Delicious Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe

Presenter / channel

Jeremy, from School of What (Covent Garden).

Ingredients (with quantities where given)

Poached chicken & poaching liquid base

• Corn-fed whole chicken (amount not specified)
• Ginger: “a little bit” (added to poaching liquid; exact amount not specified)
• Spring onion: 1–2 small (roughly chopped; ends can go in too)
• Chicken fat (optional but used): bits cut from the chicken (from “dry bits/fatty bits”)
• Garlic cloves: “a couple” (bashed; whole, for fragrance)
• Chicken stock (for poaching liquid; exact amount not specified)
• Water (topped up to fully cover chicken; amount not specified)
• Sea salt: “a good pinch” (plus more pinch for ginger-spring onion paste)

Chili sauce (fresh chili condiment)

• Rice vinegar: start with 1–2 spoons (enough to balance sourness)
• Sesame oil: “a little” (to balance/melt into sauce)
• Vegetable stock: enough for chili “paste” consistency (amount not specified)
• Palm sugar (or normal sugar): about 1 teaspoon (or to taste, “fine”)
• Chilies: “plenty” (fresh; rough chops)
• Ginger and garlic: added to blender (amount not specified)

Ginger & spring onion oil (classic condiment)

• Ginger: roughly chopped (amount not specified)
• Spring onion: finely chopped (amount not specified)
• Salt: “a good pinch”
• Hot oil: enough to fry/sizzle ginger & spring onion (amount not specified)
• (Optional note: chicken fat used earlier in the rice steps, not in this condiment section.)

Hainanese chicken rice (rice + cooking liquid)

• Jasmine rice (long grain): 2 cups
• Liquid (stock + water): 1.25× rice amount
  • Example given: 2.5 cups stock
• Garlic: a couple of cloves (added into rice)
• Chicken fat + ginger-spring-onion oil: used to coat grains (amount not specified)

Serving / garnish

• Fresh chili sauce (from above)
• Ginger & spring onion oil (from above)
• Cucumber: “a line of cucumber”
• Optional serving suggestion: chicken on rice in slices (leg/breast/thigh)

Equipment & prep steps

• Pot/pan for poaching liquid
• Lid
• Cleaver (optional): for ginger/chopping; otherwise rough chop
• Food processor (for chili sauce) or blender
• Saucepan (for ginger-spring-onion oil)
• Large pot for cooking rice
• Chopping board + kitchen towel (for carving)
• Plastic container / container technique mentioned for safe handling/rinsing (exact purpose unclear; notes suggest careful handling)
• Basting/dunking setup: cold water bath for chicken

Step-by-step method (with key timings/temps/technique cues)

1) Make ginger + spring onion flavored oil for poaching

1. In a pot, add oil and bring to medium heat.
2. Add ginger + spring onion (roughly chopped into chunks).
3. Fry gently until ginger almost crisping up and turning golden brown.
   • Goal: infuse “essence” of ginger/spring onion into oil.

2) Poach the chicken (avoid overcooking)

1. Add chicken stock to the flavored oil; you’ll hear the flavor lifting from the pan.
2. Top up with water so the chicken will be fully covered.
3. Add:
   • Bashed garlic (a couple cloves; whole for fragrance)
   • Sea salt: “a good pinch”
4. Add the chicken (kept quite whole; wings opened slightly; remove very dry ends if needed).
5. Bring to a boil, then boil no more than 20 minutes.
6. Switch to low simmer and turn off heat after 20 minutes.
7. Let the chicken sit in the hot stock for ~40 minutes to cook through gently (aim to avoid overcooking breast).

After poaching

• Remove chicken and dunk straight into cold water for 1–2 minutes.
  • This lifts skin slightly and helps stop it turning jelly-like.
• Transfer to chopping board to carve.

3) Make fresh chili sauce (bright red chili paste)

1. Blend/processor mix:
   • Chilies (rough chops)
   • Ginger + garlic
2. In a bowl, combine rice vinegar + sesame oil + vegetable stock with palm sugar (or normal sugar, ~1 tsp).
3. Start with a small amount of vinegar/sugar mix, blend well.
4. Adjust until you have a vibrant bright red chili paste.
5. Presenter notes it makes enough sauce to freeze some for next time.

4) Make ginger & spring onion oil (classic condiment)

1. In a saucepan, use hot oil (heated so it smokes / is very hot).
2. Mix finely chopped spring onion + roughly chopped ginger with a good pinch of salt (mix so salt brings out water/oils).
3. When oil is smoking hot, add ginger & spring onion:
   • Aim for an immediate sizzle and aroma release.
4. Set aside as the condiment oil.
5. Quantities are flexible; this is typically made just before serving/using.

5) Cook the Hainanese chicken rice

1. In the rice pot, heat chicken fat + ginger-spring-onion oil.
2. Add Jasmine rice and coat grains so they stay separate/fluffy.
3. Liquid ratio:
   • Given: 2 cups rice and about 2.5 cups stock (≈ 1.25× liquid to rice).
4. Add stock (plus a couple bashed garlic cloves for flavor).
5. Bring rice to a boil.
6. Reduce to a light simmer.
7. Cook until stock level is down to level of rice.
8. Switch off the hob completely at that point.
9. Let the rice finish cooking for the next ~40 minutes (matches the workflow resting period for the chicken in hot stock).

6) Carve chicken (technique cue)

• Keep kitchen towel nearby because juices flow.
• Slice where possible without breaking skin.
• Separate pieces method:
  1. Pull off the leg
  2. Run knife along one side of spine joint, then separate breast from joints
  3. Cut through joint last side; press into joint until it falls away
  4. For thigh/leg: slide/break bone out after slicing on either side
• Goal: succulent, soft chicken with minimal chopping (helps skin integrity).

Plating / serving suggestions

• Serve rice in a bowl (base rice mound).
• Place chicken slices on top (recommended: breast + thigh + leg joint).
• Side/garnish:
  • Line of cucumber
• Finish with:
  • Ginger & spring onion oil
  • Fresh chili paste
• Presenter emphasizes: the dish is “all about the condiments”—mix thoroughly so grains soften.

Chef tips / cautions mentioned

• Do not over poach/over boil the chicken: boil max 20 minutes, then hot-stock rest ~40 minutes.
• For poaching flavor: base is ginger + garlic + spring onion; getting ginger/spring-onion oil crispy golden matters.
• For rice: use correct liquid ratio (~1.25×) and switch off hob when stock hits rice level to keep texture fluffy.
• For chili sauce: balance sourness with palm sugar; blend until bright red.
• Carving: slice rather than chop to avoid breaking skin.