Easy Hainanese Chicken Rice in Rice Cooker (VIDEO)

Easy one-pot Hainanese chicken rice made entirely in the rice cooker, with tender chicken, fragrant garlic-ginger rice, and simple homemade scallion oil.

Hainanese chicken rice is traditionally a multi-step dish, but this version keeps all the flavor while making it weeknight-friendly. The chicken thighs steam gently on top of the rice, infusing every grain with rich chicken broth, garlic, ginger, and scallion. The result is tender chicken, fluffy golden rice, and a comforting aroma that fills the kitchen as everything cooks together.

What Is Hainanese Chicken?

Hainanese Chicken Rice is a beloved Southeast Asian comfort dish that originated from Hainan, China, and later became iconic in places like Singapore and Malaysia. It’s made by gently cooking chicken until tender, then using the flavorful chicken broth to cook fragrant rice infused with garlic, ginger, and scallions. The result is a simple yet incredibly aromatic one-pot meal that feels nourishing, cozy, and deeply satisfying. Traditionally served with scallion oil or chili sauce, it’s the kind of dish that proves you don’t need complicated ingredients to create something delicious.

A Simple, One-Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe

I’ve always believed the rice cooker is one of the most underrated kitchen tools, and this recipe proves just how simple it can be to make a complete, nourishing meal all in one pot—no fuss and minimal cleanup. Don’t believe it? Check out my Garlic Butter Salmon Rice in Rice Cooker Recipe!

If you love simple, flavorful meals that practically cook themselves, this One Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice is going to become your new weeknight favorite. Everything—your chicken, rice, aromatics, and broth—cooks together in the rice cooker, making it wildly easy and incredibly delicious.

Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make the Best Hainanese Chicken Rice:

• Chicken Thighs: I used skin-on boneless chicken thigh in this recipe because the juice gives the rice more flavor when cooked. You can use chicken breast, but just note that it tends to be more dry and not as flavorful.
• Rice: I find that Jasmine rice to use for Hainanese chicken rice, but long-grain or short-grain white rice will also work. Avoid brown rice unless your rice cooker has a brown rice setting.
• Chicken Broth: I used high-protein chicken broth, but you can also use regular chicken broth/stock, or vegetable broth.
• Garlic & Ginger: Don’t skip these! Garlic and ginger are what make the rice aromatics.
• Neutral Oil: I used avocado oil, but you can use any neutral oil like canola, vegetable, sunflower, or peanut oil.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make One-Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice in the Rice Cooker

1. Prep the Chicken: Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, then rub with sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Set aside.

2. Add Rice & Broth: Rinse the rice thoroughly. Then add rice, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, scallion, salt, pepper and turmeric into the rice cooker pot.

3. Add the Chicken: Place the seasoned chicken thighs directly on top of the rice.

4. Cook: Close the lid. Select Plain/White Rice or Standard Mode and start cooking.

How to Serve Hainanese Chicken Rice

When the rice is done, open the lid, remove the chicken, and slice. Fluff the rice, then drizzle scallion oil over both rice and chicken. Serve with sliced cucumber or chili sauce if desired.

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5 from 2 reviews

Easy Hainanese Chicken Rice in Rice Cooker

Course Main Course, Rice Dishes, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Prep Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• Rice Cooker

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 3-4 Chicken thighs skin-on
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• Salt
• White pepper

For the Rice

• 2 cups plain white rice I used Jasmine rice
• Chicken broth amount adjusted based on the rice cooker instructions (same amount as water)
• 4 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 4 thinly sliced ginger
• 2 scallion sliced in half
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• ½ teaspoon turmeric optional

Scallion Oil

• 1 cup scallion chopped
• ⅓ cup neutral oil I used avocado oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, then season with sesame oil, salt and white pepper. Set aside.
• Rinse the rice thoroughly and place it in the rice cooker.
• Add chicken broth, garlic, ginger, scallion, salt, white pepper, and turmeric in the rice cooker. Stir to combine.
• Place the chicken thighs directly on top of the rice.
• Close the lid, select the Plain Mode setting, and press start. If you're not using a Tiger Rice Cooker, simply select White Rice or Standard Mode.
• While the rice is cooking, make scallion oil. Place the chopped scallion in a heat proof bowl. Then in a small pot or saucepan, heat ⅓ cup of neutral oil over medium heat to about 350F. Turn off heat, then carefully pour the oil over the chopped scallion. Add salt and mix until well combined. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• When the rice is done, open the lid. Remove the chicken from the rice cooker.
• Slice the chicken, fluff the rice, and drizzle scallion oil on top of chicken and rice. Serve with a cucumber and chili sauce if desired.

Video