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Hainanese Chicken Rice

Name: Hainanese Chicken Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Singaporean
Ingredients: 1 Whole chicken; 2 Scallions; 1 thumb Ginger; 4 cloves Garlic; 1 tbsp Salt; 1 Cucumber; Cilantro; 2 cups Rice; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Ginger; 2.5 cups Chicken broth; 2 tbsp Ginger; 2 Scallions; 2 tbsp Oil; 3 Red chilies; 2 cloves Garlic; 1 tbsp Lime juice; 2 tbsp Chicken broth; 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce

Singapore's national dish: a whole chicken gently poached until silky, served with fragrant rice cooked in the chicken broth and its fat. Eaten with a trio of ginger, chili, and dark soy sauces and a bowl of the clear chicken soup.

Ingredients

4servings

Whole chicken · ~1.2kg, or 4 chicken legs1
Scallions2
Ginger · sliced1 thumb
Garlic4 cloves
Salt1 tbsp
Cucumber · to serve1
Cilantro · garnish
Chicken-fat rice
Rice · rinsed2 cups
Garlic · minced3 cloves
Ginger · minced1 tsp
Chicken broth · from poaching2.5 cups
Ginger-scallion sauce
Ginger · finely minced2 tbsp
Scallions · chopped2
Oil · hot2 tbsp
Chili sauce
Red chilies3
Garlic2 cloves
Lime juice1 tbsp
Chicken broth2 tbsp
To serve
Dark soy sauce · or kecap manis2 tbsp

Steps

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the scallions, ginger, and salt. Lower the whole chicken in and, once it returns to a boil, drop the heat to low.
⏲ 5 min
Cover and poach very gently for 30-35 minutes. It's done when the juices run clear at the thigh. Keep the broth.
⏲ 33 min
Lift the chicken out and plunge it into ice water for 5 minutes — this firms the skin and keeps the meat tender.
⏲ 5 min
Fry the minced garlic and ginger in oil, add the rinsed rice and toast briefly, then pour in 2.5 cups of the chicken broth and cook the rice.
⏲ 15 min
Ginger-scallion sauce: pour hot oil over the minced ginger, scallion, and a little salt. Chili sauce: blend the chilies, garlic, lime juice, and broth.
⏲ 3 min
Chop the chicken into pieces. Plate it with the rice, cucumber, and cilantro. Serve with the three sauces and a bowl of the seasoned clear broth.

Tips & Variations

Variations

Roast chicken rice: Crisp-skinned roast chicken instead of poached.
Malaysian style: Rice pressed into little 'chicken rice balls'.
Soy chicken: Braised in soy sauce for color and depth.
Legs only: Use chicken legs for a quicker, easier version.

Tips

Poach on low heat, never a rolling boil, or the meat turns dry.
An ice bath after poaching gives the skin its signature bounce and keeps the flesh juicy.
Cook the rice in chicken broth (and its fat) — that's where the flavor lives.
Season the leftover broth with salt and pepper for a clear soup on the side.
Don't skip the sauces — the ginger-scallion one especially makes the dish.

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