Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南雞飯

Hainanese Chicken Rice is a classic Southeast Asian dish consisting of tender, aromatic poached chicken, served with rice cooked in chicken broth and chicken fat, and accompanied by various dipping sauces.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.2-1.5 kg)
• 50g ginger, sliced (for poaching chicken)
• 3 stalks spring onions, cut into sections (for poaching chicken)
• 2 tablespoons salt (for seasoning chicken)
• Ice water (for shocking chicken)
• 300g jasmine rice
• 2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat (for rice)
• 20g ginger, minced (for rice)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (for rice)
• 2 pandan leaves, knotted (for rice)
• 1 teaspoon salt (for rice)
• 450ml chicken broth (from poaching chicken, for rice)
• 5-7 red chillies (for chilli sauce)
• 30g ginger (for chilli sauce)
• 3 cloves garlic (for chilli sauce)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (for chilli sauce)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (for chilli sauce)
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth (for chilli sauce)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (for chilli sauce)
• 50g ginger, finely grated (for ginger scallion sauce)
• 2 stalks spring onions, finely minced (for ginger scallion sauce)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (for ginger scallion sauce)
• 3 tablespoons hot chicken oil or cooking oil (for ginger scallion sauce)
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (for serving)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (for serving)

Steps

1. Clean the chicken thoroughly, rub with salt inside and out. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with ginger and spring onions. Lower the heat to a simmer, then carefully immerse the chicken. Poach for 35-40 minutes, ensuring it's fully cooked but tender.
2. Immediately transfer the cooked chicken to an ice bath for 10-15 minutes to stop cooking and firm up the skin. Reserve the poaching liquid as chicken broth.
3. While chicken is poaching, remove some chicken skin and fat. Render it in a small pan over low heat until 2 tablespoons of chicken fat are extracted. Set aside.
4. Rinse jasmine rice. In a pot, heat rendered chicken fat, then sauté minced ginger and minced garlic until fragrant. Add pandan leaves, washed rice, and salt. Stir well. Pour in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed and rice is cooked. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
5. Combine red chillies, ginger, garlic, lime juice, sugar, salt, and chicken broth in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Blend or pound until a coarse paste forms.
6. In a small heatproof bowl, combine grated ginger, minced spring onions, and salt. Heat chicken oil or cooking oil until very hot, then pour it over the ginger-scallion mixture. Stir well.
7. Mix dark soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl.
8. Drain chicken and chop into serving pieces. Arrange chicken on a platter. Drizzle with the dark soy dressing.
9. Serve the chopped chicken with fragrant rice, a bowl of the reserved chicken broth, and the prepared chilli sauce and ginger scallion sauce on the side. Garnish with cucumber slices and coriander, if desired.

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