Hainanese Chicken Rice - steamed chicken with ginger & scallion sauce

Originates from Hainan, simple and flavorful Hainanese Chicken Rice has become popular not only in China but also in other Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, with each region adding its own unique variations and flavors to the dish. I'm excited to share my simple and unique method to attain golden, tender chicken infused with irresistible flavors.

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Take 4 boneless/bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, evenly sprinkle salt and turmeric powder on both sides of the chicken thighs. Massage the seasoning into the chicken thighs to ensure it is evenly distributed.

Step 2

Place a small bowl upside down in the center of a large pasta bowl, place the chicken thighs around the bowl, place a slice of ginger on each chicken thigh. Optionally drizzle the chicken thighs with some cooking wine. Set the pasta bowl on a steamer (or on a steaming rack placed inside a large pot), fill it with cold water, steam over medium high heat for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Once the chicken thighs are fully cooked, move them to a separate plate and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Once the chicken thighs are not too hot to touch, if using bone-in chicken thighs, carefully remove the bones. Then, slice the chicken thighs into 1-inch thick pieces. Cover the sliced chicken thighs with plastic wrap and refrigerate them.

Step 4

Wash 2 cups of rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear.

Step 5

Take the chicken broth from the pasta bowl and pour it into a measuring cup. Add enough water to the cup to make the total liquid volume reach 2⅕ cups (See note 1).

Step 6

Transfer the washed rice to a rice cooker or an instant pot, add the chicken broth you made in previous step, and ½ tsp of salt to cook the rice.

Step 7

After cooking, the top layer of rice may be drier while the bottom layer may be stickier. To evenly distribute the texture, use a rice spoon to fluff the cooked rice until it is well blended.

Step 8

Add chopped scallions, minced ginger, salt, sugar, Sichuan peppercorns (optional), chopped cilantros (optional), and chopped Thai chili pepper (optional) into a heat-resistant bowl. Add 2 tbsps of vegetable oil into a small saucepan, heat it on stovetop until smoking hot. Carefully drizzle the hot oil over the prepared ingredients. Add 2 tbsps of soy sauce and stir thoroughly to ensure even mixing.

Step 9

Serve the sliced chicken thighs on a plate alongside the rice. You can either drizzle the dipping sauce over the chicken thighs or offer it separately in a small dipping dish. (It's worth noting that Hainanese chicken is most tasty when served chilled, while the rice is at its best when served hot. It would be smart to prepare the chicken thighs the night before and cook the rice just before serving your meal.)

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