My Mom’s Favorite Way to Use a Costco Chicken Is My Go-To Comfort Food
How to Make Authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice at Home | Easy Step-by-Step Guide
Growing up in a Thai-American household, watching my mom make Hainanese chicken rice is one of my fondest food memories. I’d watch her poach a whole chicken and use the resulting broth to cook rice seasoned with loads of pungent garlic and cilantro. Then, slices of the tender-juicy bird were served with the fragrant rice, drizzled with sweet soy, a spicy ginger-garlic dipping sauce, crunchy sliced cucumbers, and scallions, and a bowl of broth.
Over the years, my mom’s recipe for Hainanese chicken rice, also known as khao mun gai (chicken fat rice) in her native Thailand, has evolved. These days, she often uses a [Buy chicken fat] from a store-bought rotisserie chicken, a favorite among home cooks and chefs, instead of poaching her own bird. The store-bought chicken comes with lots of schmaltz, the key to infusing the rice with ultra-savory flavor. She throws the fat into the rice cooker with jasmine rice, chicken broth, and aromatics and whips up a quick sauce. The result is a meal that’s as delicious as the original but comes together in half the time.
Here’s what you need to know to make shortcut Hainanese chicken rice at home:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed Buy Jasmine Rice
- 1 Costco rotisserie chicken Buy Costco Rotisserie Chicken
- 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder Buy Chicken Bouillon Powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt Buy Salt
- 10 cilantro stems Buy Fresh Cilantro
- 5 to 10 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional) Buy Garlic
- Chopped cilantro Buy Chopped Cilantro
- Sliced cucumber Buy Cucumber
For ginger-garlic sauce:
- 10 cilantro stems Buy Fresh Cilantro
- 5 cloves garlic Buy Garlic
- 3 Thai chiles Buy Thai Chiles
- 2 tablespoons of minced or grated ginger Buy Minced Ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon Thai soybean paste or miso paste Buy Thai Soybean Paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce Buy Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons black soy sauce or hoisin sauce Buy Black Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar Buy Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar Buy Sugar
- Pinch of salt Buy Salt
For garlic-scallion sauce:
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions Buy Scallions
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger Buy Minced Ginger
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as peanut or grapeseed) Buy Neutral Oil
Directions:
- Put the jasmine rice into your rice cooker. Throw in the chicken fat from your rotisserie chicken, chicken bouillon powder, and salt. Then pour whatever amount of water your rice cooker usually calls for and follow your machine’s directions.
- To boost the flavor of the rice, my mom adds in about 10 cilantro stems and 5 to 10 cloves of crushed or minced garlic to the rice cooker before turning it on. While you can skip adding these ingredients, it’s a really easy way to elevate the dish with garlicky and subtly nutty notes.
- To make my mom’s spicy, umami-rich sauce, use your food processor to puree all of the ingredients for the ginger-garlic sauce. And/or to make a ginger-scallion sauce, put the sliced scallions and minced ginger in a medium heat-safe bowl; heat the oil on medium high until shimmering; and carefully pour the hot liquid on top of the ginger and scallions.
- Slice the chicken and serve it alongside the rice with the sauces of your choice. I also like to sprinkle some fresh cilantro on top and enjoy everything with slices of fresh cucumber.
Serving Suggestions & Variations:
- Accompany the dish with chutneys, pickles, or side dishes available on BharatBasket, such as Buy Chutney or Buy Pickles.
- Experiment with different serving portions or sauces to make the dish your own!
Conclusion:
Encourage your family and friends to try this authentic Hainanese chicken rice recipe and leave a comment below. Don’t forget to explore more Indian recipes on BharatBasket and enjoy homemade flavors!
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