproof bowl (or right on top of the chicken), combine the garlic, scallion whites, and a pinch of salt. Keep the scallion greens and cilantro ready to add right after the oil pour.
Sizzle the hot oil
Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-high until it shimmers and looks thinner, and a test bit of scallion sizzles immediately on contact.
Carefully pour the hot oil over the garlic + scallion whites. It should bubble vigorously and smell sweet and garlicky within seconds.
Immediately add the scallion greens and cilantro and toss. The herbs should wilt slightly and turn intensely fragrant.
Serve
Spoon the hot aromatic oil mixture over the sauced chicken (or toss everything together). Taste and adjust with a splash more soy for salt or a tiny pinch more sugar to round the tang.
Serve over hot rice. Finish with chili crisp/red pepper flakes if you want heat.
Tip: If your chicken is cold, microwave it for 30–60 seconds or set the bowl over the pot of hot rice for a minute—warm chicken drinks up the aromatic oil best.
Notes
Make it less oily: use 1/4 cup oil and add 2–3 tbsp hot water to the sauce for extra juiciness. No rice vinegar: use lime juice; add it to the sauce (not into the hot oil). Add-ins: sliced cucumbers, quick-pickled carrots, or steamed bok choy on the side. Storage: chicken keeps 3 days; reheat gently and spoon any set oil back over after warming.