Hainanese Chicken Rice (Print Version)
Tender poached chicken with fragrant garlic-ginger rice and three flavorful dipping sauces.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.5 lbs), cleaned
02 - 2 teaspoons salt
03 - 4 slices fresh ginger
04 - 3 stalks scallions, cut into large pieces
05 - Cold water (enough to submerge chicken)
→ Rice
06 - 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
07 - 2 tablespoons chicken fat or vegetable oil
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, minced
10 - 3 cups chicken poaching broth
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Chili Sauce
12 - 4 red chilies, deseeded and chopped
13 - 2 cloves garlic
14 - 1 thumb-sized piece ginger
15 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
16 - 1 teaspoon sugar
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 2 tablespoons chicken poaching broth
→ Soy Dipping Sauce
19 - 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
20 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
21 - 1 tablespoon chicken poaching broth
22 - 1 teaspoon sugar
→ Garnish
23 - Fresh cilantro sprigs
24 - Sliced cucumber
# How-To:
01 - Rub the chicken all over with salt to exfoliate the skin, then rinse thoroughly under cold water.
02 - Fill a large stockpot with enough water to submerge the chicken. Add ginger slices and scallion pieces. Bring to a rolling boil.
03 - Carefully lower the chicken into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and poach for 40–50 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
04 - Once cooked through, transfer the chicken to an ice bath immediately to stop the cooking process and firm up the skin. Set aside to cool completely.
05 - Strain the poaching liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the flavorful broth for cooking rice and as a soup base.
06 - Heat chicken fat or vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
07 - Add rinsed jasmine rice to the pan, stirring to coat with the aromatic oil. Pour in 3 cups of reserved chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15–18 minutes until rice is fluffy and liquid is absorbed.
08 - Blend red chilies, garlic, ginger, lime juice, sugar, salt, and chicken broth until smooth and well combined.
09 - Whisk together light soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar completely dissolves.
10 - Chop the cooled chicken into bite-sized serving pieces using a sharp knife.
11 - Arrange chicken pieces over a bed of fragrant rice. Garnish with fresh cucumber slices and cilantro sprigs. Serve with chili sauce, soy dipping sauce, and a bowl of hot chicken broth on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The rice alone will become your new carb addiction thanks to that garlic ginger infusion
- Its surprisingly forgiving once you understand the gentle poaching technique
- The sauce trio means every bite can taste completely different
02 -
- The ice bath step absolutely makes the difference between rubbery skin and that perfect gelatinous texture
- Never let your poaching water reach more than a gentle simmer or the meat will toughen
- Your rice needs to be rinsed until water runs completely clear for separate grains
03 -
- Save every drop of your poaching broth because it freezes beautifully for future rice batches
- A splash of sesame oil brushed on the chicken after chopping adds gorgeous fragrance