UNIQUE Hainanese Chicken Rice + Cutting Chicken With Scissors

whole chicken

🥗Healthier: skinless chicken breast

💰Cheaper: bone-in chicken thighs

Skinless breast reduces fat, while thighs are often less expensive.

jasmine rice

🥗Healthier: brown rice

💰Cheaper: white rice

Brown rice offers more fiber, while white rice is generally cheaper.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Low-sodium options reduce sodium intake, and tamari is gluten-free.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil is heart-healthy, while canola is often more affordable.

Start with a whole chicken, about 2 kg, preferably free-range for better flavor.

Prepare 4 liters of water in a large pot to poach the chicken.

Blanch the chicken in boiling water for about 5 minutes to clean it, removing any scum that forms on the surface.

Drain the water to ensure the soup remains clear.

Poach the chicken in fresh hot water with spring onions, pandan, garlic, ginger, and dried anchovies for flavor.

While the chicken is poaching, prepare the rice by mixing long grain jasmine rice and glutinous rice.

Wash the rice, then fry it in chicken fat with pandan leaves until nicely coated.

Transfer the rice to a rice cooker and add water, adjusting to about 4 cups of water for the rice.

Prepare the soy gravy by steeping bonito flakes and kombu in hot water for 15-30 minutes, then adding soy sauce and sesame oil.

For the chili sauce, blend large chilies and bird's eye chilies with garlic, shallots, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, and a cup of dashi stock, then season with salt.

After poaching, transfer the chicken to an ice water bath for 5-10 minutes to stop the cooking process and ensure tender meat.

Use scissors to cut the chicken into pieces, starting with the thighs and wings, locating the joints for easier cutting.

Serve the chicken pieces over the prepared rice, garnished with coriander and spring onions.

Equipment Needed