Cơm gà Hải Nam (Hainanese chicken rice) is undoubtedly one of the most well-loved chicken dishes. Created by Chinese immigrants living in Singapore, this iconic Asian recipe has gained worldwide recognition, and rightfully so.
The chicken is so tender and juicy that I always have to ask for a second. And it would be a sin not to mention the rice, which is toasted with aromatics and then cooked to perfection in the chicken cooking water.
Every ingredient comes together perfectly to create a culinary experience that you’ll never forget. In today’s recipe, let’s learn a fail-proof recipe for the most authentic Hainanese chicken rice!
Hainanese Chicken Rice: A Singaporean Classic
Ask any Singaporean you meet about their national dish, and you will most likely hear them mention Hainanese chicken rice. As mentioned before, this dish was a creation of the immigrants from Haian, a province in the South of China.
Food experts believe that this Singaporean staple is an adaptation of Wenchang chicken rice, a Hainan recipe that first appeared during the Qin dynasty. Today, you can find a version of Hainanese chicken rice in many South East Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Tools
Preparing Hainanese chicken rice at home starts with having the right kitchen tools. Here is the list of what you need.
Ingredients
You’ll use a whole chicken for this recipe. In addition, I’ll also include the ingredients for 3 types of sauces that people commonly serve with Hainanese chicken rice.
Directions
I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Follow the instructions below to cook up your yummy Hainanese chicken rice!
Step 1: Prepare The Ingredients
Slice half of the ginger thinly and mince the other half.
Mince the garlic.
Separate the green and white parts of the scallions. Mince one part of the scallions.
Sprinkle salt all over the chicken surface and inside the cavity. Use your hands to gently rub the salt into the chicken.
Put the sliced ginger and the green part of the scallions into the cavity. Set aside some ginger slices for boiling the chicken.
Step 2: Cook The Chicken
Pour about 12.5 cups (3 liters) of water into a pot. Then, add 1 tablespoon of salt, a few ginger slices, the scallions’ white parts, and shallots.
Bring the water to a rapid simmer. Slowly dip the chicken in the water and rotate it. Doing this ensures that the bird comes into contact with the hot water gradually, which helps the skin stretch evenly and prevents it from cracking.
Add the chicken completely to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken for about 45 minutes. Skim the water frequently and flip the chicken halfway through cooking.
Step 3: Place The Chicken In An Ice Bath
Prepare a large bowl of iced water in advance while boiling the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to the ice bath to crisp up the skin and prevent browning. Remember to turn the chicken, so every part is chilled evenly.
Step 4: Season The Chicken Broth
Set aside about 1.5 cups (350 milliliters) of the broth from boiling the chicken. Bring the remaining water to a boil and season it with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
When serving the dish, ladle the seasoned chicken stock into a bowl and sprinkle the minced scallions on top.
Step 5: Toast The Uncooked Rice
Heat the chicken fat, minced ginger, and garlic in a pan. When the fat has melted and the ginger and garlic turn fragrant, set aside one part of this mixture.
Fry the remaining spice mixture until golden. Then, add the rice and stir it over low heat for about 10 minutes until it has a milky color. Remove from heat.
Step 6: Cook The Rice
Add the rice to your rice cooker and pour in 1.5 cups of the chicken broth. Cook the rice in regular mode. When the rice is cooked, fluff it up using the rice paddle.
Step 7: Make The Dipping Sauces
You’ll make 3 kinds of sauces to serve with Hainanese chicken rice.
Garlic And Ginger Sauce
Heat 1.5 tablespoons of the ginger, garlic, and fat mixture in a pan. Once fragrant, stir in the scallions. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix well, then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl.
Dark Soy Sauce
Heat up 1.5 tablespoons of the ginger and garlic mixture in a pan. When the mixture turns fragrant, add 1 tablespoon of chicken broth, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Stir well, then turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a bowl.
Chili Sauce
Mix the following ingredients together: 1 tablespoon of the ginger-garlic mixture, 2 tablespoons of ground chili, 1 tablespoon of chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
Step 8: Cut The Chicken
Remove the ginger and scallions from the chicken’s cavity. Brush sesame oil on the chicken skin to prevent it from drying out.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Step 9: Serve The Dish
Spoon the rice onto a plate. Arrange the chopped chicken pieces on the plate and garnish with sliced cucumber. Serve the dish with the seasoned chicken broth and dipping sauces.
