This Instant Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice is my little love letter to the classic Hainan Chicken Rice – just with a modern, fuss-free twist.
Picture this: fragrant, fluffy rice that soaks up every bit of flavor, chicken so juicy it practically melts in your mouth, and a trio of sauces that make you want to lick the spoon. It’s simple, comforting, and bound to win over anyone lucky enough to snag a plate!
What is Hainanese Chicken Rice?
This beloved dish started with Chinese immigrants from Hainan, a tropical island in southern China. Inspired by Wenchang chicken – a local favorite and one of Hainan’s culinary gems – they brought the recipe with them to Southeast Asia.
Over the years, it evolved into the legendary chicken rice you’ll find today in Singapore and Malaysia.
The magic of Hainanese Chicken Rice is all in its beautiful simplicity: silky, tender poached chicken, rice that’s bursting with flavor from chicken fat (a.k.a. “oily rice” – 油飯), and three sauces you’ll want to drizzle on everything – a punchy chili sauce, a savory soy-sesame blend, and that irresistible scallion-ginger oil.
You’ll find other tasty cousins of this dish too, like Thailand’s Khao Man Gai or Malaysia’s Nasi Ayam. And if you ever find yourself wandering through Saigon’s Chinatown, you’ve got to try Cơm Gà Hải Nam – Vietnam’s own take on this beloved classic.
Why I Love This Recipe
The classic way to make Hainanese Chicken Rice is to poach a whole chicken slowly in a pot of simmering water. Delicious? Absolutely. But let’s be real – it’s a bit of a project, especially when you’re cooking just for yourself.
Being a huge fan of this dish, I went on a little quest to find an easier way to get all those amazing flavors without spending half the day in the kitchen. That’s when I discovered this Instant Pot version – all the goodness, none of the hassle!
And instead of the trio of classic Hainanese sauces, I like to keep things simple: a spicy soy-sesame sauce and a generous drizzle of ginger-scallion oil. Want to give it a Vietnamese twist? Our zesty ginger fish sauce (nước mắm gừng) is a match made in heaven with chicken rice.
What You’ll Need
- Two organic or free-range chicken leg quarters: Good chicken makes all the difference – the flavor is richer, and the meat stays beautifully tender.
- Jasmine rice: The go-to grain in Southeast Asian kitchens for its fragrant aroma. If you can’t find it, Japonica rice is a decent backup.
- Ginger, scallions, and garlic: The holy trinity of aromatics – perfect for infusing the rice with flavor and whipping up that heavenly ginger-scallion sauce.
- Soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and chili: The dream team for a tangy, savory soy dipping sauce with just the right amount of kick.
- Cucumber, tomatoes, or bok choy: Fresh, crisp veggies to add color, crunch, and balance to your chicken rice plate.
Instructions
Make the Sauces First
Scallion-Ginger Sauce:
Grab a heatproof bowl and toss in chopped scallion greens, minced ginger, a pinch of sugar, salt, and some chopped chili if you want a little kick. Heat up a good splash of oil until it’s almost smoking, then carefully pour it over the mix – it’ll sizzle and smell amazing. Give it a stir and let it cool.
Soy-Sesame Sauce:
Mix together light soy sauce, fresh lime juice, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Taste and adjust as you go – add more soy for saltiness, lime for tang, or sesame for nuttiness. Throw in chopped chili if you like things spicy.
Prep the Chicken Rice
Get Ingredients Ready:
Rub the chicken legs with coarse salt like you’re giving them a quick spa scrub. Rinse well and pat dry with kitchen paper. Wash your jasmine rice until the water runs clear, then drain it really well.
Sauté the Rice:
Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” and heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add sliced ginger, the white part of the scallions, and minced garlic. Let them sizzle for 1–3 minutes until your kitchen smells heavenly. Add the drained rice and stir for 30 seconds until it looks slightly glossy. Scrape the bottom so nothing sticks, then season with ½ tsp chicken powder.
