Go Back
Hainanese chicken rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Silky poached chicken over fragrant rice cooked in the poaching broth, with ginger-scallion oil, a simple chili sauce, and cucumber on the side.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds (1.6 kg), at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon for poaching, divided
  • 6 slices fresh ginger, divided
  • 6 scallions, divided: 4 whole, 2 finely minced
  • 8 cups (about 2 liters) water, or enough to cover the chicken
  • 2 cups (400 g) jasmine rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 pandan leaves, knotted, optional
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil, if needed
  • 1 small cucumber, sliced, for serving
  • Cilantro leaves, for serving, optional
For the ginger-scallion oil
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) neutral oil
  • 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
  • 2 scallions, finely minced (from above)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
For the chili sauce
  • 4 fresh red chilies (Fresno or similar), stemmed
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons hot poaching broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
For serving
  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce or kecap manis, optional

Method
 

  1. Rub the chicken all over with the 2 tablespoons kosher salt, including inside the cavity. Rest 20 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
  2. Fill a pot large enough to hold the chicken with about 8 cups water. Add 3 slices of the ginger, the 4 whole scallions, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil.
  3. Lower the chicken in breast-side up, mostly submerged. Let the water return to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat so the surface barely moves. Cover and poach 35 to 40 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).
  4. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken covered 10 minutes. Lift it out, draining broth back into the pot. For the smoothest skin, dip it in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain, pat dry, and rub lightly with oil. Rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.
  5. Strain the poaching broth and skim the fat into a small bowl. You need about 2 1/2 cups broth for the rice; save the rest for sipping or soup.
  6. Cook the rice: heat 2 tablespoons of the skimmed chicken fat (plus neutral oil if needed) in a pot or rice-cooker insert over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and remaining 3 ginger slices; cook about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the rinsed rice and stir 1 to 2 minutes until coated and slightly translucent at the edges.
  7. Pour in 2 1/2 cups hot poaching broth, add the pandan leaves if using, and stir once. Cook in a rice cooker as usual, or cover and simmer on the lowest heat 18 minutes, then rest off the heat 10 minutes before fluffing.
  8. Make the ginger-scallion oil: stir the minced ginger, minced scallions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat the 1/4 cup neutral oil until shimmering, pour it over, and stir. Set aside.
  9. Make the chili sauce: blend or pound the chilies, garlic, grated ginger, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lime juice, and hot broth into a loose, spoonable sauce. Taste and adjust — hot, salty, a little sweet, and bright.
  10. Carve the chicken, keeping the skin attached where you can, and arrange the slices on a platter over or beside the cucumber slices.
  11. Serve with bowls of the fragrant rice, ginger-scallion oil, chili sauce, and dark soy sauce if using, plus a little warm broth for sipping.

Notes

Keep the poach at the gentlest simmer; a hard boil makes meat stringy and clouds the broth. The cold-water dip is a hawker touch for smooth skin — skip it if short on time.