Classic Hainanese Chicken Rice (Khao Man Gai)

Hainanese chicken rice, known as khao man gai or khao mun gai in Thai, is popular dish not only in Thailand, but in many Asian countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Each country serves it slightly differently, with different sauces, but the heart of it is the same: tender-poached chicken served over rice that has been cooked in chicken fat and chicken broth. 

This recipe is the Thai version, of course, and it's a dish near and dear to my heart because my grandmother is from Hainan, and this is her signature dish that she makes every time I see her. So if you're looking for authentic Hainanese chicken rice recipe, from an actual Hainanese grandma, this is it right here.

What is Hainanese Chicken Rice (khao man gai)?

Known as khao mun gai or khao mun gai in Thai, this dish originated on the Chinese island of Hainan (obviously!), which is off the coast of Southern China. There are many Hainanese immigrants in Southeast Asia due to the island's proximity. And indeed, my mother's side of the family are Hainanese immigrants to Thailand!

Hainanese chicken rice is made by first poaching a whole chicken. Then the chicken cooking liquid, which will have turned into tasty chicken broth, is used to cook the rice. The rice is also first sauteed in rendered chicken fat that you get from trimming excess fat from the chicken.

In my family, we make khao man gai usually during Chinese New Year or Qingming festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day) because these are days when we poach whole chickens to offer to our ancestors. Once the ancestors have had their share, we bring the chickens home and make delicious Hainanese chicken rice!

Khao Mun Gai in Thailand

Khao mun gai is the epitome of Thai street food. You can find them sold by street vendors, mom-and-pop restaurants, and food courts. It's cheap, fast, delicious, truly the food of the people. It was even featured in my Top 5 Rice Dishes in Thailand video!

Since it was brought into Thailand by Chinese immigrants, you'll find it more in areas with a large Chinese communities, such as Bangkok. But because of its popularity, it is available just about anywhere in the country so you will definitely come across one.

Khao man gai in different countries vary slightly, but most notably the sauce that's served with khao man gai in Thailand is unique. Ours is made from ginger and fermented soybean paste (taojiew), and in my opinion, I think it really is the best pairing with poached chicken!

As you'll see below, in my household we actually serve 2 different sauces with this dish, the classic taojiew one, and one that my grandmother created herself!

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make khao man gai and important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

This recipe is the traditional method that uses a whole chicken, and it does take time. If you are looking for something easier and quicker, check out my Quick & Easy Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe that can even be done in a rice cooker! 

THE POACHED CHICKEN

• Whole chicken, preferably on the smaller side. If you can get free-range chicken it would also be better for this recipe as they tend to be smaller and more flavourful. If you are shopping at an Asian grocery store, you may find smaller whole chickens with head and feet attached, with the skin slightly more yellow, and these are THE perfect chicken for this recipe!
• Cilantro roots, or 6 cilantro stems
• Garlic, smashed until broken
• Onion, roughly chopped
• Daikon, cut in big chunks. This wasn't used in my original video but daikon makes for a super sweet, tasty broth and I highly recommend it! 
• White pepper, ground or crushed
• Ginger, sliced
• Fine grain salt, I specify fine grain for accuracy in measurements. If you're using coarse grain salt, you'll need to measure out a bit more.
• Green onions and/or cilantro, for garnishing the broth for serving, if desired.

THE RICE

• Jasmine rice
• Chicken fat trimmings, ​you just need to trim these off the chicken before poaching. There's usually a lot of fat around the neck.
• Chicken broth from poaching the chicken, you don't need to buy this!
• Garlic, chopped or pounded in a mortar and pestle
• Cucumber slices, for serving.

SAUCE OPTION 1: The Classic Nam Jim Taojiew

​If you only make one dipping sauce, this is the one to make. This is the classic Thai dipping sauce that every khao man gai vendor serves in Thailand. 

