Hainanese chicken rice is a famous dish featuring soft and fluffy rice, tender pieces of chicken, and savory sauces. This easy recipe for Instant Pot Hainanese chicken rice is cooked in chicken fat and chicken stock, making the rice rich and flavorful. The fresh cilantro also brightens this dish and gives it a citrusy flavor that is excellent with the chicken.
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Although Hainanese chicken rice can be challenging to make, this Instant Pot recipe makes it a super easy one-pot dish. This super simple recipe removes all of the extra steps, including boiling the chicken and placing it in an ice bath.
As a result, Instant Pot Hainanese chicken rice tastes just as authentic. It has all the necessary flavors and ingredients without the added cooking techniques or skills.
What Is Hainanese Chicken?
A common misconception is that Hainanese chicken originated in Hainan, a region in China that is well renowned for its food.
However, Hainanese chicken was invented in Singapore and is even the country’s national dish.
This dish is called Hainanese chicken because it was created by Hainanese chefs. They used ingredients and flavors from Hainan.
Hainanese Chicken Rice is a dish with lightly poached chicken, seasoned rice, and soy sauce. It is also served with fresh cucumbers, cilantro, green onion, and chili sauce.
This delicious chicken dish can be found all over Asia, and each country seems to have made its own version of the dish.
For example, Hong Kong has its own poached chicken called bai qi ji, Malaysia has Nasi Ayam, and Thailand has Khao Man Gai.
Is Hainanese Chicken Healthy?
Yes, Hainanese chicken rice is very healthy! It consists of poached chicken with flavorful rice and soy sauce.
Since it isn’t pan-fried or cooked on a grill, it doesn’t have extra fats or oils.
Hainanese chicken is a well-balanced dish with lots of protein and healthy carbohydrates. It is low in fats and sodium and has all-natural flavors and seasonings.
Related:
Exfoliate Chicken With Salt
Before making Hainanese chicken, the chicken should always be exfoliated with salt. This will remove any slime, bits of dead skin, or any other impurities.
Scrubbing the chicken with salt makes the chicken skin smooth, shiny, and springy.
This step is essential to make the best instant pot Hainanese chicken rice since the silky chicken skin is one of the most notable parts of this famous dish.
What is an Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is a programmable pressure cooker that speeds up cooking by 2 to 10 times while using up to 70% less energy.
In short, it’s a very multi-purpose cooking appliance and has been a kitchen appliance staple of mine for the last two years. As a result, it’s simply the perfect go-to appliance for busy weeknights!
If you’re unsure what size Instant Pot to get, here is my size recommendation:
- 1 to 2 people, get the Instant Pot Mini 3 Quart
- 2 to 4 people, get the Instant Pot 6 Quart
- More than 4 people, get the Instant Pot 8 Quart
I’m using the Instant Pot Mini 3 Quart for all my Instant Pot recipes.
Recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ingredients
Servings: 2
- 1 pound of boneless skin-on chicken thigh (you can use bone-in, but the cooking time will be a little longer)
- 3/4 rice cups jasmine rice
- 3 large slices of ginger
- 3 stalks of green onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 rice cups chicken bone broth
- season with salt
- garnish with cilantro
- serve with rice and an English cucumber (Persian cucumbers are an excellent substitute!)
Hainanese Chicken Sauces
Ginger Scallion Sauce
- 3/4 tbsp ginger (finely minced)
- 1 tbsp green onion (finely minced)
- 80 ml of refined coconut oil
Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
Cookware and Tools
Fast and Easy Recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice (Step-by-Step)
Step 1. Wash the Rice
Measure 3/4 rice cups of jasmine rice. Wash the rice using a rice washing bowl until the water is clear. Then, set the rice aside.
Step 2. Prep the Ingredients
Thinly slice the ginger into 3 slices. Of course, you can always add more or less, but I like lots of ginger!
Next, remove the skins of the garlic and mince it.
Lastly, mince the green part of the green onion and save the white part of the green onion separately.
For the chicken, wash and rinse it with salt (to clean the chicken), then season it again with salt.
Step 3. Cook the Aromatics
On Saute mode, cook the garlic and ginger for about 1 minute or until it’s aromatic (don’t let it burn!).
Next, add the rice, mix it thoroughly for a few seconds, then turn off the Instant Pot.
Step 4. Assemble the ingredients into the Instant Pot
Add chicken broth to the rice mixture. Season it with salt.
