Easy Thai-Style Hainan Chicken (Khao Man Gai)

Name: Easy Thai-Style Hainan Chicken (Khao Man Gai)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1 dish
Ingredients: 1 complete chicken (1 lb. per 2 servings); 8 cups chicken stock; low sodium; 2 cups water; 1 knob of ginger; sliced into thin planks; 10 cloves garlic; crushed; 1 bunch pandan leaves (or 2 lemongrass stalks; lower half bruised); 1 green onion; trimmed; Salt to taste; Cilantro (optional); Cucumber; sliced (optional)

Published on October 1, 2020 | In Asian Fusion | By balutcrew |

0 Comments

- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 40 Minutes
- Yield
- 1 dish
- Difficulty Level

Hainan chicken is a Chinese dish consisting of poached chicken served with seasoned rice cooked in chicken broth made from the poached chicken. It has its origin in the Hainan region of south-eastern China, but has spread into many into neighboring south east Asian countries whom have adapted the dish with their own twist. This recipe is an easy Thai street food style Hainan chicken, known as Khao Man Gai. The recipe calls for the uses of a whole chicken, we recommend with feet, neck and head to enhance the flavor of the broth. The rich chicken broth created from poaching the whole chicken can be used to create complimenting side dishes, such as Hainanese chicken rice and wintermelon soup, which are both commonly eaten with this dish. The dish is garnished with cilantro leaves and sliced cucumbers.

The recipe makes use of pandan leaves which are usually found in the frozen vegetables section in an Asian supermarket. If this is not available, lemongrass can be used, although the flavor will differ. As a last resort, rehydrated dehydrated pandan leaves can be used.

Mail Order Ingredients

Email
Save

Ingredients

1 complete chicken (1 lb. per 2 servings)
8 cups chicken stock, low sodium
2 cups water
1 knob of ginger, sliced into thin planks
10 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch pandan leaves (or 2 lemongrass stalks, lower half bruised)
1 green onion, trimmed
Salt to taste
Cilantro (optional)
Cucumber, sliced (optional)

Instructions

Prepare vegetables. Crush 10 garlic cloves, peel 1 knob of ginger and thinly slice to produce 6-8 ginger planks. Cut off root and 1" from green onion.
Prepare the chicken. We prefer one complete chicken with feet, neck and head intact for enhanced broth flavoring. If you cannot find whole chicken, a regular whole chicken will do. If using a complete chicken, separate feet from thighs and neck from body.
Parboil the chicken pieces for 5 minutes to separate gunk and floaties.
Boil a stock pot filled with 8 cups low sodium chicken broth and 2 cups water.
Add chicken pieces, ginger, crushed garlic cloves, pandan leaves (or lemongrass stalks) and green onion into the stock pot. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Discard chicken neck, head and feet. Pull the chicken from the stock and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into 6 pieces (thighs, breasts and wings). Slice the chicken breast into 5 pieces and serve with rice or Hainanese chicken rice, wintermelon soup and garlic-ginger dipping sauce. Optionally serve sliced cucumber with rice and garnish chicken with cilantro.