• Ginger, just wash the ginger well and no need to peel
• Thai chilies, put as much or as little as you wish depending on how spicy you want it to be
• Tao Jiew (Thai fermented soybean paste) which comes in a glass bottle and in export market this will usually be Healthy Boy Brand. It has the same colour as miso. You can also substitute an equal amount of miso paste of Korean doenjang.
• Sugar
• Black soy sauce, or dark soy sauce. Thai black soy sauce gives it a rich molasses flavour and a dark colour, but it isn't very salty. You can also use Chinese dark soy sauce instead, but because it's saltier, I'd reduce the amount of regular soy sauce. If you have sweet soy sauce, you can also use it and reduce the amount of sugar. Read more about different types of soy sauce here.
• Soy sauce, whatever your regular soy sauce is fine.
• White vinegar, or another type of mild-flavoured vinegar such as white wine vinegar or rice vinegar.
• Chopped cilantro, optional

SAUCE OPTION 2: Grandma's Signature Spicy and Sour Dipping Sauce

You won't find this sauce sold at any khao man gai vendors in Thailand, but my grandma always makes 2 different sauces. For many years I thought that this sauce was the "Hainanese style" that she made back in her hometown. But I just found out from my aunt, during my most recent trip home (2024), that in fact my grandma made it up!

Apparently one day she made the classic sauce, and people said it wasn't good, so she went back into the kitchen and came out with another sauce that she just made up on the fly. And people LOVED it. Since then she's been making two sauces. I find a mix of the 2 makes for the perfect combo, and I always have the 2 together!

• Garlic
• Thai chilies
• Cilantro, stems and leafy parts separated and chopped.
• Soy sauce
• Lime juice
• Sugar

*In the video I put ginger in this sauce, but I misremembered. This sauce only has garlic!

How to Make Hainanese Chicken Rice

Here is an overview of all the steps to make this recipe. See the recipe card below for all the details and ingredient amounts. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

1. If your chicken comes with the head and feet, cut off the neck, feet, and wing tips and add to a stock pot large enough to put the chicken into. And onions, daikon, garlic, ginger, cilantro roots and white peppercorns. Add enough water to generously submerge all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes to render a stock.
2. Meanwhile, trim excess checking fat from the chicken (lots around the neck and butt areas) and add these trimmings to a wok or to the pot you will use to cook the rice. Set it aside for now.
3. Once the stock is ready, season with 1 tablespoon of salt and fill the pot about ⅔ full with cold water. Add the chicken to the pot and add more water as needed to keep the chicken submerged.
4. On medium high heat, bring the temperature of the water up to about 170°F. If you don't have a thermometer, the water should have lots of steam coming off the top but it is should not be bubbling. Reduce the heat to maintain this temperature and cook until the chicken's internal temperature is at least 175°F at the thickest part of the thighs, and 165°F at the thickest part of the breast. This should take about 40-50 minutes, but it will vary according to the size of the chicken.

1. While the chicken is cooking, make the rice by first washing the rice a few times, and drain. In a wok or the pot you're using the cook the rice, saute the chicken fat trimmings over medium heat until you have at least 2 tablespoon of rendered chicken fat.
2. Remove the chicken bits from the oil and discard, then add the garlic to the chicken fat and saute until the garlic is golden.
3. Add the washed-and-drained rice and stir until the rice is thoroughly heated through, about 2 minutes. If you're sauteing the rice in a wok, transfer the rice to the pot you'll use to cook the rice or the rice cooker. Leave it here for now while the chicken finishes cooking.
4. Once the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the broth and allow to cool. Taste the broth and add more salt as needed to make it taste like a lightly-seasoned but still delicious soup. Use the broth to add to the rice, and stir the rice over medium high heat until it starts to simmer.

1. Once the water is simmering, cover the pot and reduce the heat to LOW and let the rice cook slowly until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 - 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauces (instructions below).
2. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, and the rice and sauces are ready, carve the chicken. If you need guidance for carving the chicken, watch this video: How to carve a chicken.
3. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. The thighs will be a bit harder as you'll need to cut around the bone first before cutting the meat.
4. Serve the chicken over rice with the sauces and some cucumber slices - the chicken can be room temp, but the rice should be hot. It's traditional to serve the remaining chicken broth on the side as well!