Hainanese Chicken Rice
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Rice
- 2 inches fresh ginger, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, deboned, skin and bones reserved
- 2 cups jasmine rice, washed
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 green onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
For the Green Onion-Garlic Sauce
- 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, heated until shimmering
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 1
Pat the deboned chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Carefully remove the skin from the chicken thighs and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Set aside the chicken meat, bones, and skin separately.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add the chicken skin pieces. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the skin pieces are crispy and golden brown. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Remove the crispy skin pieces (you can snack on these!) and leave the rendered chicken fat in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Add the sliced ginger and minced garlic (for the chicken and rice) to the pot with the chicken fat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Add the washed jasmine rice to the pot and stir well to coat the grains with the aromatics and chicken fat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the rice is lightly toasted.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Pour in the chicken stock, then add the black pepper, light soy sauce, and salt. Stir the mixture thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Carefully place the deboned chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture in the pot. Arrange the 2-inch pieces of green onion on top of the chicken thighs.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
While the chicken and rice are cooking, prepare the green onion-garlic sauce. In a heatproof bowl, combine the chopped green onion, minced garlic (for the sauce), and salt.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan until it is shimmering and just about to smoke (approximately 350-375°F). Carefully pour the hot oil over the green onion-garlic mixture in the bowl. It will sizzle vigorously. Stir well and set aside.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Once the 20 minutes for the chicken and rice are up, turn off the heat and let the pot rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the rice to finish steaming and the chicken to tenderize.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and let them rest on a cutting board for a few minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Slice the chicken into serving pieces.
⏱️ 3 min
- 12
To serve, plate a portion of the fragrant chicken rice. Arrange the sliced chicken next to the rice. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and cucumber slices. Spoon the prepared green onion-garlic sauce generously over the sliced chicken.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Hainanese Chicken Rice
For the Chicken and Rice
- 2 inches fresh ginger, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, deboned, skin and bones reserved
- 2 cups jasmine rice, washed
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 green onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
For the Green Onion-Garlic Sauce
- 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, heated until shimmering
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 1
Pat the deboned chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Carefully remove the skin from the chicken thighs and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Set aside the chicken meat, bones, and skin separately.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add the chicken skin pieces. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the skin pieces are crispy and golden brown. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Remove the crispy skin pieces (you can snack on these!) and leave the rendered chicken fat in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Add the sliced ginger and minced garlic (for the chicken and rice) to the pot with the chicken fat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Add the washed jasmine rice to the pot and stir well to coat the grains with the aromatics and chicken fat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the rice is lightly toasted.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Pour in the chicken stock, then add the black pepper, light soy sauce, and salt. Stir the mixture thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Carefully place the deboned chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture in the pot. Arrange the 2-inch pieces of green onion on top of the chicken thighs.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
While the chicken and rice are cooking, prepare the green onion-garlic sauce. In a heatproof bowl, combine the chopped green onion, minced garlic (for the sauce), and salt.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan until it is shimmering and just about to smoke (approximately 350-375°F). Carefully pour the hot oil over the green onion-garlic mixture in the bowl. It will sizzle vigorously. Stir well and set aside.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Once the 20 minutes for the chicken and rice are up, turn off the heat and let the pot rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the rice to finish steaming and the chicken to tenderize.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and let them rest on a cutting board for a few minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Slice the chicken into serving pieces.
⏱️ 3 min - 12
To serve, plate a portion of the fragrant chicken rice. Arrange the sliced chicken next to the rice. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and cucumber slices. Spoon the prepared green onion-garlic sauce generously over the sliced chicken.
⏱️ 5 min