Description
This One Pot Hainanese Chicken and Rice recipe offers a flavorful and comforting meal featuring tender, skin-on chicken thighs cooked alongside fragrant jasmine rice infused with ginger, garlic, and shallots. Enhanced by a homemade green onion oil and served with chili sauce and fresh cucumbers, this dish is a deliciously simple take on a classic Southeast Asian favorite that can be prepared entirely on the stovetop in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Rice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp rendered chicken fat or neutral oil
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 cup white jasmine rice
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 2 whole green onions
Green Onion Oil
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- Salt to taste
To Serve
- Chili sauce
- Sliced cucumbers
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Rub the chicken thighs evenly with kosher salt. Set aside to allow the salt to enhance the flavor and tighten the skin, which helps achieve a better texture during cooking.
- Sauté Aromatics and Rice: In a pot or pan with a lid, heat chicken fat or neutral oil over medium heat. Add the minced ginger, garlic, and finely diced shallot. Cook while stirring frequently until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Then stir in the jasmine rice and fry gently until the grains appear glossy and well coated with the oil.
- Add Stock and Chicken: Pour the low sodium chicken stock into the pot. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up on top of the rice, then layer the whole green onions on top of the chicken and rice.
- Cook Rice and Chicken: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it begins simmering, cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 17 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the liquid fully and for the chicken to cook through gently.
- Rest: Turn off the heat but keep the pot covered. Let the chicken and rice rest for 10 minutes. This resting time ensures the chicken finishes cooking evenly and rice becomes fluffy.
- Make Green Onion Oil: While the rice cooks, place the thinly sliced green onions in a deep, heatproof bowl. Heat the neutral oil in a small pot over medium heat until it reaches about 275°F (135°C). Remove from heat and carefully pour the hot oil over the green onions. The sizzling reaction will release the onion’s flavors. Stir in salt to taste and set aside.
- Serve: After resting, discard the whole green onions from the pot. Remove the chicken thighs and slice them. Fluff the rice with a fork. Serve the sliced chicken and rice adorned with drizzles of the green onion oil, alongside sliced cucumbers and chili sauce for added flavor. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use low sodium chicken stock to control salt levels while ensuring rich flavor.
- Resting the rice and chicken after cooking helps improve texture and flavor absorption.
- The green onion oil adds a fragrant, savory oiliness that complements the dish perfectly.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the chicken skin crispiness and rice texture at their best.
- For extra flavor, use rendered chicken fat instead of neutral oil when sautéing the aromatics and rice.
