Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe

Hainan Chicken with Rice and Two Sauces — Photo: © John Kernick

Active Time:

1 hr 20 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 45 mins

Yield:

8 servings

This delicately scented dish, one of Peter Ting's childhood favorites, gets its name from the Chinese island of Hainan; it's popular in Malaysia and Singapore, too (where it's actually considered a national dish). Ting is dedicated to perfecting the bold scallion and chile dipping sauces that accompany it.

Frequently asked questions

What does Hainanese chicken rice contain?

A whole chicken is poached with aromatics (in our recipe, ginger and scallions), then sliced and served with seasoned rice. We serve the dish with both scallion and chile dipping sauces; soy sauce and cucumber are also common accompaniments, as is the hot chicken broth.

Should Hainanese chicken be served cold?

Hainanese chicken is often served cold to contrast with the warm rice, though it will almost certainly arrive to the table hot if you order it at a restaurant. The rice should always be served heated, but there really is no wrong way to enjoy the chicken itself — try it hot, cold, or even at room temperature.

Can the dipping sauces be made ahead?

The chile sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. The recipe yields 1/2 cup in 10 minutes.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

The rice is typically boiled in the stock left over from poaching the chicken. Here, we call for using another chicken stock or broth to cook the rice while the chicken finishes poaching (and recommend saving the poaching liquid to use later for another dish). If time is not a concern, wait until the chicken is done, then use 2 1/4 cups of the fresh stock (including some of the rendered fat) to prepare the rice.

Suggested pairing

This dish needs a crisp white with enough complexity to stand up to its spicy sauces, like a Mâcon white (from just north of Beaujolais) or a Beaujolais Villages Blanc.

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Ingredients

1 (6- to 7-pound) chicken
6 large scallions, coarsely chopped
1 (3-inch) piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
Kosher salt

Chile Dipping Sauce

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 medium fresh hot red chiles, such as Holland or cayenne, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sriracha

Scallion Dipping Sauce

6 large scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Make the Chile Dipping Sauce

In a mini food processor, combine the fresh chiles with the grated ginger, chicken stock, garlic clove, sugar, salt, lime juice, and Sriracha and process until smooth. Transfer the chile dipping sauce to a small bowl and serve.

Make the Scallion Dipping Sauce

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the scallions with the ginger and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Pour the hot oil over the scallions and stir to combine. Serve.

Make the Hainanese Chicken

Set the chicken in a large pot, breast side down, and cover with water. Add the scallions and ginger and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, skimming occasionally. Turn the chicken breast side up and simmer for an additional 40 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour, until cooked through.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Stir in the rice and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 13 minutes, until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice and season it with salt. Cover and keep warm.
Transfer the chicken to a work surface. Reserve the stock for another use. Discard the chicken skin and remove the meat from the bones. Slice the chicken into thin strips. Arrange the chicken on a platter and serve with the rice and dipping sauces.

Originally appeared: September 2009