Hainanese Chicken Rice (Khao Mun Gai)
9
- Prep Time20 mins
- Total Time45 mins
- Makes4 servings
Produced by Irene Ngo. Photography by Maya Visnyei. Food styling by Michael Elliott. Prop styling by Catherine Doherty. Makeup and hair by Sophie Hsin. Wardrobe by Space Vintage. Creative direction by Sun Ngo.
I ate this street food dish often while growing up in Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore. It’s simple but comforting, and eating it always makes me feel nostalgic, regardless of where in the world I am. — Irene Ngo, Food Content Director.
Ingredients
4 skin-on, boneless chicken thighs, about 500 g
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice, rinsed well and drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup kecap manis, or sweet soy sauce
chili oil, or chili crisp (optional)
Green-Onion Ginger Oil
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil
Instructions
For the Green Onion–Ginger Oil: Combine green onions, 1 tbsp ginger and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium- high until very hot, 2 to 3 min. Immediately pour over green onion mixture. It will sizzle. Set aside.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Season with pepper.
Heat a large, deep non-stick frying pan or pot over medium-high. Add chicken, skin side down. Cook until skin is golden and fat renders out, 2 to 3 min per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Remove pan from heat. Add rinsed rice, garlic and 2 tsp ginger to pan with chicken fat. Cook, stirring, 1 min. Pour in broth. Arrange chicken, skin side up, on top of rice. (It’s okay if broth covers chicken.) Return to stovetop and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 min.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and slice. Divide rice, chicken and cucumbers among plates. Serve with green onion–ginger oil, kecap manis and chili oil.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 755, Protein 27g, Carbohydrates 67g, Fat 41g, Fibre 3g, Sodium 1214mg.
Kitchen Tips
- Kecap manis is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce. Find it in your local Asian grocery store, or DIY by simmering 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1 1/2 tbsp each molasses and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium until slightly syrupy, 1 to 2 min.
- Rinsing rice will remove surface starches from the grains and prevent your cooked rice from being gummy. Rinse by covering rice with water in a large bowl, then run one hand through the grains several times until water turns milky. Drain rice. Repeat process until water is mostly clear.
Get more of the Chatelaine team's favourite comfort-food recipes, from pierogies to braised ribs.