Tender Poached Chicken Served with Fragrant Ginger-Garlic Rice and Fresh Accompaniments
Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice is a comforting dish built around tender chicken and aromatic rice. The chicken is gently simmered with onion, garlic and ginger, allowing the broth to develop a delicate savoury flavour. This cooking liquid is then used to prepare the rice, giving every grain a rich, chicken-infused aroma.
The rice is sautéed with garlic and ginger before being cooked in the reserved stock, creating a fragrant and satisfying base for the sliced chicken. Fresh cucumber adds a cool, crisp contrast, while spring onions bring a touch of freshness. Served with chilli-garlic sauce, ginger-spring-onion sauce and light soy, the dish combines mild flavours with bright, savoury and spicy accompaniments.
Ingredients
750 g basmati rice (4 cups), soaked for 20 minutes
1 whole chicken (1.2–1.5 kg)
2 litres water
1 onion
8 garlic cloves, divided
2 inches ginger, divided
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp chicken fat or butter
1 tbsp oil
5½ cups reserved chicken stock
Cucumber, sliced
Spring onions, chopped
Method
Simmer the Chicken: Place the whole chicken in a large pot with 2 litres of water, the onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 inch of ginger and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 35–40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Reserve 5½ cups of the broth for the rice.
Cool and Slice the Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken from the pot. Cool it briefly in ice water, then drain and slice into serving portions. Set aside while preparing the rice.
Prepare the Ginger-Garlic Base: Wash and drain the soaked rice. In a separate pot, heat the chicken fat or butter with the oil. Add the remaining 4 garlic cloves, minced, and the remaining 1 inch of ginger, finely chopped or grated. Sauté until fragrant.
Coat the Rice: Add the drained rice to the ginger-garlic mixture. Stir gently for about 2 minutes so the grains become lightly coated with the aromatic fat and absorb the flavours.
Cook the Rice in Chicken Stock: Pour in the reserved 5½ cups of chicken stock and season with salt if needed. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and cook over low heat for approximately 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Rest the Rice: Remove the pot from the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains without breaking them.
Arrange and Garnish: Transfer the fragrant rice to a serving platter. Arrange the sliced chicken alongside or over the rice, then garnish with cucumber slices and chopped spring onions.
Serve
Serve Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice with chilli-garlic sauce, ginger-spring-onion sauce, light soy sauce and a fresh cucumber salad. These accompaniments allow the mild, aromatic chicken and rice to shine while adding spicy, savoury and refreshing flavours to each serving.