Hainanese Chicken and Rice

By Diane UngerOctober 15, 2019

Makes
4 servings
Cook Time
1½ hours
Active time plus cooling
30 minutes active

Though this dish is named for Hainan province in China, it’s popular in several Southeast Asian countries and is widely regarded as one of Singapore’s national foods. It’s a humble preparation but is exceptional when done well: ultra-tender, super-silky poached chicken served with rice cooked in a rich, fragrant chicken broth, with Indonesian sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) and additional condiments offered alongside, such as our ginger-chili dipping sauce, see following recipe. Rather than use a whole chicken, which is traditional, we use chicken breasts to keep the cooking as brief as possible. An instant thermometer is the best way to test the chicken's doneness. If you can’t find sweet soy sauce but would like to offer it for serving, you can make your own.

Tip

Don't use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, as both the bones and skin are needed to give the rice rich, chicken flavor. When cooking the chicken, don't allow the broth to boil or even reach a vigorous simmer; this toughens the meat. A bare simmer keeps it tender and succulent.

Ingredients

2
quarts low-sodium chicken broth
6
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled, plus 4 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
5
ounces ginger, peeled and thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1
tablespoon white peppercorns
4
10- to 12-ounce bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, skin removed and reserved
2
shallots, halved and thinly sliced
1½
cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
3
scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Sliced cucumbers or shredded iceberg lettuce, to serve
Dipping sauce and/or sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), to serve

Step 1

In a large pot over medium-high, combine the broth, smashed garlic cloves, sliced ginger and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, then fully submerge the chicken breasts, meat side down.

Cover, reduce to low and cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a bare simmer, until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160°F, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 2

Transfer the chicken,meat side down, to a medium bowl. Pour 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid over the chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl; discard the solids. Reserve 2½ cups of the liquid; the remainder can be saved for another use. Reserve the pot.

Step 4

When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, keeping each breast in a single piece. Discard the bones. Return the meat to the bowl.

Step 5

Set the pot over medium and add the chicken skin. Cook, stirring and scraping often to prevent sticking, until the skin is rendered and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the shallots, the grated garlic and grated ginger and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are coated with fat, 2 to 5 minutes.

Carefully stir in 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid (reserve ½ cup of the remaining liquid for the dipping sauce), scraping the bottom of the pot.

Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cook until the rice absorbs the liquid, about 12 minutes.

Step 6

Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork and discard the chicken skin. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and sprinkle with scallions.

Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into ½-inch slices and arrange on a platter with the cucumbers or lettuce. Serve with the rice, dipping sauce and/or kecap manis.