This recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice features aromatic, toasted coconut rice with silky, tender poached chicken served alongside chili garlic sauce and a warm, clear chicken broth.
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What is Hainanese chicken rice?
Originating from Hainan in Southern China, Hainan chicken rice (also hai nam chicken rice) is a dish consisting of poached chicken with flavored rice and is considered one of Singapore's most famous dishes.
Hainan chicken rice is adapted from another dish, Wenchang chicken, which uses a specific breed of chicken (Wenchang) and the poaching broth was used to cook the rice.
There are many variants of Hainanese chicken rice, especially in Southeast Asia, including the Thai version of khao man gai.
It is considered one of Singapore's national dishes, served in many hawker centers and is also referred to as Singapore chicken rice in various countries.
Why you'll love this Hainan chicken rice recipe
Worth the effort: it does take a bit of time, but the end result is a meal that can feed a large family.
Silky chicken: poaching the chicken gently produces chicken that is tender and delicious.
Not too greasy: Traditionally, the seasoned oily rice can be very greasy. This version is not too greasy and yields an aromatic, flavorful lightly toasted coconut rice.
Ingredients you'll need
Chicken:
- whole chicken: preferably free-range, organic if possible
- sea salt
- ginger
- green onions/spring onions
- cold water: to cover and submerge the chicken; this produces a flavorful chicken broth/chicken stock which will be served along with the rice
Coconut rice:
- Jasmine long grain rice: not sushi rice or glutinous rice
- neutral vegetable oil: or you can use chicken fat
- garlic: minced finely
- coconut milk: preferably canned full-fat
Where to find?
You can find these ingredients at your local Asian supermarket.
How to make Hainanese chicken rice
Prepare the chicken:
Let the chicken come to room temperature.
Rub salt over the exterior chicken skin and inner cavity of chicken.
Stuff the cavity with green onion whites and knob of ginger.
Fill a large stock pot with enough cold water to submerge and cover the chicken.
Place the chicken into the pot of cold water and bring to rolling boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Periodically skim off the scum that floats on top of the water, using a spoon or fat skimmer.
Poach the chicken for about 60 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F at the thickest part.
Transfer the cooked chicken into a cold ice bath immediately to firm up skin.
Reserve the chicken poaching liquid (broth).
Remove the chicken from the ice bath, and lightly cover with foil.
Leave it to rest for 15 minutes before carving with a sharp knife.
Prepare the rice:
Wash the jasmine rice until the water is no longer cloudy.
Drain the rice well.
Heat a large frying pan on medium heat.
Pour in the vegetable oil an add in the well-drained rice, tossing it in the oil and toasting it for about 1 minute.
Add in the garlic and continue to toast, until the rice has some browning and is aromatic.
Remove from heat and transfer the rice to a rice cooker.
Add 1 C of coconut milk along with 1 C of chicken poaching liquid to the rice cooker along with the pandan leaves.
Cook the rice according to your rice cooker manufacturer's instructions.
Remove the pandan leaves.
How to serve
Serve the toasted coconut rice chicken warm or at room temperature with slices of cucumber and sauces along with a bowl of hot chicken broth soup, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
How to store & reheat
Store each component of the Singaporean chicken and rice (and broth) in separate containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, cover the chicken and microwave for 1-2 minutes on medium heat, or until warmed through sufficiently without drying it out.
Re-steam the rice until heated through.
Re-heat the chicken stock in a saucepan or pot until it comes to a simmer.
This dish is not suitable for freezing as the texture will change and not be as optimal.
Variations
Instead of Hainan rice, you can serve the chicken with fried rice.
Other Southeast Asian recipes you may like
Did you make this recipe?
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Hainanese Chicken Rice
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 lb whole chicken
- 3 teaspoon sea salt
- knob of ginger
- bunch of green onions 5-6 stalks
- enough cold water to cover and submerge the chicken reserve broth for later
Coconut rice:
- 2 C Jasmine long grain rice
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced finely
- 1 C coconut milk preferably canned, full-fat
- 3 pandan leaves knotted
Ginger garlic sauce:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- small knob of ginger minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- pinch sea salt or to taste
Chili sauce:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- small knob of ginger minced
- 2 stalks green onion green part only, chopped
- 4 red Thai chilies Birds eye chili, minced
- pinch sea salt or to taste
Soy-green onion sauce:
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 stalks green onion green part only, chopped
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar or to taste
Garnishes:
- ½ cucumber sliced
- few sprigs cilantro
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Let the chicken come to room temperature.
- Rub salt over the exterior and inner cavity of chicken.
- Stuff the cavity with green onion whites and knob of ginger.
- Fill a large stock pot with enough cold water to submerge and cover the chicken.
- Place the chicken into the pot of cold water and bring to rolling boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Periodically skim off the scum that floats on top of the water, using a spoon or fat skimmer.
- Poach the chicken for about 60 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C at the thickest part.
- Transfer the cooked chicken into a cold ice bath immediately to firm up skin.
- Reserve the chicken poaching liquid (broth).
- Remove the chicken from the ice bath, and lightly cover with foil.
- Leave it to rest for 15 minutes before carving with a sharp knife.
Prepare the rice:
- Wash the jasmine rice until the water is no longer cloudy.
- Drain the rice well.
- Heat a large frying pan on medium heat.
- Pour in the vegetable oil an add in the well-drained rice, tossing it in the oil and toasting it for about 1 minute.
- Add in the garlic and continue to toast, until the rice has some browning and is aromatic.
- Remove from heat and transfer the rice to a rice cooker.
- Add 1 C of coconut milk along with 1 C of chicken poaching liquid to the rice cooker along with the pandan leaves.
- Cook the rice according to your rice cooker manufacturer's instructions.
- Remove the pandan leaves.
Prepare the sauces:
Ginger garlic sauce:
- Heat up a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Fry the ginger and garlic in the oil for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
- Add in salt to taste.
Chili sauce:
- Heat up a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Fry the ginger, green onions, and Thai red eye chilies in the oil for 2-3 minutes
- Add in salt to taste.
Soy-green onion sauce:
- Heat up a small saucepan with 2 teaspoon vegetable oil.
- Fry the green onions in the oil for about 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer to small serving dish and add in 2 teaspoon soy sauce.
- Stir in ½ teaspoon sugar.
- Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Serve:
- Serve the coconut rice with chicken, slices of cucumber and sauces along with a bowl of chicken broth soup, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Jasmine rice is my favourite, but I don't think I've actually ever cooked any rice with coconut milk. This sounds so delicious and delectable - need to try!
Michelle
You'll have to give this a try, Ben! Infusing the rice with coconut milk gives it so much flavor! Don't forget the pandan leaves too, if you can find them 🙂
Raymund | angsarap.net
Ohhh wow, you literally posted two of my favourites in succession, the shaved ice and this one. Love a good Hainanese Chicken Rice, and this looks like it!
Michelle
Thanks Raymund! It's one of my hubby's favorite dishes!
David @ Spiced
I've never had Hainanese Chicken Rice, but this sounds absolutely delicious! I'm loving the chili garlic sauce that goes with it. So much flavor packed into one recipe!
Michelle
Thanks David -- this dish is definitely packed with flavor! A comfort food for us! 🙂