Fried chicken lovers in Asia surely know about Jollibee’s Chickenjoy. It’s the most popular item on the Filipino fast food chain’s menu and has formed a cult following all on its own. And while it’s only starting to get more attention in the west, it’s been big in Southeast Asia for years. There are currently at least 15 Jollibee branches in Brunei and now one of their patrons is viral for sharing a cooking hack on TikTok: Jollibee chicken rice.The idea came to him one day after an intense day at work. “Whenever I’m [stressed] all I can think [about] is food,” Sawaz Ali, a 24-year-old Bruneian, told VICE.“On my way back home after work, I wasn't really hungry but I wanted to eat fried chicken, something cheesy, and also was thinking about bibimbap (Korean mixed rice dish)."And that’s when he had the idea for cooking cheesy chicken rice using a Korean hot pot. He dropped by a Jollibee drive-thru and went straight home to turn his dreamy food craving into a reality.The TikToker, who goes by the username @wow.waz, shared his culinary adventure with a simple tutorial video.The recipe is decidedly fuss-free.First, cut your two-piece Chickenjoy into bite-sized pieces. Then, add some sesame oil into a pot, heating it over the stove. Add some rice into the pot and lay the chicken pieces over it. Finally, drizzle two containers of Jollibee gravy over the chicken and rice, before topping it with cheese slices. Cover the pot and wait for a few minutes.According to Sawaz, the use of sesame oil is really important for adding an “aromatic fragrance” to the dish. The result? A mouth-watering pot of the famed fried chicken, sitting under a blanket of sizzling melted cheese.His tutorial video, posted on July 7, has since garnered over 91,100 likes. It was also shared on Facebook by Jollibee Singapore, the official Singapore account of the fast food restaurant.Since going viral for spreading the (Chicken)joy, the food hack seems to be catching on. People are now posting their own versions of the chicken rice.This TikToker topped the dish with spring onions for that extra oomph.And this chilli-lover brought a spicy twist to the dish using buldak sauce, a fiery Korean hot sauce.This home cook added a new dimension to their baked rice with the distinctive flavour of kimchi.Sawaz said that he’s thrilled the recipe was well-received by netizens who are now making their own Jollibee chicken rice.“I can’t wait to create more [recipes], as I love to cook and eat,” he said.
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