China

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Name: Hainanese Chicken Rice
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, about 3 1/2 lb (1.6 kg), with the pale fat from the cavity saved; 4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste; 4-inch (10 cm) piece of ginger, half sliced and half finely grated; 6 scallions; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 2 cups (400 g) jasmine rice; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot, optional but traditional; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 fresh red chilies, such as Fresno, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tsp sugar; 3 tbsp dark soy sauce or kecap manis, for drizzling; 1 cucumber, sliced; A small handful of cilantro sprigs

Hǎinán Jīfàn / 海南鸡饭

Hainanese immigrants brought this dish to Southeast Asia, where it became a staple of Singapore and Malaysia. It looks plain, but all the flavor is hiding in the rice, which gets fried in rendered chicken fat and cooked in the poaching broth. The chicken depends on gentle heat: a short simmer, a long rest in the hot water, then an ice bath that tightens the skin.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 1 hr 45 min
Total: 2 hr 20 min
Serves: 4

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An illustration of Hainanese Chicken Rice — Hainan Chicken Rice, illustrated for Tastybop

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, about 3 1/2 lb (1.6 kg), with the pale fat from the cavity saved
4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
4-inch (10 cm) piece of ginger, half sliced and half finely grated
6 scallions
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 cups (400 g) jasmine rice
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot, optional but traditional
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 fresh red chilies, such as Fresno, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp dark soy sauce or kecap manis, for drizzling
1 cucumber, sliced
A small handful of cilantro sprigs

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry and rub it all over with 2 tsp of the salt. Push the ginger slices and 3 of the scallions into the cavity.
In a 7- to 8-quart (6.5 to 7.5 L) pot, bring about 4 quarts (4 L) of water and 1 tsp of the salt to a boil, about 20 minutes. The chicken should be just covered once it goes in, so add hot water if needed. Lower the chicken in, breast side down, and return to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes without letting it boil hard.
Turn off the heat, cover tightly and leave the chicken in the hot water for 35 minutes. Check the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer, away from the bone. It must read 165°F (74°C). If it doesn't, simmer for 10 minutes more and check again.
Lift the chicken into a large bowl of ice water and chill for 10 minutes, then pat dry and brush with 2 tsp of the sesame oil. Keep the broth hot on the stove.
While the chicken chills, rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain well. Melt the saved chicken fat in a saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, adding 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil if you have less than 2 tbsp of fat. Discard any solid bits. Stir in half the garlic for 1 minute, add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, until every grain is glossy.
Add 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) of the hot broth, the pandan and the last 1 tsp of salt. Boil, cover, reduce to low and cook for 15 minutes. Leave off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff.
For the chili sauce, blend the chilies, the rest of the garlic, 1 tbsp of the grated ginger, the lime juice, sugar, a pinch of salt and 3 tbsp of broth until smooth. For the ginger sauce, mince 2 scallions and put them in a heatproof bowl with the rest of the grated ginger and a pinch of salt. Heat 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil to about 350°F (175°C), when it shimmers, and pour it over carefully.
Carve the chicken into thick slices over the cucumber and scatter with cilantro. Stir the remaining 1 tsp of sesame oil into the soy sauce and drizzle over the chicken. Season the leftover broth with salt, slice the last scallion into it and serve in small bowls with the rice and both sauces.

Tips

For rice that isn't greasy or wet, drain it for several minutes after rinsing. A rice cooker works well too: fry the rice as directed, then cook it with the same amount of broth.
Pandan is sold frozen in Southeast Asian grocery stores. Leave it out if you can't find it, since the rice still tastes rich from the fat and broth.
Fresno chilies give a medium sauce. Seed them for less heat, or swap in a few bird's eye chilies for a sharper one.

Did you know?

This dish began on Hainan, a tropical island in the south of China.
Rice is cooked in chicken broth, which gives it so much flavor.
It became famous in Singapore, where it's now a national favorite.

Questions

Is Hainanese chicken rice served hot or cold?

The chicken is served at room temperature, thanks to the ice bath, with hot rice and hot broth. Don't let carved chicken stand out for more than 2 hours.

Is it safe if the chicken looks pink near the bone?

Color isn't a reliable test, and gently poached chicken can stay rosy at the bone. Trust a thermometer: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh means it's done.

What's the difference between Hainanese chicken rice and khao man gai?

Khao man gai is the Thai version, using the same poached chicken and fatty rice. It's usually served with a sauce of fermented soybeans, ginger and chili instead of the Singapore-style chili sauce.