Love Hainanese Chicken Rice but not a fan of raw onions or soft chicken skin?
In this easy recipe, the chicken skin is cooked until crispy, and the sauce is made without raw onion. It’s super simple—just use a rice cooker, and you’ve got a one-plate meal perfect for busy days!
Ingredients
| Uncooked rice | 1 cup(approx. 150g / 5.3 oz) |
| Chicken thigh with skin | 1(about 350g / 12 oz) |
| Salt | about 4 shakes for seasoning |
| Garlic (or garlic paste) | 1 clove |
| Ginger (or ginger paste) | 2 cm piece |
| Sake or cooking wine | 1 tbsp |
| Chicken stock powder | 1/2 tsp |
| Sesame oil | 1 tsp |
| Cilantro, black pepper, fried egg, etc. | for topping (optional) |
| 【Sauce】 | |
| Sugar | 2 tsp |
| Vinegar | 2 tsp |
| Soy sauce | 1 tbsp |
| Grated ginger (or ginger paste) | 1/2 tsp |
| Sliced red chili | (optional) |
How to Make
1⃣ Prep the Ingredients
Remove the skin from the chicken thigh and set it aside. Season the chicken with salt.
Mince the garlic and thinly slice the ginger (skip this step if using paste).
Tear the cilantro into bite-size pieces if using.
2⃣ Sauté the Garlic & Ginger
In a frying pan, heat 1 tsp of sesame oil and lightly sauté the garlic and ginger on low heat for about 2–3 minutes.
(You can skip this step if using paste, but sautéing adds a nice aroma.)
3⃣ Prepare the Rice Cooker
Rinse 1 rice cup of rice and place it in the rice cooker. Add the chicken stock powder, sake, sautéed garlic and ginger (or paste), and the sesame oil used for sautéing.
Reduce the water level by 4–5 tablespoons compared to usual.
Tip: Since the chicken will release moisture as it cooks, reducing the water prevents soggy rice.
4⃣ Add the Chicken & Cook
Place the seasoned chicken on top of the rice and cook as usual in your rice cooker.
5⃣ Make Crispy Chicken Skin
While the rice is cooking, place the chicken skin in a cold frying pan and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes until crispy.
No need to add oil—it will release its own fat!
6⃣ Make the Sauce
In a small bowl, mix together all sauce ingredients: sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, and chili (if using).
7⃣ Serve
Once the rice is done, slice the cooked chicken and crispy skin.
Serve the rice on a plate, top with chicken, pour over the sauce, and add your favorite toppings like cilantro, black pepper, or a fried egg.
Want to recreate the real Hainanese chicken rice look?
Use a small bowl to mold the rice—press it in firmly, then flip it onto the plate to make a nice, round shape!
One-plate meals are not just beautiful—they’re also super practical. The flavorful chicken fat-infused rice mixes with the sauce and creamy egg yolk, making every bite incredibly tasty.
If you thought “Yum!”—share it on Twitter/X!
And if you try making it, tag me—I’d love to see your creation!
