Hainanese Poached Chicken Rice with Three Sauces

Steps

1. Step 1

   Fill a large bowl with cold water and plenty of ice and set it near the stove; you'll need it later. Rinse the chicken legs and pat them dry.

   5 min

   • 4 whole chicken legs (drumstick and thigh, about 3 lb total)
2. Step 2

   In a large pot, combine the water, ginger coins, smashed garlic, halved scallions and kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the chicken legs in skin side up. The water should cover them by an inch; add a little more if needed.

   10 min

   • 4 whole chicken legs (drumstick and thigh, about 3 lb total)
   • 3 quarts water
   • 1 piece fresh ginger (3-inch), sliced into coins
   • 6 cloves garlic
   • 4 scallions
   • 2 tbsp kosher salt
3. Step 3

   When the water returns to a bare simmer, turn the heat to low so the surface barely trembles (small bubbles, never a rolling boil). Poach gently for 25 minutes, until the thickest part of a thigh reads 170°F or the juices run clear when pierced.

   25 min, hands-off

4. Step 4

   Lift the legs out with tongs and plunge them into the ice water for 5 minutes. This stops the cooking and firms the skin. Drain, pat dry and rub lightly all over with the sesame oil. Set aside.

   5 min

   • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
5. Step 5

   Strain the broth and skim 2 tbsp of the fat from the top for the rice. Keep the rest of the broth hot on low heat for serving.

   5 min

   • 2 tbsp chicken fat skimmed from the broth, or neutral oil
6. Step 6

   Make the rice: heat the skimmed chicken fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Add the rinsed rice and stir for 2 minutes so every grain is coated.

   4 min

   • 2 cups jasmine rice
   • 2 tbsp chicken fat skimmed from the broth, or neutral oil
   • 3 cloves garlic
   • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
7. Step 7

   Pour in the reserved broth and the salt, stir once, and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes. Then take it off the heat and let it sit, still covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

   27 min, hands-off

   • 2 1/2 cups reserved poaching broth
   • 1/2 tsp salt
8. Step 8

   Make the ginger-scallion oil: put the minced scallions, grated ginger and salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat the neutral oil in a small pan over medium-high until it shimmers and a scrap of scallion sizzles hard, about 2 minutes. Pour the hot oil over the aromatics; it will hiss. Stir and let cool.

   6 min

   • 6 scallions
   • 3 tbsp fresh ginger
   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 1/3 cup neutral oil (peanut or vegetable)
9. Step 9

   Make the chili-garlic-lime sauce: blend the chiles, garlic, ginger, lime juice, sugar and salt to a coarse paste, then stir in the hot broth to loosen it. Taste and add more lime or salt as you like.

   5 min

   • 4 red chiles (such as Fresno or red jalapeño), stemmed and roughly chopped
   • 3 cloves garlic
   • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
   • 2 tbsp lime juice
   • 2 tsp sugar
   • 1/4 tsp salt
   • 3 tbsp hot poaching broth
10. Step 10

    Make the dark sweet soy: stir the kecap manis and soy sauce together in a small bowl.

    1 min

    • 3 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
    • 1 tsp soy sauce
11. Step 11

    Cut each chicken leg through the joint into thigh and drumstick, or chop into chunky pieces. Serve over or alongside the rice with cucumber slices, cilantro, the three sauces, and small bowls of the hot broth.

    5 min

    • 4 whole chicken legs (drumstick and thigh, about 3 lb total)
    • 1 cucumber
    • 1 bunch cilantro

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026