Don’t Miss These Notes
I’ve gathered some useful notes that will help you cook up this recipe with ease. Check them out.
Experience The Ultimate Chicken Dish In Hainanese Style
Once you get the hang of how to make Hainanese chicken rice, I’m sure that it will become one of your favorite chicken dishes. As the recipe asks for a whole chicken, it’s a great choice for family meals, or when you have some friends coming over.
If you find today’s recipe useful and want more content like this in the future, please let me know in the comment. Also, show your love by giving this post a high rating and sharing it with other people. Thank you so much for reading.
The Best Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 4.4 pounds
- 1.8 ounces (50 grams) chicken fat
- 5.3 ounces (150 grams) rice
- 3.5 ounces (100 grams) ginger
- 1.8 ounces (50 grams) scallions
- 3.5 ounces (100 grams) garlic
- 1.8 ounces (50 grams) shallots
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Salt
For the garlic and ginger sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons ginger, garlic, and fat mixture
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon scallions
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
For the soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger, garlic, and fat mixture
- 1 tablespoon chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
For the chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger, garlic, and fat mixture
- 2 tablespoons ground chili
- 1 tablespoon chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Instructions
- Slice half of the ginger thinly and mince the other half.
- Mince the garlic.
- Separate the green and white parts of the scallions.
- Mince one part of the scallions.
- Sprinkle salt all over the chicken surface and inside the cavity.
- Use your hands to gently rub the salt into the chicken.
- Put the sliced ginger and the green part of the scallions into the cavity.
- Set aside some ginger slices.
- Pour water into a pot.
- Add salt, a few ginger slices, the scallions’ white parts, and shallots.
- Bring the water to a rapid simmer, then slowly dip the chicken in the water and rotate it.
- Add the chicken completely to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken for about 45 minutes.
- Skim the water frequently and flip the chicken halfway through cooking.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to the ice bath to crisp up the skin and prevent browning.
- Set aside some of the broth from boiling the chicken.
- Bring the remaining water to a boil and season it with salt and sugar.
- Heat the chicken fat, minced ginger, and garlic in a pan.
- When the fat has melted, and the ginger and garlic turn fragrant, set aside one part of this mixture.
- Fry the remaining spice mixture until golden.
- Then, add the rice and stir it over low heat for about 10 minutes until it has a milky color. Remove from heat.
- Add the toasted rice to the rice cooker and pour in the chicken broth.
- Cook the rice in regular mode. When the rice is cooked, fluff it up using the rice paddle.
- Heat the ginger, garlic, and fat mixture in a pan. Once fragrant, stir in the scallions.
- Season with salt and sesame oil. Mix well, then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl.
- Heat the ginger and garlic mixture in a pan. When the mixture turns fragrant, add chicken broth, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
- Stir well, then turn off the heat, and pour the sauce into a bowl.
- Mix the ginger-garlic mixture, ground chili, chicken broth, lime juice, sugar, and sesame oil together to make the chili sauce.
- Remove the ginger and scallions from the chicken’s cavity. Brush sesame oil on the chicken skin.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and serve with rice.
Video
Notes
- The estimated total time is based on 6 servings.
- If you have leftover chicken broth, you can store it in the freezer for a few months.
- To add some colors to the chicken, stir fry some minced fresh turmeric (or turmeric powder) with the chicken fat. Then, brush this mixture on the cooked chicken.
- Opt for a kind of rice that is not too sticky.
- Remember to only use low heat to simmer the chicken to avoid overcooking it. In my experience, 45 minutes is the ideal cooking time.
Tien – Alden
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Recipe Development, Food Editor, Beverage Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Asian Food Content Creator
Education
Saigon Tourism College
Advanced Culinary Workshop, Beijing
Vietnamese Traditional Cooking School
American College of Vietnam
Alden is a skilled chef with expertise in Asian cuisines, known for blending traditional Vietnamese and Chinese cooking with contemporary innovations. Alden’s passion for Asian flavors and her creative approach to both food and beverages inspires fellow chefs and those aspiring to enter the field.