Prepare chicken confit.
Slice each chicken thigh into halves.
Rub and coat the chicken thighs well with dried thyme and salt.
Transfer the chicken onto a shallow bowl.
Cover with cling film. ensuring it is in contact with the chicken.
Cover with a lid and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 to 24 hrs.
After marinating, preheat oven to 120 degrees celsius or 250 fahrenheit.
Rinse the chicken thoroughly under running water to remove the salt and dried herbs.
Pad the chicken dry with kitchen paper and set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil.
*What I did was, pour the olive oil into my casserole to roughly gauge how much oil I need, then into the preheated skillet.*
Insert a wooden chopstick into the oil.
If bubbles start to form around the chopstick, the oil is ready.
Transfer the chicken into a casserole.
Pour the hot oil to fully submerge the chicken.
If by any chance, the chicken is not fully submerged, you can add more oil.
Cover the casserole with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Wack into the oven and bake for at least 3 hours or until the chicken is tender and almost fall apart.
Remove from the oven and place chicken on a wire cooling rack to drain off excess oil.
Drain the oil thru' a sieve and into a bowl.
Transfer the chicken into a bowl.
Chill the chicken in the fridge to firm up, about 1 hr.
Pour the oil into the chicken.
Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
*This can keep in the fridge for up to a month.*
Prepare the black rice.
Wash the rice with water.
Drain, strain and rinse.
Wash the rice again with water.
Drain, strain, rinse and repeat the process for another 4 times (yes 4 more).
Transfer the rice into a rice cooker.
Add in 1/8 cup of the chicken confit oil, chicken stock, onion, thyme, salt and pepper.
Stir to combine well.
Set the timer of the rice cooker to 1 hr or to brown/mixed rice mode.
The rice should be soft and chewy, but not mushy and sticky.
Keep warm until ready to serve.
To serve.
In a skillet over medium heat, add 2 TBSP of the chicken confit oil.
Once the oil is heated up, place the chicken skin side down.
Sear until browned and crispy.
Flip, tilt and baste the chicken with all the liquid.
Continue cooking until the bottom is browned.
Transfer the cooked black rice onto serving plates.
Place the chicken over the cooked black rice.
Serve immediately.
