Chicken Rice

4.71 from 24 votes

This tried-and-true Hainanese chicken rice recipe is easy to make at home, with detailed, step-by-step photos to guide you in creating tender, juicy chicken and fragrant rice—just like at your favorite chicken rice stall in Malaysia or Singapore!

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Chicken, Rice

Cuisine: Malaysian Recipes

Keyword: Chicken Rice

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

Poached Chicken

1 whole chicken preferably free range organic chicken
1 small ginger thumb-sized, cleaned and bruised
6 stalks scallion trimmed and washed
3 teaspoons salt
10 bowls chicken stock approximately 3 liters/12 cups
10 bowls ice cold water approximately 3 liters/12 cups

Rice

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves shallots finely minced
4 cloves garlic finely minced
3 cups washed rice
2.5 cups + 2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 small ginger thumb-sized, cleaned and bruised
1 tablespoon garlic and shallot oil
70 g (2½ oz) chicken fat
1.5 teaspoons salt or to taste

Soy Sauce Mixture

2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons chicken broth
3 teaspoons sesame oil
3 teaspoons garlic and shallot oil

Chicken Rice Chili Sauce

3 tablespoons chili sauce Huy Fong brand Chili Garlic Sauce
15 g (½ oz) garlic peeled and grated, or finely minced
50 g (1¾ oz) ginger peeled and grated, or finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon lime juice or to taste

Garnishing

1 cucumber peeled and sliced into rounds
3 sprigs cilantro

Instructions

Poached Chicken

Wash the chicken and drain it well. Stuff the ginger and scallions into the chicken’s cavity. Rub 2 teaspoons of salt all over the chicken to create smooth-looking skin.
In a stockpot that fits the chicken snugly, bring the chicken stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Submerge the whole chicken, breast side down, in the boiling stock for 35–45 minutes, depending on the chicken’s size. Immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it and plunge it into prepared cold water for 10 minutes. Reserve the chicken broth for later use. Drain the chicken, discard the ginger and scallions from the cavity, and set it aside to cool before chopping it into the desired serving pieces.

Rice

Heat oil in a wok and fry the chopped shallots and garlic until fragrant and golden. Add the rice and stir to combine. Transfer the rice mixture to a rice cooker.
Once transferred, add the chicken broth, ginger, garlic and shallot oil, chicken fat, and salt to the rice mixture. Cook according to the rice cooker’s instructions.

Soy Sauce Mixture

Combine the soy sauce, chicken broth, sesame oil, and garlic and shallot oil. Stir to mix well and set aside.

Chicken Rice Chili Sauce

Combine the chili sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, sugar, chicken broth, and lime juice. Stir to mix well and adjust with more salt, sugar, and lime juice to taste. Set it aside.

Assembling Chicken Rice

Line a serving plate with cucumber slices. Add a bowl of rice and arrange the chicken pieces on the plate. Drizzle the soy sauce over the chicken and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately with chili sauce and a side of chicken soup.

Notes

Recipe contributed by Maameemoomoo.

I always use a fresh, whole chicken because it gives the best flavor and makes the broth super rich. Plus, the chicken stays nice and tender.
Once the chicken’s in the pot, I lower the heat to a simmer. This keeps the chicken juicy and tender without making it tough.
After cooking, I plunge the chicken into cold water for 10 minutes. This helps the skin firm up and keeps the chicken moist.
DO NOT throw away the chicken broth! I use it to cook the rice and make the chili sauce. It’s the secret to making both the rice and chili sauce taste just like the real deal.

Nutrition