Looking for some heat? Serve this Hainanese Chicken Rice with Hainanese chicken chili sauce!
Hi everyone, it’s April from Relax Lang Mom here. I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying Sunday!
I’m coming to you today with a recipe and tips for making moist and flavorful Hainanese chicken rice that definitely won’t be dry.
As those of you who know me know, being located on the island of Marinduque means it can be difficult to get some ingredients that are more readily available in Metro Manila. However, that also means we have access to lots of fresh local produce!
Over the years I’ve perfected my Hainanese chicken recipe using what’s available here on the island. The key is taking your time with it and making sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked throughout while keeping it juicy and tender. Before this, I’d always have dry chicken and I wanted those restaurant type hainanse that has juices running out when you’re eating it.
I learned this technique from Chef Tatung, in one of the cooking classes I attended at The Maya Kitchen. He taught us, I think, it was the Ala Max Fried Chicken where he did the boil and turn off technique and I figured that this would be a good way to prevent that dry and rubbery Hainanese. I know that these have a bit more steps that my other Rice Cooker Hainanese chicken but I promise that it’s worth it!
How to make Juicy Hainanese Chicken
Here’s how I do it:
First, select a chicken of 1-1.5kg. Make sure it’s not too large so it tastes better. I try to buy my chickens fresh from a local farm whenever possible. Sometimes we also butcher our own native chicken. Next, using a cleaver or sharp knife, chop the chicken into sections – you can cut it into 8 pieces or leave it in halves. This allows the heat to penetrate the chicken more effectively during cooking. Most in the Hainanese videos on Youtube shows a whole chicken being cooked but I prefer mine to be cut up. Sometimes it also happens that the breast are already cooked while the other parts are still not cooked so this allows me to take out the parts that are already cooked.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt all over. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the salt to permeate the meat. Then, fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium and gently lower the chicken pieces into the pot. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through – it should no longer be pink inside and the juices should run clear. Be careful not to overcook! Turn off the heat and leave it on the stove for 15 minutes more.
Meanwhile, prepare your garlic, shallots and ginger. Mince 2-3 cloves of garlic, a few shallot bulbs and a 1-inch knob of ginger. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan over medium heat and saute the garlic, shallots and ginger until fragrant. This creates the flavor base for your chicken. Remove from heat and set aside.
Once the chicken is cooked, carefully remove it from the pot using tongs and place in the pan with the aromatics. Gently coat the chicken with the fragrant oil mixture. The chicken is now ready to serve! Place it on a large plate and set it aside.
Now let’s cook the rice. Wash your rice then saute it on our remaining aromatics on the pan. Transfer to the rice cooker. Use the correct amount of chicken stock to cook rice instead of chicken. Enjoy with steamed rice, cucumbers and a homemade chili sauce for Hainanese chicken rice!
If you want something spicy with a blast of freshness use this Hainanese Chicken Chili Sauce below.
Hainanese chicken chili sauce:
- 10 Red Chillies (any large red chili -Taiwan chili will do)
- 10 Siling Labuyo Chillies
- a thumb of Ginger
- 1 whole peeled Garlic
- 1 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp Sugar, or to taste
- 4 tbsps calamansi Juice
- 1 tsp Vinegar
- 2 cups Chicken Stock (or chicken cubes mixed in 2 cups hot water)
Steps: Just blend them all together.
If you’ve never tried cooking Hainanese chicken before, I hope this step by step recipe and method inspires you to give it a try. Again, for best results, be sure to check the chicken often while simmering and don’t overcook – better to undercook slightly than have dry meat. Remember that practice makes perfect, so don’t get discouraged!
Let me know if you have any other questions. You can also find more recipes and cooking tips on my blog Relax Lang Mom. Be sure to sign up for my mailing list below to be the first to get new post notifications and exclusive subscriber recipes.
Thanks as always for reading! Wishing you all a wonderful week.
