Easy Recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice (in the Instant Pot!)
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 it a rich and flavorful rice. The fresh cilantro also brightens this dish and gives it a citrusy flavor that is excellent with the chicken.
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.
Notes
Any leftover Hainanese chicken rice can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days.