Chicken Asian

The cheat’s Hainanese chicken we're making on repeat

Name: Cheat’s Hainanese chicken recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /asian, /chinese
Ingredients: 40.00 ml duck fat; 3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 400g jasmine rice; Sesame oil, to drizzle; 1 telegraph cucumber, thinly sliced; Crispy chilli oil, to serve; 8cm piece fresh ginger, peeled; 6 garlic cloves; 1/2 bunch long green shallots; 1/2 tsp MSG (from Asian grocers and selected supermarkets); 5 x 250g chicken breasts; 40g fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated; 1/2 bunch long green shallot, thinly sliced; 80ml vegetable oil

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Jan 12, 2026

A traditional Hainanese chicken involves poaching a whole chicken, but this can seem daunting or time-consuming. Or perhaps you simply have a family where all members prefer white chicken meat! We’ve got you covered with this cheat’s version. We’ve kept all the flavour, used cheeky duck fat for a rich aromatic rice cooked in the stock and, as a bonus, you’ll have plenty of chicken leftover for salads and sandwiches.

You’ll need to remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before poaching, and you’ll need a wide saucepan that has a lid and in which the chicken breasts will fit snugly in a single layer.

2 tbs duck fat
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups (400g) jasmine rice, rinsed, drained
Sesame oil, to drizzle
1 telegraph cucumber, thinly sliced
Crispy chilli oil, to serve

Poached chicken

8cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
6 garlic cloves
1/2 bunch long green shallots
1/2 tsp MSG (from Asian grocers and selected supermarkets)
5 x 250g chicken breasts

Shallot and ginger sauce

40g fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
1/2 bunch long green shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp MSG (from Asian grocers and selected supermarkets)
1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil

Method

1.

To poach the chicken, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before starting to cook. Use a rolling pin to bash the ginger and smash the garlic. Place in a wide saucepan that has a lid and in which the chicken breasts will fit snugly in a single layer. Cut 8cm lengths from the green tops of shallots (reserve remaining shallot to serve) and add to pan with 2 tsp fine salt, MSG and 6 cups (1.5L) water. Bring to the boil over high heat. Carefully arrange chicken in a single layer (depending on the size of your pan, you may need a little extra boiling water; you want the chicken to be totally immersed) and bring back to the boil. Immediately cover and remove from heat. Stand undisturbed for 30 minutes. Remove chicken with tongs and set aside, covered (see recipe notes), and strain stock into a large jug (you should have about 5 cups stock).
2.

To make the rice, melt the duck fat in a medium saucepan that has a lid over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the rice and stir until well coated in fat. Add 3 cups (750ml) strained stock and bring to the boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, without lifting the lid, and stand, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.
3.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the ginger, shallot and MSG in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over high heat until it shimmers and starts to smoke. Carefully pour over the ginger mixture and stir to combine.
4.

To serve, slice the chicken and drizzle with a little sesame oil. Arrange on a plate with rice and cucumber. Thinly slice reserved shallot and sprinkle over chicken. Heat remaining stock and serve in small bowls alongside the shallot and ginger sauce, and the crispy chilli oil.

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Recipe Notes

If planning to eat soon, leave chicken breasts you require to serve, covered, on the benchtop and store any remaining chicken in an airtight container in the fridge to make a salad or sandwich later. Chicken will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. Stock will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, and up to 3 months in the freezer.