Ginger Scallion Chicken and Rice

Updated Jan. 28, 2025

Ginger Scallion Chicken and Rice
Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
55 minutes
Rating
4(1,285)
Comments
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Hainanese chicken rice, most likely originating from the island of Hainan off the coast of southern China, is a beloved dish of silky poached whole chicken and gingery rice cooked with the bird’s cooking broth and rendered fat. This streamlined version of the traditional dish simmers the two together in a single pot to make it a meal fast enough for weeknights. With endless variations throughout the world, most notably in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, one constant is dipping sauces for the meat. There’s often three: ginger-scallion or ginger-garlic sauce, sweetened dark soy and red chile sauce. Here, hot oil is poured over minced ginger and scallions to create an aromatic blend that brings a warming edge to the comforting rice and meat. The slick of oil that remains is used to quickly stir-fry vegetables to turn this into a complete meal. Any leftover sauce is great over fish, tofu, eggs and noodles.

Featured in: A Beloved Chicken and Rice Dish, Streamlined for Weeknights

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 1(3-inch) piece fresh ginger (2 ounces), scrubbed well
  • pounds chicken drumsticks or bone-in thighs, or a combination
  • Salt
  • 2cups jasmine rice
  • 1bunch scallions
  • ½cup canola or other neutral-flavored oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower
  • 12ounces sturdy leafy greens, such as bok choy, napa cabbage and kale
  • ½teaspoon rice or sherry vinegar (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

879 calories; 54 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 26 grams monounsaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 41 grams protein; 868 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim the ends and sides with knobby rounds off the ginger. Put the ginger trimmings in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, along with the chicken. Add 3 cups cold water and a big pinch of salt, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and simmer, turning the pieces once, for 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    While the chicken cooks, prepare the remaining ingredients: Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear and let drain. Very finely chop the trimmed ginger. Trim and finely chop the scallions. Combine the ginger and scallion in a heatproof bowl, sprinkle generously with salt and reserve.

  3. Step 3

    Once the chicken has simmered for 15 minutes, taste the broth and add enough salt to make it really savory. Stir the rice into the pot. Use tongs to arrange the chicken pieces skin side up over the grains. Raise the heat to high to bring the water to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    While the rice rests, heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high until shimmering, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully pour the hot oil over the ginger and scallions, leaving a sheen of oil in the pan.

  5. Step 5

    Return the wok to the high heat, and add the greens and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the greens are brighter in color and just tender. Add a splash of water to the pan if the greens are a bit dry.

  6. Step 6

    Stir the vinegar into the ginger-scallion sauce. Taste and add more salt if you’d like. Serve with the chicken rice and stir-fried greens. (Pick out the ginger trimmings from the rice while eating.)

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,285 user ratings
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Comments

I replaced the water with chicken broth, used boneless, skinless thighs, added a jalapeno, and added garlic to the oil/greens.The taste far outstripped the effort. Winner, winner...

I thought this turned out very well. My Jasmine rice was perfectly cooked. I really enjoyed the subtle flavor and mellow texture though the ginger didn't stand out enough. Maybe grate instead of chop? Both my young kids loved it. Though tempting, I would not brown the chicken first as that would really change the essence of the dish. However, I think I would remove the chicken skins after the first 15-minute poach. Having them in until the end made this dish far oilier than is my preference.

This was light and tasty. However, next time I will crisp the chicken skin lightly in the pan before adding the broth and boiling. I will also double the ginger/scallion recipe. I used a dash of sesame oil which also added some needed flavor.

If you enjoy dark meat, and I do, this is not the recipe for you.

I thought this was going to come out somewhat bland without something spicy added, but I was wrong. It turned out very tasty even when I used some way-over-the-hill cabbage and a Brussels sprout for my greens. Good stuff.

I replaced the water with chicken stock then accidentally added the 2 oz of ginger to the boiling water. (I used frozen ginger cubes.) I think it added some great flavor! I followed the recipe as directed after that, ha, adding 2 oz of ginger to the scallions, etc. Great recipe and super flavorful! 3 yr old approved of it!

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