Chicken and Rice With Scallion-Ginger Sauce Recipe (2024)

It is best to put the ginger and finely minced scallions in a heat proof bowl, then heat the oil to smoking and pour it over the ginger & scallions. It will sizzle and release the flavors. Then add the other ingredients and pour over chicken. Much better than just mixing in the oil, though it means there’s another pot to wash.

Agree about the comments to pouring sizzling oil over the scallions and ginger and to browning the chicken first. My slight recommendation is to add a bunch of chopped garlic into both the sauce and when browning the chicken. You can never have too much garlic. This is a great meal to make and leftovers are even better.

Agree with both notes above. Def give chicken a quick sear first, and heat the oil to get a better tasting sauce. I'd also suggest doubling the sauce amount. Just not enough of to go around as is for so much chicken and rice. And it's pretty good so you'll want it in every bite.

Meh. I agree with the comment about sizzling oil. And perhaps browning the chicken first.

Technically the sauce is "right" as is - the Cantonese sauce this one is based on never has soy, so that the taste of the ginger and scallion aren't overpowered. Chinese people usually serve soy separately. However, this whole recipe is a riff anyway - obviously soy can be added, but next time I think I'd actually do 2 separate sauces like they do in Indonesia and Malaysia with Hainan chicken, one with the ginger/scallion and one with the chili in soy, for a different bite every time.

I read the recipe as a variation on Hainanese Chicken Rice, which is exactly how it turned out. Which is to say, I loved it. It's Singaporean comfort food. The chicken and the rice aren't supposed to be spicy, just moist and flavorful. The spice is in the sauce, where it's supposed to be. And I'd definitely double the amount of sauce. P.S. Has anyone else noticed that jalapeño peppers have lost their kick?

I disagree with the folks wanting to brown the chicken. The steaming gives the chicken a lovely silky texture, The Maillard Reaction isn't needed everywhere.

Here is an elegantly simple recipe for ginger-scallion sauce written earlier for Francis Lam in Salon.https://www.salon.com/2010/06/19/ginger_scallion_sauce_recipe/

Cooked just as directed and boy what a treat. Tender, ginger perfumed chicken, electable rice topped with a lovely asian flavored sauce. Yum!

I made this in the pressure cooker! I doubled everything except the chicken. I used boneless skinless thighs. The rice broth ratio worked perfectly. I used the rice setting (about ten minutes) and then waited another 10 before depressurizing to ensure that the chicken would be fully cooked. The results were perfect! Sauce: I heated the oil and added the other ingredients and partially cooked them...after a taste test I decided to add a tablespoon of minced garlic. Delicious!

Take the seeds out of the jalepenos. Very hot. Pour 1/4 cup of smoking veggie oil over ginger and scallions. Then add the rest of the ingredients and set aside. Probably only need 1 & 1/4 cup of rice. If not, needed an extra 1/4 cup of water. Some rice burned. Chicken cooked perfectly in 21 minutes. Sauce was amazing but spicy. Used olive oil instead of sesame oil. Didn’t have one of the other specialty ingredients. Still delicious. Served with ponzu sauce to taste.

This is one of my favorites but the sauce needs some soy sauce for the right flavor too. I will try the oil recommendation. Seems like it’s a good idea.

The recipe is a keeper. I did sear the breasts, and next time, I think I'll cook as suggested in the recipe. Don't know if if added anything, and I do like the consistency of poached chicken. I did heat the oil for the sauce. I may reduce the vinegar a tad. I found this recipe needs a lot of salt. I wish it had an actual amount listed in the recipe. I double the sauce and was really glad I did.

I've made this recipe three times now - it's now my super-picky 16 year old daughter's favorite meal! Agree with the note about pouring the smoking oil over the ginger and scallions. I used 1/4 cup more broth, and with my rice (Nishiki) it's perfect. Otherwise it gets to dry for my taste. Double the sauce - yes! Also, don't be afraid to stir the chicken and the rice once or maybe twice toward the end of the cooking time to get the rice to "fluff" and cook more evenly.

Used coconut milk in place of broth for beautifully flavored rice and gorgeous poached chicken. Added cilantro to sauce, too, and drizzled a little soy sauce on finished plate. Everyone raved.

We’ve made this recipe countless times, but my 1year old has decided it’s his favorite meal so we’re making it even more frequently now! Hot tip: if you find yourself mid-cook without a jalapeño, a persian cucumber does the job!

Bland-o-ville! This in spite of spiking the cooking liquid with an additional scallion, sichuan, black, and white peppercorns, and a clove of garlic. I didn’t like the ginger scallion sauce. Made the whole thing greasy. Momof*cku’s is much better. If there’s a next time, I’d use chicken stock or a cube for the cooking liquid and a different sauce for the rice. I used well rinsed long grain rice and turned the heat off after 10 minutes to let rest for another 10. Perfect!

have made a few times and always love it. I recommend trying it with coconut rice

Really excellent and super easily modifiable! I also went with the hot oil for the sauce/brown your chicken advice, but then added a bunch of stuff. I made some quick pickled persian cucumbers using rice vinegar, and also threw on some steamed bok choy, cilantro, and lime. Is this a classic NYT cooking comment where I didn’t actually make the recipe? Maybe perhaps sort of. But it’s really good with all these things and I wanted you to know.

Do not sear the chicken as other reviewers suggest. In addition to boneless skinless breasts being terrible seared, this recipe is based off a traditional Singaporean dish and the chicken should either be poached or boiled like it is here.

So delicious. I make it in my rice cooker - easy peasy. MUST double the sauce recipe, however - the amount in the recipe is simply not enough.

I made this tonight, exactly as written, and was blown away. Not many ingredients, and I was worried about the possibility that the ginger would be a harsh note, but it was mellow. I am still having trouble transitioning from my New England rice prep ( no pre-washing) to Asian technique, so my rice was a little damp, but still quite delicious. I will definitely make this again.

Love this recipe as is. Made it for my daughter and her family after coming home from hospital with twins. They loved it-true comfort food.

This was great, however I used thighs instead, and jasmine rice as opposed to the sushi rice. The results were fabulous although I think the sushi rice would have been better.

delicious! i say resist the urge (i had to) to add soy or garlic. it is supposed to be a delicate, tender dish. i DID reduce the vegetable oil in the sauce to 3T. and increased the toasted sesame oil to 1T. for the sake of flavor vs. tasteless calories....

Love the flavor hint the ginger gives, I would definitely cook the chicken a bit prior though.

My chicken wasn’t cooked all the way through when the rice was done. I suggest using small chicken breasts or cutting up the chicken breasts into smaller pieces so that the chicken is ready at the same time as the rice

I’ve made this countless times and I’ll say that the recipe is perfect as is. The poached chicken is juicy, the rice is fluffy and the garlic and subtle flavours shine. If you sizzle oil over the onions separate the green from the white so you don’t have soggy pieces. Browning the chicken made for a more dry breast in the end. We keep this in our meal prep rotation and it freezes and reheats beautifully.

We loved this one pot so much that we shared it with all our adult kids as an easy weeknight meal. I thought the chicken looked white like the rice, so as I read the other comments, I agree that browning the chicken somehow would increase the flavor and "look." But when we poured the vinegar scallion mixture on top, it added some good color.

I agree with many others, double the amount of sauce