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Hainanese Chicken Rice
Recipe by Eric Mao
Dig into the tastiest Hainanese Chicken Rice, served with poached chicken, chicken broth and chicken skin chips.
- Steps
- Ingredients
Ingredients
Poached Chicken and Chicken Broth
Chicken Skin Chips
Chicken Rice
Light Soy Dressing
Tart Chilli Relish
Garnish
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Steps
- For the Poached Chicken and Chicken Broth, trim chicken of excess fat and skin and set aside.
- Place the trimmed whole chicken into a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer on medium heat.
- Chop the spring onions into roughly 8cm batons and give a light bash with the back of your knife and add to the saucepan. Chop the ginger into rough slices and give a light bash with back of your knife. Add to the saucepan along with the coriander and season lightly with salt.
- Return the liquid to a simmer then continue to gently simmer until chicken is cooked through, around 45 minutes. Skim the surface of the stock occasionally with a fine mesh strainer to remove impurities and excess oil.
- Remove the chicken from the stock and plunge in a bowl of salted iced water and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, break the chicken into thigh, breast and drumstick pieces, and remove the thigh bone. Brush the skin of the chicken portions with sesame oil and set aside, covered loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Strain the stock through a large fine sieve into a large saucepan. Season with salt, to taste, cover with a lid and set aside, keeping warm.
- For the Chicken Skin Chips, use a paper towel to dry the chicken skin and fat.
- Place into a medium saucepan with peanut oil and place over very low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally to allow fat to render and skin to crisp, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set the chicken skin aside on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.
- For the Chicken Rice, place rice in a fine sieve and wash three times until water runs clear. Set aside to drain.
- Return the pan of rendered chicken fat to a medium heat.
- Add the shallots, garlic and ginger and sauté until golden and soft, about 3-4 minutes. Spoon off 1 tablespoon oil and set aside for the Soy Dressing.
- Add the washed rice and mix gently. Ladle in the Chicken Broth. Tie pandan leaf into a knot and place on top of the rice. Season with salt, cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer until rice is tender, about 12 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and set aside, covered. To keep warm.
- For the Ginger and Spring Onion Oil, place the ginger and spring onion in a small heatproof bowl and add a generous pinch of salt.
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan pan until smoking hot.
- Immediately pour the hot oil over the ginger and spring onion and allow to sizzle.
- Transfer to a small serving ramekin and set aside.
- For the Soy Dressing, combine ingredients in a bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a small serving ramekin and set aside.
- For the Tart Chilli Relish, place all the ingredients into a small food processor and pulse a few times until a chunky sauce consistency is achieved. Transfer to a small ramekin.
- To serve, pack the Chicken Rice into a small rice bowl and invert onto serving plates and garnish with the coriander and cucumber. Slice the chicken breasts and thighs into 1cm wide strips and place onto a plate with the drumsticks. Serve with the Tart Chilli Relish, Soy Dressing and Ginger and Spring Onion Oil, Chicken Skin Chips and hot Chicken Broth on the side.
