The prototype of Hainanese chicken is a dish called Weng Chang Ji (文昌鸡) in Hainan provenience in China. Wen Chang Ji is a special breed of chicken, which is organically raised and freshly slaughtered right before cooking. The chicken itself is already flavorful and delicious. Therefore, locals don’t use pandan leaves or lemon grass. But, when this dish spread to Singapore. They had to change the recipe by adding more herbs to cover up the disadvantage of using frozen chicken. Therefore, depending on the quality of your chicken, you can choose to add pandan leaves and lemon grass or not. My chicken is range free and I got it fresh from a local farm, so scallions and ginger will do just perfect. Weng Chang Ji has bright yellow skin, which tastes buttery and fatty - so delicious. There is no other chicken comparable, in my opinion, LOL! The chicken in the USA, the skin is off-white when it is cooked, and it is less fatty. I can’t recreate the real Hainanese chicken 100% but at least I can fake the color with turmeric! Don’t judge me LOL! 🔪 BROWSE MY KITCHENWARE - bit.ly/3NWLZQ8 ❤️ SUPPORT ME ON PATREON - bit.ly/38QRTmP 🥢PRINTABLE RECIPE - soupeduprecipes.com/hainanese-chicken-rice-recipe/
Of course people will judge you BUT you have nothing to fear because of your honesty and thoroughness - you're an excellent teacher! The pinned comments are very valuable for both the history and details of this dish. Please keep including deep background information like this - it adds another wonderful layer to your videos! Cheers!
HOW IGNORANT ARE YOU?? USING PANDA LEAVES AND LEMON GRASS BECAUSE CHICKEN USED IS FROZEN? Geez I don't know if I should call you lazy or ignorant, or "racist". So if Thai people use lemon grass in their tomyam, it is because the seafood they are cooking with isn't fresh? Southeast Asians using pandan leaves in their cakes and bread because the flour isn't fresh. It is all a matter of *PREFERENCE* and personal taste to add whatever they want to cook the chicken. Strongly dislike your sense of superiority. 😡
The prototype of Hainanese chicken is a dish called Weng Chang Ji (文昌鸡) in Hainan provenience in China. Wen Chang Ji is a special breed of chicken, which is organically raised and freshly slaughtered right before cooking. The chicken itself is already flavorful and delicious. Therefore, locals don’t use pandan leaves or lemon grass. But, when this dish spread to Singapore. They had to change the recipe by adding more herbs to cover up the disadvantage of using frozen chicken. Therefore, depending on the quality of your chicken, you can choose to add pandan leaves and lemon grass or not. My chicken is range free and I got it fresh from a local farm, so scallions and ginger will do just perfect. Weng Chang Ji has bright yellow skin and a rich buttery taste - so delicious. There is no other chicken comparable, in my opinion, LOL! The chicken in the USA, the skin is off-white and it is less fatty. I can’t recreate the real Hainanese chicken 100% but at least I can fake the color with turmeric! Don’t judge me LOL! Hope you enjoyed this video. Thank you for watching. 🔪 BROWSE MY KITCHENWARE - bit.ly/3NWLZQ8 ❤️ SUPPORT ME ON PATREON - bit.ly/38QRTmP 🥢 PRINTABLE RECIPE - soupeduprecipes.com/hainanese-chicken-rice-recipe/
Actually, Singaporeans also use fresh chicken to make Hainanese chicken rice so it’s not quite correct that we add pandan or lemongrass leaves to mask any odor of frozen chicken. The original recipe may have come from Hainan but it has long been adapted to local tastebuds (influenced by Malay/Peranakan cooking) through the addition of local herbs like pandan leaves and lemongrass, plus the punchy chilli sauce, which crowns the dish and can either make or break it. I have never tasted a similar chili sauce outside Singapore and Malaysia. Elsewhere, it tends to be chilli oil rather than the iconic fresh chili sauce that Singapore Hainanese chicken rice is famous for.
