Chili Sauce

a part of the hainan chicken series

8 ingredients•Prep: 10 mins•Cook: 15 mins

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hwoo.lee•

April 27, 2026

Hainanese Chicken is usually served with 3 condiments for saucing the chicken:

Chili Sauce
Ginger Scallion
Dark Soy Sauce

Naturally, there are hundreds of variations and different sauces that are served with such a popular dish, but this is just the way I enjoy it.

Chili Sauce

Not gonna lie, I hate when I get a Hainan Chicken plate and the chili is just blitzed chili with ginger and garlic. There's no cohesiveness to the sauce for me. I want the sauce to be bound together and harmonize all the ingredients. This recipe solves that for me.

This recipe was inspired by The Analytical Cook's recipe for Chili Sauce.

To make this, it is imperative to make the Second Stock from Hainan Chicken. Read this recipe before proceeding onward. The Second Stock from Hainan Chicken is used to create both this sauce and the Extra Dark Soy Sauce.

Remember this recipe as a ratio instead of a list of ingredients, with the % expressed by the weight of the main ingredient, Red Holland Chilis. It'll be far easier in the future.

100% | Red Holland Chilis (Deseeded)
150% | Second Stock from Hainan Chicken
20% | Garlic
5% | Ginger
5% | Galangal

5% | Salt
13-15% | Sugar
20% | Lime Juice

If there is one sauce to make out of all the Hainanese Chicken Sauces I have, it is this one. I kid you not, I've been putting this on everything, my morning eggs, other proteins, anything that can use a hot sauce.

Items and equipment

High-Speed Blender

Ingredients (8)

Red Holland Chilis(200 g, de-seeded, diced)
sub - red fresno, red jalapeno or red serrano
Second Stock from Hainan Chicken(300 g)
Garlic(40 g, peeled, root end removed)
ideally, center garlic germ removed too
Ginger(10 g, peeled, diced)
Galangal(10 g, peeled, diced)
sub - ginger
Salt(10 g)
Sugar(26 g)
Lime juice(40 g)
fresh juice is ideal

Instructions

Chili Sauce

In a saucepan over med heat, combine red chilis (200 g), second stock (300 g), garlic (40 g), ginger (10 g), galangal (10 g), and salt (10 g) and cook until the peppers are softened (about 10-15 min)
Once all the aromats and chilis are soft enough, add to a blender and blitz until smooth.
Optionally, pass through a chinois to remove any chunks
Pour into a clean saucepan, reduced until thickened. Maybe another 5-10min on low heat.
I actually reduced until slightly thicker than I'd like. I am adjusting for the additional water the lime juice will add
Season with sugar (26 g) and lime juice (40 g). Adjust seasoning if need be.
At this point, you may want to add more sugar or lime juice depending on the spice of your peppers. both sweetness and acidity will help balance spice
Allow to cool, and store in an airtight container in the fridge.