Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken thighs (skin removed and reserved; bones separated and reserved)
• Salt (for exfoliating the chicken skin and for the ginger-scallion sauce)
• 3 Green onion (divided; some for broth, some minced for sauce)
• 2 inch Ginger (divided; some sliced for broth, some minced for sauce and rice)
• 4 clove Garlic (divided; some for broth, some minced for rice)
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce (for the poaching broth)
• 2 cup Jasmine rice (washed until water runs clear)
• 1 tbsp Duck fat (used to help render chicken skin)
• 0.25 cup Onion (minced)
• 0.25 cup Neutral oil (heated until sizzling for the ginger-scallion sauce)
• 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce (for the soy dipping sauce)
• 1 tbsp Light soy sauce (for the soy dipping sauce)
• 1 tbsp Oyster sauce (for the soy dipping sauce)
• 1 tsp Sugar (for the soy dipping sauce)
• 1 bunch Gai lan (Chinese broccoli, blanched and shocked in an ice bath)

Steps

1. 1

   Prep the chicken thighs by removing the skin and reserving it for later. Separate the meat from the bones.

2. 2

   Exfoliate the chicken skin by rubbing it thoroughly with salt to ensure it is soft, then rinse the salt off with water.

3. 3

   Prepare the poaching liquid by adding the chicken bones, green onion, ginger, garlic, and a glug of soy sauce to a pot of water.

4. 4

   Add the chicken meat to the pot and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Once cooked, immediately rinse the chicken under cold water to stop the cooking process and keep the meat tender.

5. 5

   Continue simmering the bones in the liquid to develop a richer broth while you prepare the rice.

6. 6

   Wash the jasmine rice in a bowl until the water turns clear, then drain.

7. 7

   In a pan or pot, add a bit of duck fat and the reserved chicken skins. Render the fat from the skins over medium heat until the skins become crispy. Remove the crispy skins and set aside.

8. 8

   Lower the heat and add minced garlic, onion, and ginger to the rendered fat. Sauté until fragrant.

9. 9

   Add the washed rice to the pan and toast with the aromatics for a couple of minutes.

10. 10

    Add equal parts of the prepared chicken broth to the rice (e.g., 2 cups broth for 2 cups rice). Cook the rice as you normally would (covered on low heat or in a rice cooker).

11. 11

    Make the ginger-scallion sauce: Mix minced green onion, minced ginger, and salt in a heat-proof bowl. Pour sizzling hot neutral oil over the mixture.

12. 12

    Make the soy dipping sauce: Combine dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and a splash of chicken broth. You may blend this for a smoother consistency.

13. 13

    Blanch the gai lan in boiling water, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to keep it crispy and bright green.

14. 14

    Chop the reserved crispy chicken skins into small bits to use as a topping.

15. 15

    Assemble the dish: Serve the sliced poached chicken over the aromatic rice, topped with crispy skin bits. Serve with the two sauces and gai lan on the side.

Notes

The creator emphasizes using every part of the chicken: bones for broth, meat for poaching, and skin for fat and a crispy topping. Rinsing the chicken in cold water after poaching is essential for the traditional 'silky' texture.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• rice
• poached
• Hainanese
• dinner
• Southeast Asian