Ingredients
Shopping List:
- - 1 fresh or organic chicken (3-31⁄2 pounds; about 1.5kg)
- - 4-5 knobs ginger (crushed)
- - 2 whole leeks or spring onions
- - 3 cups uncoooked white rice (preferably jasmine rice)
- - 3 cups reserved chicken broth
- - 4-inch piece ginger (grated)
- - 5 cloves garlic
- - 8 tbsp sesame oil (divided into 2/3/3 tbsp)
- - 1/3 cup water (for Sweet Soy Sauce)
- - 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or washed sugar)
- - 1/3 cup soy sauce
- - 6 fresh red chilies
- - 1bsp calamansi juice
- - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or any white vinegar will do)
- - 3-5 tablespoons chicken broth
- - 1 cucumber
Pantry Items:
- - salt
- - soy sauce
- - onions
- - garlic
- - black pepper
- - cooking oil
- - Sriracha sauce (optional)
- - vinegar
Tools:
- - Food processor or manual portable food chopper
- - Large stockpot
- - Rice cooker (or medium/large pot as alternative)
- - Small pots/saucepans
- - Mixing bowls
- - Sauce dishes
Instructions
How To Make the Chicken Hainanese:
- Wash the cut up chicken clean. Give the chicken a light salt massage to clean the pores and make the chicken shiny. Make sure not to cut the chicken skin. Wash thoroughly. Transfer the chicken to a plate and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Rub salt all over the chicken pieces and set it aside in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a large stockpot together with ginger and leeks.
- Before adding the chicken to the pot, rinse the chicken under running water to wash away the salt. Carefully lower the chicken pieces into the boiling water, You can add all the other parts of the chicken at this point. Allow to have a rolling boil for 15-20 minutes (30 minutes if using a native chicken).
- You can check the chicken if its cooked by taking a piece and poking it. If juices comes out clear, its ready.
- Turn off the heat, and leave the pot covered on the stove for 45 minutes (set a timer).
- Meanwhile, prepare your garlic, onions and ginger. Mince 2-3 cloves of garlic, onions, and a thumb size of ginger. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan over medium heat and saute the garlic, onions and ginger until fragrant. This creates the flavor base for your chicken. Remove from heat and set aside.
- When the 45-minute timer (for the chicken) is almost up, prepare a large ice bath. Once the chicken is cooked, carefully lift the chicken out of the pot, drain the water from the cavity and lower it into the ice bath. Leave for 10-15 minutes to dry.
- Once the chicken is dry. place in the pan with the aromatics flavor base. Gently coat the chicken with the fragrant oil mixture. The chicken is now ready to serve! Place it on a large plate and set it aside.
Prepare the rice:
- After boiling the chicken, you can prepare the rice already. Reheat the pan with aromatics over medium heat. Add the chicken fats and neck, and render for about a minute. Add the uncooked rice. Stir continuously for about two minutes. Turn off the heat. Scoop the rice into your rice cooker and add the appropriate amount of chicken stock. (1 stock -1 rice). This amount may vary depending on your rice cooker) and a dash of salt.
How to Make the Ginger- Garlic Sauce:
- Grind the ginger and garlic in a manual food chopper or food processor until a paste forms. Heat the sesame oil in a small pot or saucepan. Gently fry the ginger and garlic until aromatic and just lightly caramelized.
How to Make the Sweet Soy Sauce:
- Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the liquid thickens into a simple syrup. Add the dark soy sauce, stirring to combine.
How To Make Sour- Chili Sauce:
- Grind the chilies, ginger, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped evenly. Add the sesame oil, salt, sugar, calamansi juice, and vinegar to the food processor or food chopper. Pulse 2-3 times to combine. Transfer to a small bowl and add chicken broth 1 tablespoon at a time until a saucy consistency is achieved.
To assemble:
- Reheat the leftover soup and add some spring onions. Serve on a stock pot.
- Cut up the meat and debone.
- Cut up the cucumber or other veggies.
- Arrange in a plate together with the rice. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutritional Benefits:
- Chicken is a lean protein that supports muscle growth and provides important nutrients like selenium and B vitamins.
- Rice provides complex carbs for steady energy release as well as minerals like magnesium.
- Ginger and garlic contain anti-inflammatory properties.
Tips:
- Render chicken fat from chicken cavity before cooking rice for extra flavor.
- Adjust chicken broth/water level in rice cooker for perfect rice texture.
- Process sauce ingredients finely for smooth, spreadable consistency.
Variations:
- Use different cut of meat like pork or fish instead of chicken
- Substitute long-grain rice for jasmine
- Add different chili varieties or adjust heat level to taste
- Omit sweet sauce for less sugar
Pairings:
- Serve with green vegetables like papaya (for that Filipino style tinola)
- Enjoy with fried egg or lumpia spring rolls
Vegan/Vegetarian:
- Use vegetable or mushroom broth instead of chicken broth
- Substitute tofu or seitan for meat
- Omit chicken fat from rice
Leftovers:
- Refrigerate separately sealed containers up to 4 days
- Freeze rice and sauce portions up to 3 months
- Reheat in saucepan with small amount of water or broth
Other notes:
- Sous vide chicken for perfectly cooked meat
- Use instant pot to cook rice and chicken together
- Air fry chilies to roast and enhance flavor
