This is in no way authentic, partially because I can't eat white rice these days and substituted a mixture of brown and wild rice instead. but mostly because I didn't want to go to all the effort required while still having cravings for the dish. So, as usual, I adapted to my needs and ended up with something that is more or less a cross between Hainanese chicken and some form of congee. It was delicious. I added steamed collard greens for color and nutritional purposes as a topping. but would probably keep the dish more streamlined should I make it again.
1 whole organic chicken
2 4-inch pieces of ginger, unpeeled, cut in half lengthwise
3-5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 cup of rice of your choice
1 bunch scallions
2 tsps Szechuan chili oil (preferably the homemade kind with lots of chili matter in the bottom of the container)
2 tsps sesame oil
Pat the chicken dry and rub both inside and out with salt.
Place the chicken breast side down in a pot and nestle the ginger, the garlic cloves, and the cleaned root ends of the scallions along side it. Cover with just enough water that all the chicken is submerged and cook, covered, on low for an hour and a half. You want the liquid to simmer gently, not be at a rolling boil.
After the cooking time is up, turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the pot until it is cool enough for you to handle. Once it has reached that temperature. remove the whole chicken to a cutting board, retaining the broth and aromatics in the pan. Cover the chicken with foil while you get on with the rest of your dish.
Add the rice that you have chosen to the poaching liquid and cook according to the instructions on the package.
While it is cooking, prepare the sauce by combining 1/3 cup chopped scallion greens with the chili and sesame oil. Allow to sit while the rice cooks.
When the rice is nearly done, remove the foil from the chicken and carve it, removing the skin.
To serve, ladle some of the soupy rice and broth into deep bowls. Adjust seasoning and add more salt if needed. Top with slices of the poached chicken and drizzle with some of the scallion-oil mixture.
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