Hainan Chicken Rice (Master Stock Method)
Hainan Chicken Rice (Master Stock Method)
Ingredients
For the Hainan Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, about 3-4 pounds, the best quality you can buy, backbone removed and flattened
- 8 cups Hainan Chicken Master Stock, or more, see notes for preparation
- 4 green onions, roughly chopped
- 3 inches ginger, sliced
For the Chicken Rice
- 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups Hainan Chicken Master Stock, warmed
For the Dipping Sauces
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chili sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup ginger-scallion oil/sauce, homemade, recipe below
- 1/4 cup ginger, finely minced
- 1/4 cup green onions, finely minced
- 1/4 cup peanut oil, or neutral oil, heated until smoking
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Serving
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 4 cups clear soup, made from Master Stock, with optional cabbage and offal
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the whole chicken: Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along both sides of the backbone of the whole chicken and remove it. Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten the chicken. Rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat dry.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Prepare the poaching liquid: In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the Hainan Chicken Master Stock, green onions, and sliced ginger. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Poach the chicken: Carefully place the flattened chicken into the simmering stock, ensuring the breast is partially exposed above the liquid (about halfway up the breast). This allows the breast to steam gently while the dark meat is submerged. Cover the pot with a lid. Reduce heat to low and maintain a very gentle simmer. Poach for 45-60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 165°F (74°C).
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 165
- 4
Cool the chicken: Once cooked, immediately remove the chicken from the hot stock and plunge it into an ice bath for 10-15 minutes. This stops the cooking process and helps create the desired jelly-like layer under the skin. After the ice bath, remove the chicken and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 45 min
- 5
Prepare the chicken rice: While the chicken is cooling, combine the rinsed jasmine rice and warmed Hainan Chicken Master Stock in a rice cooker or heavy-bottomed pot. Cook according to your rice cooker's instructions or by bringing to a boil, then reducing heat to low, covering, and simmering for 15-18 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing.
⏱️ 30 min
- 6
Prepare the ginger-scallion oil: In a heatproof bowl, combine the finely minced ginger, finely minced green onions, and salt. Heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan until it just begins to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil over the ginger and scallion mixture. It will sizzle vigorously. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Assemble the clear soup: Strain some of the poaching liquid from the chicken pot. If desired, add some chopped cabbage and/or chicken offal (like heart or liver) and simmer until tender. Season to taste.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Carve and serve: Carve the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Arrange the sliced chicken on a serving platter. Ladle a small amount of the warm poaching stock over the chicken to keep it moist and flavorful. Serve immediately with the chicken rice, clear soup, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, dark soy sauce, chili sauce, and ginger-scallion oil.
⏱️ 15 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Hainan Chicken Rice (Master Stock Method)
For the Hainan Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, about 3-4 pounds, the best quality you can buy, backbone removed and flattened
- 8 cups Hainan Chicken Master Stock, or more, see notes for preparation
- 4 green onions, roughly chopped
- 3 inches ginger, sliced
For the Chicken Rice
- 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups Hainan Chicken Master Stock, warmed
For the Dipping Sauces
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chili sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup ginger-scallion oil/sauce, homemade, recipe below
- 1/4 cup ginger, finely minced
- 1/4 cup green onions, finely minced
- 1/4 cup peanut oil, or neutral oil, heated until smoking
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Serving
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 4 cups clear soup, made from Master Stock, with optional cabbage and offal
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the whole chicken: Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along both sides of the backbone of the whole chicken and remove it. Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten the chicken. Rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat dry.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Prepare the poaching liquid: In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the Hainan Chicken Master Stock, green onions, and sliced ginger. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Poach the chicken: Carefully place the flattened chicken into the simmering stock, ensuring the breast is partially exposed above the liquid (about halfway up the breast). This allows the breast to steam gently while the dark meat is submerged. Cover the pot with a lid. Reduce heat to low and maintain a very gentle simmer. Poach for 45-60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 165°F (74°C).
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 165 - 4
Cool the chicken: Once cooked, immediately remove the chicken from the hot stock and plunge it into an ice bath for 10-15 minutes. This stops the cooking process and helps create the desired jelly-like layer under the skin. After the ice bath, remove the chicken and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 45 min - 5
Prepare the chicken rice: While the chicken is cooling, combine the rinsed jasmine rice and warmed Hainan Chicken Master Stock in a rice cooker or heavy-bottomed pot. Cook according to your rice cooker's instructions or by bringing to a boil, then reducing heat to low, covering, and simmering for 15-18 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing.
⏱️ 30 min - 6
Prepare the ginger-scallion oil: In a heatproof bowl, combine the finely minced ginger, finely minced green onions, and salt. Heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan until it just begins to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil over the ginger and scallion mixture. It will sizzle vigorously. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Assemble the clear soup: Strain some of the poaching liquid from the chicken pot. If desired, add some chopped cabbage and/or chicken offal (like heart or liver) and simmer until tender. Season to taste.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Carve and serve: Carve the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Arrange the sliced chicken on a serving platter. Ladle a small amount of the warm poaching stock over the chicken to keep it moist and flavorful. Serve immediately with the chicken rice, clear soup, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, dark soy sauce, chili sauce, and ginger-scallion oil.
⏱️ 15 min