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hainanese chicken rice recipe.

 


🍚 Authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe (Singapore’s National Dish)

If you’re looking for the most famous Singaporean recipe, nothing beats Hainanese Chicken Rice. Known as Singapore’s national dish, this comforting meal combines tender poached chicken, fragrant rice cooked in chicken fat, and spicy chili sauce. It’s simple, flavorful, and one of the most searched Asian recipes worldwide.

In this post, I’ll show you how to make authentic Hainanese chicken rice at home with step-by-step instructions, tips, and variations.

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Authentic taste like the ones you’ll find in Singapore hawker stalls.
  • A complete meal with protein, carbs, and flavor-packed sauces.
  • Comfort food that’s easy to cook in one pot.

🥘 Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Chicken:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 3–4 lbs)
  • 1 tbsp salt (for rubbing skin)
  • 5 slices fresh ginger
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 stalks green onion
  • Water (enough to cover chicken)

For the Rice:

  • 2 cups jasmine rice
  • 2 tbsp chicken fat or vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 slices ginger
  • 2 ½ cups chicken stock (from boiling chicken)

For the Chili Sauce:

  • 5 red chilies
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt

Optional Garnishes:

  • Soy sauce
  • Fresh cucumber slices
  • Cilantro

👩‍🍳 How to Make Hainanese Chicken Rice

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

  1. Rub chicken skin with salt to remove impurities, then rinse.
  2. In a large pot, add water, ginger, garlic, and green onions.
  3. Bring to a boil, then gently poach the chicken for 35–40 minutes.
  4. Once cooked, transfer chicken to an ice bath for 5 minutes to keep skin firm and juicy.

Step 2: Cook the Rice

  1. Rinse jasmine rice until water runs clear.
  2. Heat chicken fat or oil in a pan, sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant.
  3. Add rice and stir well.
  4. Transfer to a rice cooker, add chicken stock, and cook.

Step 3: Make the Chili Sauce

  1. Blend chilies, garlic, ginger, lime juice, sugar, and salt until smooth.
  2. Adjust spice level to taste.

Step 4: Serve

  1. Chop chicken into serving pieces.
  2. Plate with fragrant rice, drizzle with soy sauce, and add chili sauce.
  3. Garnish with cucumber slices and cilantro.

💡 Recipe Tips & Variations

  • For extra flavor, rub chicken skin with sesame oil before serving.
  • Add pandan leaves to rice for a more authentic aroma.
  • Make it low-fat by using skinless chicken breast instead of whole chicken.
  • Pair with a light chicken broth for a complete Singaporean experience.

🌍 Serving Suggestions

  • Perfect for weeknight dinners or family gatherings.
  • Serve with extra dipping sauces like ginger-scallion sauce or dark soy sauce.
  • Great to meal prep — you can store chicken and rice separately in the fridge.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What type of rice is best?
A: Jasmine rice is ideal for authentic flavor and aroma.

Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of whole chicken?
A: Yes! Bone-in chicken thighs are easier to cook and still flavorful.

Q: Is Hainanese chicken rice spicy?
A: The rice itself is mild, but the chili sauce adds heat.

📌 Final Thoughts

Hainanese Chicken Rice is a must-try Singaporean dish that’s loved worldwide. With this step-by-step recipe, you can recreate the authentic taste right in your kitchen. Soft chicken, aromatic rice, and bold chili sauce — this is the perfect comfort food from Singapore.

👉 Try this recipe and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

✅ Similar Recipes to Hainanese Chicken Rice

  1. Thai Khao Man Gai (Thai Chicken Rice) 🇹🇭

    • The Thai cousin of Hainanese chicken rice.
    • Served with tender poached chicken, rice cooked in chicken broth, and a garlicky soybean paste dipping sauce.

  2. Malaysian Nasi Ayam (Malaysian Chicken Rice) 🇲🇾

    • Very similar to Singapore’s version but often paired with a darker soy-based sauce and spicier chili sambal.
    • Great for interlinking between Singaporean and Malaysian food.

  3. Ginger Scallion Chicken with Rice 🥢

    • Steamed chicken served with fragrant rice and a ginger-scallion oil dipping sauce.
    • Simple, aromatic, and healthy.

  4. Chicken Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge) 🍲

    • Comforting rice porridge cooked with chicken, ginger, and scallions.
    • Popular breakfast in Singapore and across Asia.

  5. Soy Sauce Chicken with Rice 🍛

    • Braised chicken in soy sauce and spices, paired with fragrant rice.
    • A hawker stall favorite, often served as an alternative to Hainanese chicken rice.

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