Accompanied by rice slowly cooked in chicken broth, Hainanese chicken, spiced and garnished with ginger, garlic, and green onions, stands out from traditional chicken and rice dishes!
Let’s set aside roasted, breaded, or fried chicken. Here’s a completely different way to enjoy chicken without falling back on what we already know. While the Hainanese chicken recipe takes some time, I promise, you’ll be rewarded for your patience… and so will your guests.
What is Hainanese Chicken?
Hainanese chicken or 海南鸡饭 (Khao Man Kai), if you’ve never heard of it, is a poached chicken dish typical of the tropical island of Hainan, a small island province in southern China.
Of course, recipes vary greatly from one place to another, but the essence is always there: the very concept of the dish, as you’ll understand, is to slowly poach a whole chicken in a broth with ginger and garlic.
Once the meat is well cooked, it’s usually served at room temperature accompanied by cooked rice.
It might not sound impressive, but when it’s well-cooked, the meat is rich and tender, and even more comforting with the aromatic rice in the broth.
Not to mention the soy sauce seasonings and the famous orange chili sauce that add real value to the dish. It may seem simple, but in the end, Hainanese chicken is full of complex flavors that will impress many!
Where Does Hainanese Chicken Come From?
Unsurprisingly, Hainanese chicken comes from Chinese cuisine; from Hainan, of course. However, many say that the dish was actually invented by Hainanese chefs who immigrated to Singapore, where it’s even elected as the national dish. It’s said to be based on the recipe of a popular Hainanese dish called “Wenchang chicken”.
The rice was then generally cooked with the leftover chicken broth. It’s later that the dish was adapted as we know it today. It’s worth noting that almost all Asian countries with any connection to Chinese cuisine offer their own version of Hainanese chicken.
This phenomenon is particularly due to the population movements of Chinese immigrants crossing Asian borders. It has become so popular that in Vietnamese cuisine, it’s called “Hai Nam”, and in Thailand, “Khao man gai”.
The Main Ingredients of Hainanese Chicken
The chicken: it’s a generous dish, let’s not forget. In this recipe, we’ll use a whole chicken, as well as chicken fat. We’ll set aside the latter, recovered from around the rump and neck, for the soy sauce seasoning and rice.
Green onions: in the preparation of the chicken, they help to enhance the dish while bringing freshness and the spiciness typical of Chinese cuisine. A bit like in my Chinese scallion chicken recipe! Here, they’ll be used for the chicken stuffing.
Ginger: ginger fans will be delighted. In this recipe, we use ginger in the rice, the chicken stuffing, and the spicy sauce. Don’t worry: it won’t be too much.
We actually use it in many meat-based recipes; ginger chicken, ginger beef, ginger pork… and so on! Ginger brings peppery and slightly citrusy flavors. It will pair perfectly with the other ingredients that are a bit more “subtle” in terms of taste.
Jasmine rice: I’ll let you discover the different types of rice that exist, but in this recipe, I’ll use jasmine rice, which is softer, more delicate, and more floral than others.
Unlike other recipes, the rice is not simply white but will be cooked in chicken broth. A flavorful rice, not just plain white, which will make all the difference.
Garlic: To be consumed without moderation. We put it (almost) everywhere: in the rice, in good quantity, but also in the spicy sauce. Certainly not to be left aside, especially for garlic lovers.
Light soy sauce: more fluid than its dark counterpart, it adds a touch of salt to the dish. We will mix it with sesame oil, chicken fat, and sugar before pouring it over the chicken at the end of the recipe.
Sesame oil: combined with soy sauce and chicken fat, sesame oil remains a significant element that enhances this sweet and nutty side while also acting as a binder.
The spicy sauce: prepared with chili peppers, rice vinegar and orange juice (yes, indeed!), the spicy sauce is literally the cherry on top. It’s even different from the chili oil I had already concocted.
This time it combines more flavors, including citrus notes… And it’s almost better!
Authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1.5 kg of chicken whole
- 4 green onions
- 1 piece of ginger 3cm
- 3 L Unsalted Chicken Broth or Water Enough to Cover the Chicken, Even If It’s Not Completely Submerged 100%, the Steam Will Cook Everything
- 60 g salt 20g per Liter of Broth/Water, + 1/2 Teaspoon of MSG per Liter If Using Water
Brine
- 100 g salt
- Water for Rinsing
- Boiling Water to Tighten the Skin
Rice
- 600 g of jasmine rice
- 4 tablespoons of Chicken Fat or Pork Fat
- 8 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 shallots Cut into Quarters
- 1 Piece of ginger 2cm, in Thick Slices
- 800 ml of chicken broth from Cooking the Chicken
Soy Sauce Seasoning
- 60 ml light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon of Melted Chicken Fat
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
Chili Sauce
- 6 red chili peppers Fresh, Pitted
- 1 Piece of ginger 3cm
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons of Orange Juice No Added Sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons of chicken broth from Cooking the Chicken
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
For garnish
- Cucumber
- Green onions
Procédé
Chicken Preparation
- Rub the Chicken with Salt Until the Skin Is Smooth and Slippery1.5 kg of chicken, 100 g salt
- Rinse the Salt Off with Cold Running WaterWater
- Cut the Chicken Fat Around the Rump and Neck Areas. Set Aside for Rice and Soy Sauce Seasoning
- If You’re Not Using a Large Pot to Cook the Chicken, Boil a Kettle of Water and Slowly Pour It Over the Chicken and Inside the Cavity
- This Process Will Tighten the Chicken Skin and Help Create That Gelatinous Skin We All Love in Hainanese ChickenBoiling Water
- Stuff the Chicken Cavity with Green Onions and Ginger4 green onions, 1 piece of ginger
- If You’re Using a Large Pot, Simply Bring the Pot of Broth/Water to a Boil and Dip the Chicken Several Times Before Fully Submerging It. Make Sure the Liquid Is Boiling Before Fully Submerging the Chicken3 L Unsalted Chicken Broth or Water, 60 g salt
- Cover the Pot with a Lid, Bring to a Boil, Reduce Heat to Low and Cook for 30-35 Minutes
- Prepare an Ice Bath
- To Check If the Chicken Is Cooked, Cut into the Thickest Part of the Thigh. If the Juices Run Clear, the Chicken Is Ready. If There’s Still Blood, It Will Need a Few More Minutes
- Submerge the Cooked Chicken in an Ice Bath for at Least 15 Minutes, Turning It Every Few Minutes If It’s Not Fully Submerged
- This Will Stop the Cooking Process and Is the Final Step in Creating the Gelatinous Chicken Skin
- Drain on a Rack and Lightly Brush with Some Sesame Oil
- Serve at Room Temperature. You Can Reheat It for 1-2 Minutes, but This May Dry Out the Meat
Rice Preparation
- Wash and Drain the Jasmine Rice600 g of jasmine rice
- In a Pan, Melt 4 Tablespoons of Chicken Fat Until the Solids Become Nice and Crispy. Remove the Pieces. If You Don’t Have Enough Chicken Fat, Add Sesame Oil and Vegetable Oil or Pork Fat4 tablespoons of Chicken Fat
- In the Same Pan, Sauté the Ginger, Garlic, and Shallots Until Fragrant. 1-2 Minutes.8 cloves garlic, 2 shallots, 1 Piece of ginger
- In the Rice Cooker, Add the Chicken Broth to the Rice After Rinsing It. Use the Chicken Broth in Which We Cooked the Chicken. Add Slightly More (10%) Than You Would Normally Add Water. The Broth Should Be Seasoned Enough That You Don’t Need to Add Salt to the Rice800 ml of chicken broth
- Add the Garlic, Ginger, Shallots (with the Remaining Fat in the Pan) to the Rice and Mix Well
- Cook According to the Rice Cooker Instructions
- Remove All the Aromatics and Mix the Rice to Fluff It Up. Keep Warm
Chili Sauce Preparation
- Blend All the Chili Sauce Ingredients Until Smooth. Set Aside6 red chili peppers, 1 Piece of ginger, 8 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons of Orange Juice, 1 pinch salt, 2 tablespoons of chicken broth, 1 teaspoon of sugar
Soy Sauce Seasoning Preparation
- Mix All the Soy Sauce Ingredients. Set Aside60 ml light soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of Melted Chicken Fat, 1 teaspoon of sugar
Plating
- Remove the Wings and Thighs from the Chicken
- Cut the Back and Carefully Remove the Bones from the Fillets
- Cut into Bite-Sized Pieces
- Serve on a Bed of CucumbersCucumber
- Pour some of the soy sauce dressing
- Garnish with green onionsGreen onions
- Serve with a bowl of chicken rice and a small bowl of chili sauce