Cook Everything Together:
Turn off “Sauté.” Lay the chicken legs right on top of the rice. Pour in 1 cup (240ml) water (that perfect 1:1 ratio with rice). Seal the lid, set to high pressure, and cook for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes – no peeking!
Time to Serve
Chicken: Brush with sesame oil, debone, and slice into bite-sized pieces.
Rice: Fluff gently with chopsticks or a rice paddle.
Plate It Up: Serve rice with chicken slices and fresh veggies like cucumber, tomato, or bok choy.
Final Touch: Drizzle scallion-ginger sauce, add soy-sesame sauce on the side, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Drain the rice well – too much water will throw off the perfect texture.
- Use chicken broth instead of water for a richer, more flavorful rice.
- Choose high-quality chicken – organic or free-range really takes this dish up a notch.
- Don’t skip the skin and bones – they add incredible depth and flavor to the rice.
More Asian recipes with Instant Pot
(Vietnamese Beef Stew with Tapioca Noodles)
(Hanoi-style)
Instant Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice (Quick & Easy)
Equipment
- 1 6-quart Instant Pot (6-liter)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken leg quarters (organic or free-range chicken)
- 1 cup jasmine rice (220g)
- 1 cup water (240ml)
- 2 sprigs scallion (only white part) (finely chopped)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 thumb-sized ginger (peeled, thinly sliced)
- Coarse salt
- Chicken powder
Scallion – Ginger Sauce
- 2 sprigs scallion (only green part) (finely chopped)
- ½ thumb-sized ginger (peeled, minced)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch sugar
- ¼ cup neutral cooking oil (60ml)
- Chilli (optional, finely chopped)
Soy – Sesame Sauce
- 1½ tbsp All-purpose Soy Sauce (to your taste)
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil (to your taste)
- 1 tsp lime juice (or Chinese black vinegar) (to your taste)
- Chilli (optional, finely chopped)
You also need:
- Sliced cucumber (Sliced tomatores or blanched bok choy…)
Instructions
Preparing two kinds of sauce in advance:
- Scallion – Ginger Sauce:In a heat-resistant bowl, mix chopped scallions (green part), minced ginger, chopped chili (if using), sugar, and salt. Heat oil in a pan until it's close to smoking point, then carefully pour it into the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir everything together and let the sauce cool.
- Soy – Sesame Dipping Sauce:Stir in soy sauce, fresh lime juice (or Chinese black vinegar), and sesame oil together. Adjust the flavor to your taste. For those who enjoy a bit of heat, add some chopped fresh chili.
Prepare the chicken:
- To prepare the chicken, gently rub the chicken legs with coarse salt, then rinse off the salt and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
Cook the rice and chicken with Instant Pot:
- Wash and rinse the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Drain the rice well and set it aside.
- In the Instant Pot's "Saute" mode, heat 1tbsp cooking oil and sauté ginger, scallions (white part), and garlic for 1-3 minutes until they become fragrant.
- Add the drained rice to the pot and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until it becomes slightly translucent. Remember to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking and burning. Season the rice with ½ tsp chicken powder.
- Turn off the "Saute" mode, then place the chicken leg quarters on top of the rice. Add 1 cup of water to the pot, following a rice-to-water ratio of 1:1.
- Close the lid and cook the chicken rice on high pressure for 8 minutes. Once the cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes.
Serve Hainanese Chicken Rice:
- Once the cooking is finished, carefully remove the chicken. Give the chicken a brush of sesame oil and set it aside.
- Use chopsticks or a rice paddle to fluff the rice. The part of rice that was in contact with the chicken may be slightly soggy but it's not a big problem after fluffing.
- Debone the chicken and slice it into bite-sized strips.
- Serve the rice onto individual plates. Place the chicken on the side, accompanied by cucumber slices (or tomato slices, blanched bok choy, etc.).
- Drizzle some ginger – scallion sauce over the chicken and rice. Serve the chicken rice with the soy – sesame dipping sauce. Enjoy!
