Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe

Hainanese Chicken Rice is the ultimate Singaporean comfort food, combining tender poached chicken with fragrant rice infused with chicken stock, garlic, and ginger. My version of this iconic dish stays true to its authentic flavours while offering a well-balanced meal that the whole family will enjoy. Whether you’re cooking for loved ones or craving a nostalgic taste of home, this nutritious take on Hainanese Chicken Rice is sure to become a favourite at your table.

As you can imagine, the chicken you use makes a massive difference to your chicken rice. Using good-quality chicken can really take your chicken to the next level. Kee Song has been my number one choice for years! Their Sakura chicken is delicious and farmed without antibiotics.

You can find Kee Song chicken online or at a FairPrice near you!

Hainanese Chicken Rice

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Hainanese Chicken Rice is Singapore’s iconic dish of tender chicken served with fragrant garlic-ginger rice and savoury sauces. This recipe offers a nutritious take on this classic family favourite. Learn how to make authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice at home with simple ingredients and step-by-step guidance.

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Servings: 4 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

Chicken and Soup

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 spring onions
• 1 thumb-length ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbspn soy sauce
• 1 old cucumber optional
• 2 litres water

Rice

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 cups jasmine rice 200g
• 450 mL chicken soup from above
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce added at the end

Spring Onion Sauce

• 5 finely sliced spring onions
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ tsp salt

Chilli Sauce

• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 large chilli
• 4 small chilli bird’s eye
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp ginger
• 2 calamansi lime, juiced or 1 regular lime

Dark Sauce

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp kicap manis

Sesame Soy Drizzle for Chicken

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp stock from above

For Serving

• 3 sliced cucumbers
• 1 bunch coriander

Method

 

Chicken and Soup

1. Combine chicken, spring onions, ginger, garlic, water, salt, and soy sauce in a large pot.
   1 whole chicken, 2 spring onions, 1 thumb-length ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp salt, 2 litres water, 1 tbspn soy sauce
2. Boil on high heat, turn heat down to low once soup comes to a boil.
3. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours.
4. Remove chicken from broth, and set aside until serving.
5. Add old cucumber to soup and simmer for 30 minutes
   1 old cucumber
6. To serve chicken: Combine ingredients for the Sesame Soy Drizzle. Slice chicken, drizzle sesame soy mixture over, and top with some coriander.
   1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp stock

Rice

1. Wash rice.
2. Combine rice, chicken soup from above steps, and salt in rice cooker.
   2 cups jasmine rice, 1/2 tsp salt, 450 mL chicken soup
3. Add olive oil to a preheated pan, fry garlic and ginger until fragrant, and add to the rice cooker.
   1 tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, 1 tbsp grated ginger
4. Mix ingredients together, and cook as per rice cooker instructions.
5. Drizzle and mix in soy sauce once rice is cooked.
   1 tbsp soy sauce

Spring Onion Sauce

1. Add olive oil to a preheated pan, fry spring onions and ginger for 30 seconds.
   5 finely sliced spring onions, 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1/4 cup olive oil
2. Add salt, mix to combine, and set aside until serving.
   1/2 tsp salt

Chilli

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth.
   4 cloves garlic, 4 large chilli, 4 small chilli, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp ginger, 2 calamansi lime, juiced

Dark Sauce

1. Combine soy sauce and kicap manis.
   2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp kicap manis

To serve

1. Serve rice, chicken, spring onion sauce, chilli, dark sauce, sliced cucumber, coriander, and soup.
   3 sliced cucumbers, 1 bunch coriander
2. I usually like to serve this with some stir-fried greens like boy choy or chye xin.

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