Hainanese Chicken Claypot Rice

What happens when you combine two iconic asian rice dishes, Hong Kong claypot rice and Singaporean Hainanese Chicken Rice? You get something that’s comforting but also a crispy flavour bomb. Keep reading to find out how to make it!

what is hainanese chicken claypot rice?

This dish is exactly what it sounds like! I took Singapore’s national dish and paired it with Hong Kong’s claypot rice (bo zai faan) to create this baby.

Hainanese chicken rice is all about poached chicken and seasoned rice, usually served with a punchy garlic and ginger chilli sauce, with sliced cucumber on the side. Claypot rice, on the other hand, is famous for its smoky charred flavour and signature crispy rice crust at the bottom.

This fusion recipe uses claypot rice technique but with all the flavours of Hainanese chicken rice! The chicken fat and aromatics soaks straight into the rice, the chicken thighs are gently cooked on top of the rice so it stays juicy, and you still get that golden crust underneath.

It’s basically the best of both worlds in one pot 😉

what you’ll need

*to make the three dipping sauces (ginger scallion oil, chilli and garlic sauce & sweet dark soy sauce), check out my Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe!

• 2 chicken thighs, deboned
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped (garnish)

rice:

• Excess skin cut from the chicken thighs
• 1/2 shallot, finely diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
• 3/4 cup jasmine rice
• 3/4 cup chicken broth (reserve 2 tbsp for the sweet dark soy sauce)

chicken marinade:

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 white pepper powder
• 2 tsp sesame oil

how to make hainanese chicken claypot rice

1. Rinse the jasmine rice 3 times, then soak in clean water for 1 hour to soften it and speed up cooking. After soaking, drain and set the rice aside.
2. Trim off excess skin and fat from the chicken thighs and save it for cooking the rice.
3. Marinate the chicken with ingredients listed above. Make the three dipping sauces (sweet dark soy, ginger scallion oil, and chilli) — you can check out my Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe for the full dipping sauce recipe.
4. Heat a claypot over low-medium heat. Add the reserved chicken skin and fat and sauté for 5 minutes to render the oil.
5. Add shallots, garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry for a minute until fragrant.
6. Add the drained rice and chicken broth. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, lifting the lid briefly to stir once or twice so the rice doesn’t stick to the pot.
7. Place the marinated chicken on top of the rice. Cover the pot with a lid. Drizzle a bit of oil around the edges of the pot, then cook on low heat for 12-15 minutes. After about 10 minutes, you should start to hear a sizzling sound—this means the fat and juices are dripping down to the bottom of the pot, creating that crispy rice layer.
8. After 12–15 minutes, lift the lid and check that the chicken is fully cooked. Cover the pot again, drizzle a little more oil, and turn the heat up to medium. Tilt and rotate the pot so each side gets a chance to crisp, cooking for about 30 seconds per side. Then turn off the heat.
   
9. Slice the chicken, return it to the pot, and serve immediately with cucumber, green onion, and the three sauces.

top tips for making hainanese chicken claypot rice

1) keep the chicken skin and fat

Before marinating the chicken, trim off any excess skin and fat but don’t throw it away! This is the secret to making aromatic rice for Hainanese chicken rice. When you render it down, the fat melts into oil that flavours the rice and makes it extra fragrant.

2) add a little bit of turmeric

This is not traditional, but I like to add a pinch of turmeric to the chicken marinade. It gives the meat a nice golden colour, adds a subtle earthy flavour, and has some health benefits too!

3) soak the rice

When making claypot rice, I like to soak the rice for an hour to soften the grains so they cook more evenly and a little faster. It also helps the rice absorb flavour better and prevent a hard chalky centre. For more tips on making the best claypot rice at home, scroll to the bottom of the post and check out the detailed “Tips” section.

4) use chicken broth, not water

Cooking the rice in chicken broth instead of plain water infuses the rice with flavour and makes it taste just like traditional Hainanese chicken rice!

check out my similar recipes

• Hainanese Chicken Rice
• Cantonese Claypot Rice
• Claypot Rice with Black Bean Pork

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