I really appreciate that you don't just give a method, you explain the reason for it and demonstrate each step carefully and thoroughly so new cooks and new-to-this-style-of-cooking cooks can get a handle on what to do. It's also really fantastic that you offer substitutions in each and every recipe for ingredients and kitchenware and give clear explanations of spice levels and how to control them depending on the specific type of ingredients used. Your attention to detail makes this channel a frequent watch for me!
Honestly, Mandy, yours is one of my most favourite channels on RU-vid. The cooking techniques and recipes are a bonus; I just love to hear you talk. Your voice is lovely, and your commentary makes me feel like I can cook everything like you do. I am inspired so much, by what you give us.
Mandy's husband is so lucky, not only does he get to eat her food, but she also makes it husband friendly by showing the different ways! This one seems amazing and maybe even something I could pull off lol.
Mandy I've followed you for so long. We are long time patreon supporters. I love your continuing to learn and teach in professional manners and very clear instruction. Thank you for... Being YOU, Mandy!
Thank you for all of your recipes. They allow us to travel to many parts of the world, while we are at home. Thank you so very much. You also mentioned that you can no longer use your mortar and pestle because of your arthritis. Many of us can sympathize due to our chronic illnesses, such as one or more types of arthritis and other illnesses. You do a very, very good job showing us how to make your recipes, even though we too might have similar illnesses. Many of us took home economics classes and loved doing so, because of all the recipes that we were taught how to make. That may no longer be something that is taught in school, but you fill that role. Thank you so very much for all of the wonderful recipes that we learn to make..
I think home economics is still taught in schools but it goes by a different name now. The class I took when I was in 6th grade was called FACS which stands for Family and Consumer Science which all students were required to take. But I feel like class didn't teach me anything new that I didn't already learn from my grandma in terms of cooking or baking. But I suppose it is a nice thing to have for students who don't have the opportunities to learn these things at home.
This is an amazing lesson! I've watched quite a few videos how to make Hainanese chicken, but this is the best!! I appreciate your attention to detail and your explanations about ingredients and method!
You are simply incredible. Such passion you put into this channel. I could learn from your teachings all day! And your history tidbit was so appreciated. Thank you for your dedication! 🙏🏻🙏🏻
I just made this with a small fresh brown chicken. My wife had made the rice already-I sauteed aromatics and chinese sausage in oil and mixed it in. It’s was great. The blanching and icing of the chicken on the beginning really makes the skin and meat firm and tasty.
I made this last week and it comes in perfection 👀 The rice and the soup is the highlight of the dish. To add more freshness to the dish ,I blanch some bean sprouts as a side dish and pour oyster sauce..It feels like I'm traveling to Singapore with this taste
Wonderful to see, this dish has become an internet favourite. I've often told friends of how a whole boiled chicken, can be turned into several meals. Now, they can learn for themselves, merely searching on YT.
Just followed this recipe and made Hainanese chicken, rice and sauces for the family and we all loved it!!!! Thank you for the detailed recipe and amazing tips!
Mandy, you're such a good teacher! This looks absolutely fabulous. I've had the dish before in Los Angeles's Chinatown, and I still pine for that meal. I cannot wait to make this myself. Thanks, my dear!
This version was the best I’ve made so far. So thank you for sharing. I followed 99% of the recipe. Changed my vegetable and added a little more salt in the rice. My only criticism is I would have started making the sauces first then the chicken bc my chicken cooled down too much by the time I was ready to eat. Definitely a weekend recipe…
I was truly impresessed with the chili sause. It's kick - ass palette of tastes is also good accompaniment for all kinds of grilled meats. Great recepie in general. Thank you Mandy.
back when we were young we visited our dad who was working in Singapore that time and every time we eat outside me and my brother will always order this. it's really really good
Thanks so much for sharing with us your version of hainanese chicken dish. Your husband is so lucky to have a wife like you. You don't only make cooking easy and delicious, you make it look so fun, enjoyable and appetizing. I love to watch all your videos. I learn a lot from you. Thanks again and more power to you.
The soul of a hainanese chicken is the red chilli sauce, ginger mince & fried garlic oil & the green onion mince with hot oil pour & seasoning. Also the chicken light soy sauce seasoning...
