Cơm Gà Hải Nam is Vietnam’s spin on Hainanese chicken rice – juicy poached chicken, fluffy rice cooked in chicken broth, and a zingy Ginger Fish Sauce that’s so good you’ll want it on everything.
Cơm Gà Hải Nam (Vietnamese-style Hainan chicken rice)
Chicken and rice is a winning combo anywhere in the world – and in Vietnam, we call it Cơm Gà.
There are loads of versions: from Hội An’s chicken rice with fresh chicken salad (Gỏi Gà) to my hometown favorite, Cơm Gà Nha Trang, with shredded poached chicken and Vietnamese mayo. Then there’s crispy fried chicken rice (Cơm Gà Xối Mỡ), smoky lemongrass grilled chicken (Cơm Gà Nướng), and more.
Like the rest of Southeast Asia, Hainanese chicken rice made its way here with Southern Chinese migrants – and every country added its own flair. In Singapore and Malaysia, it comes with three iconic sauces (ginger-scallion, chili, and sesame soy). In Thailand, it’s Khao Man Gai, served with a funky, umami-packed soybean sauce.
Vietnam’s version? Cơm Gà Hải Nam – the Saigon favorite. It stays true to the tender poached chicken and fragrant rice but takes it up a notch with a zingy Ginger Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm Gừng), turmeric-golden chicken skin, and fragrant hints of lemongrass and lime leaves in the broth.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Rice
- Chicken – I used 2 chicken leg quarters, but half a whole chicken works too.
- Turmeric (or turmeric powder) – For that gorgeous golden skin! Native Vietnamese chicken is naturally yellow, but we cheat a little with turmeric. It’s also the secret color in Bánh Xèo (crispy pancakes), Mì Quảng, and Chả Cá Lã Vọng.
- Jasmine Rice – Don’t swap it with basmati! Jasmine rice gives you that signature soft, fragrant texture.
- Aromatics – Onion, ginger, lime leaves, scallions, lemongrass – these are what make the poaching liquid smell incredible. Got pandan leaves or cilantro roots? Toss them in too!
- Seasonings – Just chicken powder and salt.
- Garnish – Sliced cucumber and tomato for a fresh, crunchy finish.
For the Dipping Sauce
- Ginger – Finely minced, bringing that signature zing.
- Chili – For a little kick.
- Fish sauce – Savory and rich.
- Sugar – Balances the flavors.
- Chicken broth (or water) – Adds depth.
- Vinegar – For tang.
- Sautéed scallions (white part) – Optional, but I love the extra flavor hit.
Not a fan of ginger? Go for a classic Nước Chấm (garlic-chili fish sauce) instead.
Helpful Tips
- Go for good chicken – Free-range or organic chicken will give you the best flavor (totally worth it!).
- Chicken fat = flavor bomb – If you’ve got some chicken fat, use it to sauté the rice. It takes the flavor up a notch! (But don’t stress – regular oil works just fine.)
- In a rush? Try my Instant Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice – all the goodness, way faster.
Craving More? Try These Vietnamese Chicken Recipes!
(Hanoi-style)
(Vietnamese Ginger Chicken)
(Spicy Lemongrass Chicken)
Hainanese Chicken Rice – Vietnam-Style!
Equipment
- 1 stock pot
- 1 rice cooker
Ingredients
Chicken Rice
- 2 chicken leg quarters
- 2 cup water (500ml) (just enough to cover the chicken in the pot)
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (slightly pounded)
- 1 large piece ginger (3inch or 7cm) (sliced)
- 2 Kaffir leaves
- ½ tbsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp Chicken powder (adjust to taste)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder (for cooking rice)
Ginger Fishsauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2½ tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp chicken broth (or water)
- ½ tsp vinegar
- 2 slice ginger (15g) (minced)
- 1 Thai Bird's eye chili (minced)
- Sautéed scallion stem (saved from sautéing the rice)
Instructions
Poaching chicken:
- In a pot, add water along with all the aromatics and seasonings: onion, ginger, lime leaves, scallions, lemongrass, turmeric powder, salt, and chicken powder.
- Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, allowing the aromatics to infuse their flavors.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. When the water is gently bubbling, gently introduce the chicken legs.
- Poach the chicken over low heat for 20 minutes with the lid on. Afterwards, turn off the heat and let the chicken rest for an additional 15 minutes.
- To check if the chicken is done, use a chopstick to pierce the thickest part. It's fully cooked when no pink juices come out.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and wrap it in plastic wrap. Keep the chicken broth.
Cooking chicken rice:
- While the chicken is simmering, you can prepare the rice. Rinse the rice with water and drain it well.
- In a pot, heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil (or rendered chicken fat). Add the white part of the scallions and sauté until they become fragrant and slightly golden.
- Remove the scallions and set them aside for making the dipping sauce later.
- Stir-fry the Jasmine rice with the scallion-infused oil and turmeric powder until the rice turns translucent.
- Transfer the rice to a rice cooker pot and add the chicken broth (use slightly less liquid than usual because the rice is already partially cooked). Cook the rice.
Preparing the ginger fish sauce:
- Mix together all the sauce ingredients – fish sauce, sugar, minced ginger, chili, chicken broth, vinegar, and the sautéed scallions.
Serving
- Debone the chicken legs and cut them into bite-sized pieces (optional).
- Serve Cơm Gà Hải Nam with slices of cucumber, tomato, and the ginger fish sauce. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Opt for high-quality organic or free-range chicken.
- Using chicken fat for sautéing the rice. It can enhance the flavor.
- If you don’t need your poached chicken with yellow skin, you can omit the turmeric powder.