Then, place the chicken thigh on top of the rice. Lastly, place the ends of the green onion right on top of the rice.
Step 5. Cook the Chicken and Rice
Close the lid and turn the knob to seal in the pressure. Under settings, select Manual or Pressure Cook on High Normal for 20 minutes. If you plan to cook with bone-in chicken thighs, I recommend cooking for an additional 10 until it’s fully cooked through.
After the Instant Pot beeps, turn the valve to release the pressure. Carefully remove the chicken thighs onto a plate for 10 to 15 minutes to cool down.
Meanwhile, remove the ginger and green onions from the Instant Pot. Next, fluff the rice and scoop them into each serving bowl.
Step 6. Cut the Chicken
After the chicken thighs have cooled, cut them into slices. If you have bone-in chicken thighs, carefully remove the bones and try to not disturb the skin.
Once the bones have been removed, cut them into slices. Then, place the chicken thighs on top of the rice.
Step 7. Make the Sauce
Combine the minced green onion and ginger in a small dipping bowl to make the ginger scallion sauce.
Heat the refined coconut oil in a small saucepan. Then, pour the oil over the green onion and ginger mixture and combine.
To make the soy sauce for Hainanese chicken rice, combine and stir the tamari and sesame oil.
Step 8. Plate the Hainanese Ginger Chicken
Serve the Hainanese chicken with sliced cucumbers, drizzled with the soy sauce mixture and a spoonful of the ginger scallion sauce alongside the chili paste. Garnish with cilantro.
How To Store Hainanese Chicken Rice
Any leftover Hainanese chicken rice can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days.
You can keep the rice and chicken in separate containers or place them together.
When you are ready to eat the leftovers, heat them in a microwave for about a minute until the dish is warm.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below! I’d love to hear from you.
Easy Recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice (in the Instant Pot!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skin-on chicken thigh (you can use bone-in, but the cooking time will be a little longer)
- 3/4 rice cup jasmine rice
- 3 large ginger slices
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 rice cup chicken bone broth
- season with salt
- garnish with cilantro
- serve with rice and English cucumbers (Persian cucumbers are an excellent substitute!)
Ginger Scallion Sauce
- 3/4 tbsp ginger (finely minced)
- 1 tbsp green onion (finely minced)
- 80 ml refined coconut oil
Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Measure 3/4 rice cups of jasmine rice. Wash the rice using a rice washing bowl until the water is clear. Then, set the rice aside.
- Thinly slice the ginger into 3 slices. Of course, you can always add more or less, but I like lots of ginger! Next, remove the skins of the garlic and mince it. Lastly, mince the green part of the green onion and save the white part of the green onion separately. For the chicken, wash and rinse it with salt (to clean the chicken), then season it again with salt.
- On Saute mode, cook the garlic and ginger for about 1 minute or until it’s aromatic (don’t let it burn!). Next, add the rice, mix it thoroughly for a few seconds, then turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add chicken broth to the rice mixture. Season it with salt. Then, place the chicken thigh on top of the rice. Lastly, place the ends of the green onion right on top of the rice.
- Close the lid and turn the knob to seal in the pressure. Under settings, select Manual or Pressure Cook on High Normal for 20 minutes. If you plan to cook with bone-in chicken thighs, I recommend cooking for an additional 10 until it’s fully cooked through. After the Instant Pot beeps, turn the valve to release the pressure. Carefully remove the chicken thighs onto a plate for 10 to 15 minutes to cool down.
- After the Instant Pot beeps, turn the valve to release the pressure. Carefully remove the chicken thighs onto a plate for 10 to 15 minutes to cool down. Meanwhile, remove the ginger and green onions from the Instant Pot. Next, fluff the rice and scoop them into each serving bowl.
- After the chicken thighs have cooled, cut them into slices. If you have bone-in chicken thighs, carefully remove the bones and try to not disturb the skin. Once the bones have been removed, cut them into slices. Then, place the chicken thighs on top of the rice.
- Combine the minced green onion and ginger in a small dipping bowl to make the ginger scallion sauce. Heat the refined coconut oil in a small saucepan. Then, pour the oil over the green onion and ginger mixture and combine. To make the soy sauce for Hainanese chicken rice, combine and stir the tamari and sesame oil.
- Serve the Hainanese chicken with sliced cucumbers, drizzled with the soy sauce mixture and a spoonful of the ginger scallion sauce alongside the chili paste. Garnish with cilantro.
