Here’s Our Best 9 Chicken Rice Picks in Singapore!

Picture juicy, glazed whole chicken hanging in a row at a hawker food stall. The ubiquitous influence of Hainanese Chicken Rice can be felt everywhere, be it humble hawker spots or even major restaurants. Team Miss Tam Chiak can’t help but indulge in Singapore’s national dish every so often, and we are eager to share with you our top 9 chicken rice picks. Some of our favourite go-to chicken rice stalls are found in hawker centers, so you might want to grab an ice-cold can of Coca Cola as you enjoy your favourite (or to-be favourite) chicken rice.

Chin Chin Eating House

Chin Chin Eating House is one of the pioneers of chicken rice in Singapore. Chin Chin compels us to revisit with their rendition of traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice. A portion of halved steamed chicken ($14) comprises huge chunks of chicken breasts, tenderloins, wings, legs and thighs served with a splash of fragrant soy sauce and sesame oil. You’ll pretty much fall head over heels in love with the moist and tender meat. While the rice appeared to be less oily, it was fragrant and made even tastier with the added aroma from the tangy chili and earthy ginger dip. You have been warned, the chilli packs a punch so you might want to enjoy it with a refreshing, fizzy beverage like Coca-Cola!

Boon Tong Kee

My love for Boon Tong Kee continues to endure from my prepubescent years, when I was first introduced to one of the best Cantonese chicken rice. Boon Tong Kee started in 1979 – Mr. Thian Boon Hua was running a small stall at Chinatown selling Cantonese chicken rice. Shortly after his chicken rice skyrocketed to fame, Mr Thian started his first restaurant in Balestier Road in 1983. Here, a plate of Signature Boiled Chicken costs $4.50. Silky white chicken is served on order. The poultry pairs excellently with the rice, which boasts a good consistency and mild aroma. Don’t forget to add in their in-house sauces especially the chicken rice chilli which is tangy and spicy.

Chicken House

What makes Chicken House stand out is their use of kampong chicken. Here, diners can enjoy the best of both worlds – steamed chicken and soy sauce chicken ($14). The meat possesses an addictive chewiness. The steamed chicken was decent, but it’s soya sauce counterpart triumphed as it was softer and more flavorful. You might notice a cup of green-colored condiment that’s unfamiliar – that’s probably the ginger, And, the best part? The half chicken was absolutely boneless so it was pretty much a fuss-free eating experience. Make your meal moment even more complete by ordering a round of Coca-Cola to share with your family or friends!

Hua Kee Chicken Rice

Founded 30 years ago by Mdm Tan, Hua Kee Chicken Rice is now run by her son Mr. Lim. The steamed chicken is chopped into large chunks, with skin and bone still attached to ensure that the meat retains its natural juices and flavours. The chicken was tender, juicy and full of flavour. The aromatic rice was pretty fluffy and oily – just the way I liked it. Hua Kee delivers one of the tastiest cucumbers – the savoury and sweet juices from the chicken clung to the sides of these crunchy slices of cucumbers!

Delicious Boneless Chicken Rice

It’s rare to see a queue forming for chicken rice late in the afternoon, but at this unassuming hawker stall, you might have to wait up to 30 minutes for your chicken rice fix. Make your waiting time more bearable and beat the sweltering heat by getting yourself an ice-cold can of Coca-Cola! The refreshing taste will help rejuvenate your taste buds and prepare you for the delicious meal that awaits you. First of all, their chicken rice is really value for money. For $18, you get free-flow achar, a big bowl of appetizing pork rib soup, 2 plates of rice, and half a chicken. The serving of the chicken is generous, with each piece of meat chopped into big chunky pieces. Coating the chicken is a savoury sauce which carries a sweet undertone that pairs well with the rice. Complete the experience with a dollop of chilli.

Ming Kee Chicken Rice

Do you know how it feels like to fall in love (with chicken rice) all over again? Ming Kee’s steamed chicken is soaked in ice water quickly after cooking to create a gelatinous layer underneath the skin. The result? One of the most succulent, and moist chilled chicken in Singapore. Pair the delicious chilled chicken with warm, steaming rice, and you might just have a small taste of heaven. The chicken itself is flavorful and juicy even without dipping it into the chilli.

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Perhaps one of the most famous stall, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice has come a long way from its humble beginnings in Maxwell Market in1986. Madam Foo and her daughter, Ms. Loi, still tend to all outlets with a watchful eye. Tian Tian definitely takes the cake as one of our chicken rice favourites. If you need more persuasion, you might remember Tian Tian actually defeated Chef Gordon Ramsay at the Hawker Heroes Challenge in 2013! American Broiler chicken is steamed before it is served and coated with a thick sweet sauce. Do they owe their success to their refreshing and lightly chilled chicken meat, or the garlicky, buttery rice? That’s for us to know and for you to find out. Even celebrity chef and host Anthony Bourdain said that the rice here is so good that you can eat it on its own!

Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant

Wee Nam Kee boasts a couple of outlets islandwide. Out of the three types of chicken (poached, soya sauce and fried) served here, we enjoy the poached chicken the most. It is executed well and sits in an appetizing sauce. The meat holds a pleasant taste of ginger, and possesses a juicy and tender interior. As for the rice, you’ll find each long grain rice mildly fragrant, and not too oily. I have to say that the chilli was simply amazing –a well-balanced blend of ginger, vinegar and spice culminating in a tangy sensation.

Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice

Laying beneath succulent thick cuts of chicken is a bed of crunchy beansprouts, which we absolutely loved. For $14, we had half a chicken (equal serving of steamed and roasted chicken). The roasted chicken was a clear winner for me – its lightly crisp skin stole my heart. The steamed chicken was pretty good too. It tastes even better when you pair it with their homemade chili – a classic chicken rice chilli combination of spicy-zesty flavours. Assemble the chicken, beansprouts, as well as rice, on a spoon, and pop it into your mouth. I promise that you will be pleased. But wait – how can a shiok meal not have a shiok drink? You have to top it off with a flavourful can of Coca-Cola to ensure that everything paired together makes it EXTRA SHIOK!

No meal is ever complete without a refreshing drink like an ice-cold can of Coca-Cola® – one that brings out the flavors of your food and makes your meal taste even better! There’s just something so unique about Coca-Cola® that goes oh so perfectly well together with our local delicacies, don’t you think so?

This article is brought to you in partnership with Coca-Cola®, the opinions are the writer’s own.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the cafes/stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!