Hainanese Chicken Rice
This Hainanese chicken is a simple yet incredibly flavorful dish. It features tender chicken, fragrant jasmine rice, and a rich broth infused with bright ginger, pungent garlic, and savory chicken flavors.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 large chicken leg , bone-in and skin-on
- 1 large chicken breast , skin-on
- 1/4 cup shaoxing wine
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 inch piece ginger
- 2 scallions
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 english cucumber , sliced
- fresh cilantro , for garnish
For the Sauce
- 1 thai chili
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken and broth. Slice the ginger, smash the garlic cloves, and cut scallions in half. Add to a large pot together with the chicken leg and breast. Season with a handful of salt, then cover with cold water.
- Poach the Chicken. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring the heat back to low. Poach for about 15 to 20 minutes until the internal temp of the chicken reaches 165 F.
- Cool the chicken. Remove the chicken from the broth and place in ice water for 5 minutes. This will tighten up the skin and make it easier to get clean cuts. Reserve the broth for the next step.
- Cook the rice. Use the poaching liquid to cook the jasmine rice in a rice cooker or a pot. I always use 1.25 parts liquid to 1 part washed rice.
- Make the dipping sauce. Finely chop the red chili and grate the garlic and ginger. Combine all in a small bowl with the soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Whisk until combined.
- Serve. Slice the chicken and serve it over the cooked jasmine rice. Spoon over the sauce and garnish with a side of sliced cucumber and cilantro.
Notes
The Ice Bath Technique: After poaching the chicken in the broth, immediately transfer it to a bowl with ice water. This stops the cooking process and tightens the skin.
Never Let it Boil: Bring your poaching broth to a boil first, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle simmer before adding the chicken. Letting the broth boil for too long will rough up the meat and make it tough; a gentle poach is the secret to keeping the chicken incredibly tender and juicy.
Double Duty Broth:
Always season your broth with salt, ginger, garlic, and scallions. This liquid will give flavor to the chicken and will be used to cool your rice and will be served as side soup with the final dish.