Hainanese Chicken Rice Singapore
Been living in Singapore for about six months now and still can’t get over how obsessed everyone is with chicken rice. Thought it was just hype until my coworker dragged me to this random hawker centre during lunch break.
Honestly looked sketchy from the outside – kind of grimy and chaotic. But man was I wrong about the food. Now I’m one of those people who gets weird cravings for it at like 2pm on a Tuesday. My friends back home think I’m nuts when I try explaining why I’m excited about rice and chicken. Trust me, there’s a difference.
Singapore’s National Dish
Singapore’s national dish is called chicken rice, not chicken and rice (there is a difference if you want to pretend to be a local). Originating from Hainan, China, chicken rice is commonly called Hainanese chicken rice and can be found in all hawker centres in Singapore.
A hawker centre (above) is place where you can find tonnes of small food stalls where ‘hawkers’ (the individual in charge of the stall) sells inexpensive food. How inexpensive? A Hainanese chicken rice meal will cost you about $3.50-$4.50 *(SGD) and if you splurge for vegetables on the side it will cost an extra dollar or two. It’s no wonder that when I tell people that I cook my own meals at home, they look at me like they are watching a horror movie.
Hawker centres are an experience of a lifetime and a must-do on any trip to Singapore. They are usually open-air complexes that are found near public housing, between train stations, and close to malls. On the outside, hawker centres look dirty and rundown, but they are completely safe and strictly regulated by government bodies.
You can usually find at least 10 different types of cuisines in a hawker centre (Malay, Korean, Japanese, Western, etc), so there is no need to worry about going hungry.
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Singapore’s beloved chicken rice is proof that simple flavors can be unforgettable. Foodies might also enjoy the rustic dining experiences at Bonnechere Caves, the cozy fall feasts of Stratford, or Greek classics in Banff. Each place tells its story through food, and tasting them all is half the joy of travel.
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So what makes chicken rice so special?
Here are five reasons why the chicken rice in Singapore is like to no other:
1. The chicken tastes like silk: So tenderly juicy, you cannot help but appreciate the soft texture of the chicken, cooked to perfection every time; it’s never chewy. Not to mention, you have the option to choose what type of chicken you want; roasted, boiled, deep-fried, with skin or without skin.
2. The rice is cooked in chicken broth: Nothing goes to waste at a chicken rice food stall. The hawkers use the chicken bones to make the most intensely chicken flavoured broth. The rice is then cooked in this broth and transformed from a dull carb to a buttery side dish.
3. The dark soya sauce: Chicken rice is not chicken rice without the special sweet dark soya sauce. This sauce is as thick as honey, and usually blended with some garlic and chili. To counter balance the slightly savoury chicken, this sauce offers a candy-like flavour to the meal. It’s usually drizzled over the chicken or the vegetables.
4. Deep fried shallots: I’m not really a fan of anything deep fried, but the hawkers usually top chicken rice with a few deep fried shallots. They add a much needed crunch to the meal, which is unbelievably addictive.
5. Consistency: A hawker centre can expose a person to hundreds of different dishes, but being a foreigner, sometimes you simply don’t know what you are ordering. After a long day at work, I know my chicken rice will always be there for me, and always tantalize my taste buds. In a way, it’s like having a dog; chicken rice is loyal, reliable, and it always brings a smile to my face.
The next time you’re in Singapore, experience a local hawker centre and of course, you can’t go wrong with ordering chicken rice (unless you ask for chicken AND rice).
Hawker Centres & Chicken Rice
After months of eating chicken rice probably three times a week, I finally get why locals are so protective of their hawker centres. It’s not just about cheap food – though seriously, where else can you get a proper meal for under three bucks?
It’s about tradition, community, and having something you can count on. Every time I bring visiting friends to my usual stall, they end up having the same conversion I did. Started as curiosity, became an obsession. Now when people ask what I miss most about Singapore, chicken rice always makes the top three list.
FAQs: Hainanese Chicken Rice Singapore
Q: What’s the actual difference between “chicken rice” and “chicken and rice”? A: Calling it “chicken and rice” immediately marks you as a tourist. Chicken rice is the proper name for this specific dish where the rice is cooked in chicken broth. It’s like calling a cheeseburger “beef and cheese on bread.”
Q: How much does Hainanese chicken rice typically cost in Singapore? A: Most hawker centres charge around SGD $3.50-$4.50 for a basic plate. Add vegetables or upgrade to premium chicken and you’re looking at maybe $5-6 total. Still incredibly cheap compared to restaurant prices.
Q: Are hawker centres actually safe to eat at? A: Yes, they’re heavily regulated by Singapore’s government. Despite looking sketchy, they have strict hygiene standards. The government grades each stall and displays the ratings publicly. I’ve never gotten sick from hawker food.
Q: What type of chicken should I order as a first-timer? A: Go with the classic steamed chicken (白鸡). It’s the traditional preparation and lets you taste the actual quality of the chicken. Roasted is good too if you want more flavor, but start with steamed.
Q: Can vegetarians find options at chicken rice stalls? A: Most chicken rice stalls focus solely on chicken, but hawker centres have tons of other stalls. You’ll easily find vegetarian Chinese, Indian, or Malay options within the same complex.
Q: What time of day is best to visit hawker centres? A: Lunch (11am-2pm) and dinner (6pm-8pm) are peak times. Go slightly off-peak if you want shorter queues, but popular stalls might run out of food if you go too late.
Q: Do I need to speak Chinese to order chicken rice? A: Not at all. Most hawkers speak basic English, and you can just point at what you want. Learning “一份鸡饭” (yi fen ji fan) for “one chicken rice” helps though.
Q: What’s the proper etiquette at hawker centres? A: Find a table first, leave something to “chope” (reserve) it, then order your food. Don’t sit at dirty tables – clean up is done centrally. And don’t hog tables during busy periods.
Q: Why is the rice so flavorful compared to regular rice? A: The rice is cooked in concentrated chicken stock made from bones, plus pandan leaves and ginger. Some stalls also add chicken fat. It’s basically the opposite of plain steamed rice.
Q: Which hawker centres have the best Hainanese chicken rice? A: Everyone has opinions, but Maxwell Food Centre, Chinatown Complex, and Tian Tian Chicken Rice at Maxwell are frequently mentioned. Honestly, most neighbourhood hawker centres have solid options too.