Ohhh wow that’s what this dish is!! Thank you for that information. I never order as to me I judged it by the cover lol…. I thought they looked boring…..It’s got beautiful aromatics and flavours…. Yummy I don’t tolerate chicken and meats without sauces and flavours…. I would definitely love the rice and soup but when I do make this dish I will for sure need those condiments with the chicken…. Even though I might not want to cook all your recipes, I love watching you make them and teach us how, where and who about them, thank you
For the temperature of the chicken: The safe temperatur for 1 Hour cooking is actually 62 C or 145 F as long as you cook it for 1+ hour, I would give it 1.5 hours to make sure. This way the chicken would be much more tender. The FDA temperature of 75C or 165F is meant for "dumb cooking" at any length of time. Refined cooking by those that can understand can simply be done around 62-70.. for 1 hour 30 mins giving the chicken much more taste and tenderness
Thank you Mandy for this recipe video! It’s popular in Thailand too, there it’s called Khao Man Gai, or Chicken Fat Rice. Very common to find as street food and sooooo good. 😋
I love this dish, but sadly it’s not the kind of thing that people from certain cultures go for (they don’t get excited about a perfectly cooked, boiled chicken that doesn’t have color or lots of seasoning), so I only get to have this if I go to a restaurant, which I can’t do living in the Caribbean now. I like it with the white ginger sauce instead of ginger scallion oil, but ginger scallion is good, too.
Hello Mindy, cannot thank you enough for all your efforts in making these recipes. I have very difficult to please teens to feed over the next three days and I've found the perfect solution by following your lucid explanations for yummy wholesome meals. I personally love very high spice (chilli) flavours but my lil guests are not so good with that, so trying out all your recipes for 10 meals starting from tomorrow evening i.e. 18-20 March '23. Life save you ❤
Much thanks, Mandy for the History Lesson and Teaching us how to Achieve Truly Tender Chicken with your Techniques. That "Twine Trick" is a Game Changer! 💜
Sorry about the arthritis Mandy. That's why I never try to make bread. This is a great method. I am sure the chicken is moist and tender. I prefer dark meat. Sometimes leg quarters or thighs are under a dollar a pound and I stock the freezer. Thank you. Have a great weekend 😍👍💞🐲🙋♂
Mandy's overall demonstration of this particular dish is delivered in the most succinct manner ever on all my visits on You Tube to date.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻to Souped Up Kitchen for presentation,explanation and overall content.
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was very delicious. Thank you for the tip about dipping the chicken into simmering water a number of times to tighten the skin, and the sesame oil and turmeric trick!
Wow, Mandy! You made it Perfectly. I thought I was the only guy who knew how to do this right - but you nailed it. It is not an easy dish to perfect, I do use a mortar for the chilli sauce but I understand why you used a mixi. I am sorry to hear of your arthiritis. I hope you recover soon. Very impressed. I agree that this dish is best without pandan, lemon grass or other additives to keep the essence true to the classical Hainanese version where Chicken is the rock star and the ginger follows soon after.
Thank you so much for your work. I have learned so much. Under water chicken is now a regular in my house. I had no idea that chicken could taste that good!
I've enjoyed your cooking, I like most of your recipes, it's hard to pick out a favorite. I will just pick one of my favorites, Hainanese Chicken Rice. Happy Lunar New Year Mandy and fellow subscribers! 新年快乐
🙃✌👍 very very nice presentation. almost a one pot dinner. I also enjoyed each stage of your preparation. The smells of the house must be so nice. I was laughing when you said your mate did not like it with the bones in. Poor guy. He would go hungry in my house. My Mom always said. enjoy what I cook. If you don't like it, Don't eat it. 😂
@Richard Chassé Awww, that was adorable! Such a very cute and very kind comment. And I feel the same way about this channel, by the way. Mandy's amazing!
I’m surprised at the timing of this recipe. As of now, at this moment, Singapore only has frozen chicken available. Even before fresh chicken was available in Singapore, the Singaporean aunties will add Pandan leaves when making chicken rice.
