Hainanese Chicken Rice: One Pot Protein and Vegetable Recipe

Millions of consumers in Klang Valley have been affected with the recent Selangor water rationing, with two days water supply on, and two days supply cut in order to conserve the use of water as well as even distribution among all consumers. OK lets stop sounding like a SYABAS spokesperson.

As if life as a mother isn't hard enough, I had to now face a new challenge. Managing home cooking and cleaning activities together with the periodic supply cut. With my creative hat on, I worked out several strategies to brave this situation for the coming one month.

One of my strategy is to cook one pot dishes, like fried rice or fried noodles. Of course I have made fried dishes so much that even the kids find it repetitive. And thankfully later I came across this interesting rice cooker recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice on the Extra Virgin Chef in 5 terrifyingly easy steps.

Having the flair for glorifying simple dishes to fulfill the taste and preference of my audience, I came up with my version, or rather, I was looking for a short cut to cook my rice, protein (chicken), and vegetables in one pot so to minimise the amount of washing I need to do later on, yet provide a complete meal on a nice Sunday morning. 

Yes I cooked this during one of the water supply cut days. And the result was hubby saying 'You need to cook like this more often' which I hope did not mean 'We need to have water cut more often' because it is so not fun not having water running out of my kitchen tap.

Alright so sharing my recipe here, and for a change, with step by step pictures.

You Need:

Whole chicken thighs - 2 pieces

Chopped onion, garlic, leek, spring onion

Large slices of ginger

Ginger & garlic paste - 3tbsp

2 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of rice

Butter

Oil

Salt & pepper

Broccoli and cauliflower florets

Carrot - sliced

Method:

1) Marinate the whole chicken thighs with some salt, pepper and 1 tbsp of ginger & garlic paste and set aside.

2) Turn on the rice cooker with the empty pot in place. Once hot enough, pour some oil and butter.

 

3) Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, leek and spring onion. Fry till fragrant.

4) After 10 minutes or so, take out 1/3 of the sautee and set aside in a bowl you are going to serve the vegetables in.

5) Add washed rice and the chicken stock. Do adjust the amount of water according to your rice. Cover the rice cooker and let it cook for 10 minutes.

 

6) Open the rice cooker and stir in 2 tbsp of garlic & ginger paste. Then place the chicken thigh on the rice and cover the rice cooker to cook on auto mode.

7) Once the rice cooker is on 'keep warm' mode, open it and place the steamer basket with your vegetables on it, sprinkle some salt and pepper. Cover it and allow the vegetables to cook for 10 minutes.

8) Once the 10 minutes is over, take the steamer basket out, and cover the cooker again. Stir your vegetables into the bowl of the sautee we saved earlier. Add more butter if you want and its ready.

And your wholesome one pot dish is done! You can garnish your dish with coriander leaves, and serve some sliced cucumber.

This recipe is very much like my claypot chicken rice version minus the usage of the brown/caramel sauces. 

The trick to achieving a moist and yummy rice is being generous with the oil and butter. So moist that you will not miss having no gravy (ala Indian style) in your meal. Happy trying!