This recipe was inspired by recreating Vancouver favourites, but to be honest, I couldn’t just make the sauces without making the chicken too. I’ve eaten a lot of Hainanese chicken over the years, and while Mama Lee’s sauces really stood out, the chicken itself was pretty classic. So I leaned into a more traditional Hainanese-style chicken and then took the sauces to the next level.
What really makes this dish special is how nothing goes to waste. The poaching liquid becomes stock, the bones get saved for pho, and the rendered chicken fat gets used to flavour the rice. That’s how this dish is meant to be eaten — comforting, thoughtful, and deeply flavorful.
And as a Vietnamese person, chicken dishes like this are such a classic in our homes, but the sauces here completely transform it into something crave-worthy.
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Why You’ll Love This Hainanese Chicken and Sauces Recipe
This is comfort food that feels intentional. The chicken is tender and simple, but the sauces do all the talking. The green scallion sauce is bold, aromatic, and unlike the typical version you might be used to. The red chilli sauce has heat, balance, and just enough oil without feeling heavy.
It’s also practical. One chicken turns into multiple meals, and everything you make feeds into something else. That’s the kind of cooking I love.
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How To Make and Serve This Hainanese Chicken and Sauces Recipe
The chicken is gently poached with ginger, green onions, and stock until perfectly tender. If you like that signature yellow colour, a little turmeric in the water does the trick. While the chicken cooks, you make the sauces — one bright and herbaceous, the other spicy and punchy.
Once the chicken is done, don’t throw anything away. Skim the chicken fat and use it to cook the rice with garlic. Save the stock and bones for soup later. Slice the chicken, spoon the sauces generously over everything, and serve it family-style with rice.
This is a simple dish, but when done right, it feels incredibly special.
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MamaLee’s Hainanese Chicken and Sauces Tips
Here are a few tips for making this dish:
• Don’t boil the chicken — gentle simmering keeps it tender
• Turmeric is optional and purely for colour
• Blending the scallion sauce creates depth, while raw scallions add freshness
• Save the bones and stock for pho or soup
• The chicken fat rice is non-negotiable
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Questions and Answers about the MamaLee’s Hainanese Chicken and Sauces
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. The sauces keep well in the fridge, and the chicken reheats gently with a bit of stock.
Is this spicy?
The green sauce isn’t spicy at all. The red sauce is customizable — start small with the chilli.
What if I don’t have a blender?
Finely chop everything and heat the oil before pouring it over. The texture will be different but still delicious.
MamaLee’s Hainanese Chicken and SaucesRecipe
Ingredients
Hainanese Chicken
• 1 whole chicken
• 1 bunch green onions
• Ginger, sliced
• Chicken stock or 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
• Turmeric, optional (for colour)
• Salt, to taste
Scallion Sauce (Green Sauce)
• 6 tbsp green onion (green part only, from about 1 bunch)
• 1½ tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• ½ tbsp rice vinegar
• ¼ cup neutral oil (vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
Chilli Sauce (Red Sauce)
• 1 tbsp garlic chilli sauce or sambal
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• Optional: Thai red chilli (I use about half of a small one because it’s spicy)
Optional for Rice
• Rendered chicken fat
• Garlic
• Jasmine rice
Instructions:
Cook the Chicken
In a large pot, add the whole chicken, green onions, ginger, chicken stock or bouillon, and enough water to fully submerge the chicken.
Add salt and a pinch of turmeric if you want a deeper yellow colour.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Remove the chicken and let it rest before slicing.
Reserve the cooking liquid and skim off the chicken fat for later use.
Make the Scallion Sauce
Blend green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, neutral oil, and sesame oil until smooth.
Stir in extra finely chopped raw green onions and ginger for added texture and punch.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Make the Chilli Sauce
Mix garlic chilli sauce, honey, sriracha, rice vinegar, and neutral oil.
Add finely chopped Thai red chilli if using.
Adjust heat and sweetness to taste.
Prepare the Rice (Optional but Highly Recommended)
Use the reserved chicken fat to sauté garlic until fragrant.
Add rice and cook as usual. This adds incredible flavour.
Serve
Slice the chicken and arrange on a platter.
Serve with rice, scallion sauce, and chilli sauce on the side.
Spoon sauces generously over the chicken and rice.