Hainanese Chicken Rice features aromatic seasoned rice paired with tender poached chicken. With the Instant Pot, you can make this entire dish quickly and easily without compromising on flavor.
Dubbed the national dish of Singapore, Hainanese Chicken Rice was initially brought over by immigrants from Hainan, China. Today, it’s hugely popular across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Indonesia.
So, what makes Hainanese Chicken Rice so special?
The secret is in the rice. The uncooked grains are first sautéed in garlic and ginger oil, then cooked in chicken stock, giving them an incredible aroma and depth of flavor. The rice is paired with the most tender, juicy poached chicken.
With the Instant Pot, you can sauté the rice and cook everything together in one pot—less mess, less cleanup, and faster cooking!
No Instant Pot? Try my Rice Cooker Hainanese Chicken Rice instead - one of the most popular recipes on my site! (ps - I also have a Rice Cooker Claypot Chicken Rice recipe I bet you will love!)
How to Make Hainanese Chicken Rice in an Instant Pot
1. Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, combine 6 chicken drumsticks, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of black pepper
Toss well to coat the chicken evenly. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Rinse the Rice
While waiting for the chicken to marinate, pour 2 cups of uncooked white rice into a sieve. Rinse the rise under running tap water just until the water starts to run clear.
Drain well.
3. Sauté the Aromatics
Set your Instant Pot to "Sauté" mode. Once preheated, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil.
Sauté:
- ½ inch ginger, julienned
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.
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4. Toast the Rice
Add the uncooked rice to the Instant Pot and use a wooden spatula to sauté the rice in the garlic and ginger oil for about 3 minutes.
Pour 2 cups of chicken stock (store-bought or homemade) and 1 teaspoon of salt into the Instant Pot, then press the Cancel button to turn off the Sauté feature.
Use a wooden spatula to gently scrape the bottom of the pan. This step is crucial in preventing the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
5. Cook the Chicken and Rice
Place the chicken drumsticks on top of the rice, then drizzle a splash of sesame oil and a dash of ground black pepper over the chicken.
Set the Instant Pot to "Pressure Cook" at Low for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
6. Fluff and Serve
Remove the chicken and set aside.
Fluff the rice with a fork or rice paddle, then let it sit for a couple of minutes for the best texture.
Top with fresh chopped scallions and cilantro, then serve with your favorite hot sauce (sambal oelek is perfect for this dish) and some dark soy sauce.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
This usually means the rice is sticking to the bottom. If this happens:
* Turn off the Instant Pot but keep the lid on.
* Let it sit for 15 minutes before opening.
* If the rice and chicken are undercooked, gently scrape the bottom, then continue cooking in "Rice" mode.
Yes! Unlike stovetop or rice cooker methods, the Instant Pot traps steam, so less liquid is needed compared to traditional cooking.
I recommend using a longer grain rice such as jasmine rice (my personal favorite). Calrose or sushi rice could be a bit too starchy and gummy, so I would not recommend that variety for this recipe.
Yes, you can. If you are using chicken legs (drumstick and thigh combined), I recommend cutting them into separate pieces (so that the drumstick is separated from the thigh) to ensure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Jumped straight here to the recipe? Please consider coming back to read the whole post when you have the time as I have included step-by-step instructions with photos.
Instant Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ingredients
- 6 pieces chicken drumsticks
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- pepper to taste
- 2 cups uncooked white rice
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- ½ inch ginger julienned
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- chopped scallions for garnish
- sambal oelek for serving
- dark soy sauce for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken drumsticks with sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a dash of ground black pepper. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Pour uncooked rice into a sieve, then rinse under running water just until the water starts to run clear. Allow the water to drain as much as possible from the rice.
- Set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode. When it is done pre-heating, pour cooking oil into the inner pot.
- Sauté ginger and garlic for about 1 minute until aromatic.
- Add the uncooked rice to the Instant Pot and use a wooden spoon to sauté the rice in the garlic and ginger oil for about 3 minutes.
- Pour chicken stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt into the Instant Pot, then press the Cancel button to turn off the Sauté feature. Use a wooden spatula to gently scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent the rice from sticking.
- Place the chicken drumsticks on top of the rice, then drizzle a splash of sesame oil and a dash of ground black pepper over the chicken.
- Set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” at Low for 10 minutes. Allow it to sit for 10 more minutes to naturally release the pressure, then finish with a Quick Pressure Release.
- Remove the Instant Pot lid, then set the chicken drumsticks aside. Fluff up the rice with a fork or a rice paddle, then let it sit for a couple more minutes before serving to allow the rice to dry out a bit for better texture.
- Top with chopped scallions, then serve with sambal oelek and dark soy sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Molly Pisula says
Looks delicious! I love how simple this recipe is, but flavorful too!
Char says
Thank you, Molly! 🙂