When you are trying to use a Hainanese chicken rice recipe to try to recreate this dish at home, it is important that you have all the secret ingredients necessary in order to make this dish a success. This dish is really popular in Singapore and Thailand, but it originated from Hainan, China. It is one of the chicken dishes that are best eaten when the chicken is not hot or warm but cooled. One of the secret ingredients for a good Hainanese chicken rice recipe is the use of pandan leaves.
Most commonly found at your local Asian grocery store in the freezer section, they are also known as a screwpine leaf. Usually it is used to wrap up dishes or add distinct flavors to Southeast Asian cuisine. The pandan leaves add a very floral taste to the dish and pairs well with milk, lemongrass and rice. When added to the Hainanese chicken rice recipe, it makes for a really delicious and distinctly Asian taste.