A One-Pot Meal that is Simple and Delicious

On the list of my all-time favorite dishes comes Hainanese Chicken Rice.

It originated from Hainan, China and only gained prominence in Singapore and Malaysia because of immigration by Chinese chefs carrying a tradition technique where a whole chicken is simmered with aromatic herbs until tender and juicy, pairing its meat with fragrant, oily rice.

This dish is so easy to love, and the combination went to take the two countries by storm—into Southeast Asia to be highly cherished at the delicate balance the dish achieved in its textures and tastes.

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I remember my first taste of Hainanese Chicken Rice at one of the local bustling restaurants in Macau.

The first bite just hit it was so tender with its chicken done to perfection, rice seasoned just right, and then you have the three different dipping sauces.

At the same time, it felt a little too simplistic that something like this could be whipped up at home, no sweat!

I felt overwhelmingly nostalgic when my kitchen was filled with those deep, savory aromas unique from Southeast Asia.

The tender poached chicken with fragrant rice cooked in chicken fat with garlic, shallots, and ginger, then garnished with coriander, accompanied by flavorful Green Onion Ginger Dipping Sauce.

If you love spicy food, my Chili Oil is perfect when combined with Hainanese chicken rice.

Here’s how you can make it:

Ingredients

For The Chicken:

1 whole chicken

Water (adjust yourself)

4 slices of ginger

2 scallions

1 tsp white pepper

Coriander leaves for garnish

Salt to taste

Green Onion Ginger Dipping Sauce:

5 scallions, small, chopped

1 ginger, small, chopped

Neutral oil vegetable oil

Sesame oil (optional) for me personally without it

Rice:

2 cups rice, any rice

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic, finely chopped

2 slices ginger, finely chopped

Chicken fat cut into small pieces

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Prep the Chicken:

Bring the whole chicken and water to a pot. Add the sliced ginger, scallions, white pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat and steam for about 40-45 minutes until the chicken is well done.

Take the chicken out of the pot and immerse it into an ice bath to stop cooking the meat further. And then cut into small pieces. For the broth – reserve some for rice.

Chili Ginger Scallion Dipping Sauce:

Finely chop scallions and ginger.
Heat up a little bit of vegetable or any neutral-flavored oil to sauté scallions and ginger.
Stir then set aside the mixture

Let’s make the Rice:

Wash the rice until the water is clear. Drain.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat along with the chicken fat until the fat renders and sizzles.
Add chopped shallots, garlic, and ginger, and sauté in pan until fragrant. Add rice into the pan, coating each grain well with the aromatics previously sauteed.
Add the leftover chicken stock, let it boil then lower the heat to low and cover; cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is done and all the liquid is absorbed.

To Serve:

Poached chicken should be sliced into serving bite-size pieces.
Serve on a plate with aromatic rice and garnish with coriander leaves.
Add the Green Onion Ginger Dipping Sauce on the side.

Tips

Perfecting Your Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken: Massage salt all over the chicken to clean and scrub the skin before boiling, for extra flavor.
Rice: To get it authentic, try using chicken fat as the oil. If that is going to be too much for you, then vegetable oil will do just fine.
Ice Bath: Give your chicken that ice bath. It sets the meat and the skin.

Conclusion

This comfort and good Hainanese Chicken Rice will bring Southeast Asia right into your kitchen.

This dish will surely please your family and friends when you serve it.

So go ahead, let loose in this mix of tender chicken, fragrant rice, and flavorful sauces.

Happy Cooking!