Chicken rice is an authentic Singaporean dish. Although it has Hainanese origins, the Singaporean version is uniquely Singapore. For example, in Singapore, you have the option of eating the chicken steamed or roasted. The chilli sauce that goes with it is also much spicier here than the original version from Hainan. Chicken rice is often served at international exhibitions and overseas global events. It is also one of few local dishes that Singapore Airlines serve. It can be considered as Singapore’s “national dish”.

To make chicken rice, the chicken is boiled in stock made of chicken and pork bone, with garlic and ginger for flavour. Part of the leftover stock is used to make the rice, so that the rice absorbs the juices and flavours indirectly from the original chicken. The rest of the stock is taken as soup to serve with the rice. To serve, the chicken is cut into pieces and placed on top of the rice, accompanied by a few slices of raw cucumber and a drizzle of gravy made from the juices of the chicken. The dish is served with dips such as chilli sauce, dark soy sauce and sometimes pounded ginger. The dips add zest to the dish.

Singaporeans love chicken rice. This deduction is based on the large quantity of chicken rice stalls in Singapore. Almost every food court or hawker centre has a chicken rice stall. Some famous stalls have even expanded into restaurants or eateries, and have many branches island-wide. Examples of such businesses are: Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, Boon Tong Kee, Tian Tian, and Loy Kee.

Why is chicken rice so wildly popular? A possible reason could be that a plate of chicken rice is affordable at only around three Singapore dollars, and that it is also so tasty to the brink of being addictive. Many people who are just looking for a perfunctory, simple and heart warming meal would choose to eat Chicken rice. To me, while there are chicken rice dishes that are served in cosy restaurants, if you are seeking to experience chicken rice as the local favourite, chicken rice in its prime, you have to visit an authentic Singaporean hawker centre chicken rice stall.

Although chicken rice came from Hainan, Singapore chicken rice is distinctly different. It is uniquely Singapore!

Article written by: [Wong Siong Yee], [National Junior College]