Hainanese Chicken Rice

Method

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1. Scrub the chicken all over with the coarse salt to exfoliate the skin, then rinse thoroughly. Pull out and reserve the fat pockets from the cavity.

   Mark done

2. Stuff the cavity with 3 spring onions, 4 ginger slices and the garlic, and rub the fine salt over the skin.

   Mark done

3. Lower the bird into a pot just large enough to hold it and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Add the remaining spring onions and ginger.

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4. Bring slowly to 90°C — small bubbles rising, never a simmer — and hold there for 40 to 45 minutes. Use a thermometer.

   Mark done Start 40 min timer

5. Lift the chicken out and plunge it into a large bowl of iced water for 10 minutes. Rub the skin with sesame oil and rest.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

6. Render the reserved chicken fat in a dry pan over low heat for 8 minutes and strain.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

7. Fry the garlic and ginger in the chicken fat for 90 seconds, add the drained rice and toast for 3 minutes, then add 600 ml stock, the salt and pandan. Cover and cook 15 minutes, then rest 10.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

8. For the ginger-scallion oil, put the spring onions, ginger and salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oil until shimmering and pour it over — it will hiss violently.

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9. Blend the chilli sauce ingredients until smooth.

   Mark done

10. Chop the chicken through the bone into pieces, serve on the rice with a bowl of the remaining hot stock, and pass both sauces.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Never let the poaching water simmer. A thermometer is the only reliable way to hold 90°C.
• The ice bath is what gives the skin its texture. Do not skip it.
• Season the poaching stock only lightly — you will drink it as soup at the end.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.

Pairing Suggestions

• A bowl of the poaching stock with spring onion
• Sliced cucumber
• Iced barley water

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate cooked chicken up to 3 days and serve cold or at room temperature. The rice keeps 3 days and reheats covered.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.