When you add a heap of green onions to gingery, chicken-packed arroz caldo, you get Hainanese chicken in lugaw form.
The ginger-scallion flavor permeates the entire arroz caldo, from the flavorful broth to the shredded chicken, all the way to the extra ginger scallion sauce drizzled on top. Everything else is Hainanese chicken-inspired: crispy chicken skin for texture, soy sauce for roundness, and sliced cucumbers for freshness and crunch. Different flavor, same nourishing hug in a bowl.
Use chicken bones for a more flavorful and chickeny broth
After shredding the chicken, add the chicken bones and scraps back into the broth. Add a cup of water at a time and continue simmering, skimming any scum and impurities that arise on the surface.
Want a clear broth? Pour it through a fine mesh strainer before using.
Trim fat for extra crispy chicken skin
If you have the time, scrape off the extra fat from the chicken skin before frying. You'll get crispier and more brittle chicken skin for it.
Ingredients
Ginger Scallion Sauce
- 1 cup minced green onions
- ½ cup minced ginger
- 8 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ pc chicken broth cube
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Chicken Broth
- 2 skin-on chicken quarters
- 5 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 stalk green onion, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce, more to taste
Crispy Chicken Skin
- 2 pcs chicken skin
- ½ cup neutral oil
Arroz Caldo
- ½ cup jasmine rice
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 large red onion
- ½ cup grated or thinly sliced ginger
- fish sauce, to taste
For Serving
- sliced cucumbers
- Crispy Chicken Skin
- Ginger Scallion Sauce
- soy sauce
- chili oil, optional
Make Ginger Scallion Sauce
Make ginger scallion sauce: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding any ingredients. Once you see wisps of smoke emerging from the oil, add the minced green onions and ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and transfer aromatics and fragrant oil to a bowl. Season with half a chicken cube and sesame oil. Set aside.
Prepare Chicken and Broth
Make chicken broth: Trim chicken skin from chicken quarters and set aside. Combine skinless chicken, water, garlic, ginger, and green onion in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim any scum or impurities that emerge on the surface. Simmer until the chicken is tender and juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken and season broth with fish sauce. Set aside.
Shred chicken: Let cooked chicken quarters cool in a bowl or chopping board. Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken meat from the bones using a knife or a fork. If you prefer smaller meat pieces in your arroz caldo, chop the chicken meat further into your preferred size. Set aside.
Make crispy chicken skin: Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Pat chicken skin dry with a paper towel to blot off any excess moisture. Add skin to the hot oil and fry until golden and crispy. Chop crispy chicken skin finely and set aside.
Cook Arroz Caldo
Toast rice: Heat oil in a separate pot or deep pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic, ginger and onion until fragrant and slightly translucent. Add uncooked jasmine rice to the pan. Toast grains, stirring frequently, until slightly translucent, about 2–3 minutes.
Cook rice in chicken broth: Add chicken broth to the pan and increase heat to medium-high. Once liquid is boiling, turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until rice has thickened and absorbed the chicken broth, about 30–45 minutes. If your arroz caldo looks dry, add 1 cup of extra water at a time until you get your preferred consistency. Season with fish sauce to taste. Add shredded chicken. Mix well to incorporate.
Serve: Divide arroz caldo between bowls. Top each serving with sliced cucumbers and crispy chicken skin. Drizzle ginger scallion sauce, soy sauce, and chili oil (if using) over the rice. Serve hot.
