80/20 Hainanese Chicken and Rice

Steps

1. 1

   Place the chicken thighs in a mixing bowl. Add the sesame oil and 1.5 g salt, then turn the chicken to coat it evenly. Set aside while assembling the rice.

2. 2

   Add the un rinsed jasmine rice, rice garlic, rice ginger, rice green onions, chicken broth, chicken bouillon powder, and turmeric to a heavy pot. Stir briefly to distribute the aromatics and seasonings; no rinsing of the rice is needed.

3. 3

   Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in a single layer on top of the rice mixture. Keep the chicken above the rice so its juices steam into the grains as it cooks.

4. 4

   Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to low so the mixture maintains a gentle simmer.

5. 5

   Cover the pot tightly with a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the broth has been absorbed and the water has completely evaporated. The rice should be tender and the chicken should reach 165°F (74 °C) / 74°C (165 °F) internally.

   Start 20-minute timer
6. 6

   While the chicken and rice cook, prepare the ginger-scallion sauce. Put the sauce ginger, sauce green onion, and 1 g salt into a heatproof bowl.

7. 7

   Pour the sauce sesame oil and neutral oil into a small pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil shimmers and produces the first wisps of smoke. Watch the pan continuously because very hot oil can ignite.

8. 8

   Carefully pour the hot oil over the ginger and green onion in the bowl. Stir until the aromatics are evenly coated and the sauce is fragrant.

9. 9

   Prepare the chili-garlic sauce by combining the chili-sauce garlic, chili-sauce ginger, sambal, sriracha, chicken broth, lime juice, and sugar in a bowl. Stir until evenly mixed and the sugar is incorporated.

10. 10

    After the 20-minute cooking period, carefully remove the chicken from the pot. Slice it into serving pieces or leave the thighs whole.

11. 11

    Leave the rice in the covered pot and let it rest for another 10 minutes. This allows the remaining moisture to redistribute and the grains to finish steaming.

    Start 10-minute timer
12. 12

    Fluff the rice and plate it with the chicken. Spoon over or serve alongside the ginger-scallion sauce and chili-garlic sauce. Add optional sliced cucumber, cilantro, and green onion before serving.