Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice – Handmade Chicken Rice Balls!

In Singapore, there is no shortage of places offering chicken rice which is commonly regarded as a national delicacy.

While other chefs have strived to adapt and innovate, Michael Lee, the owner of Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice has brought back and perfected the old rice ball technique! With the motto to give everyone a chance to enjoy the chicken rice balls, Michael sells his chicken rice at affordable prices!

Now, you must be wondering, what makes Michael’s chicken rice balls so different from the normal chicken rice? To attain a not-too-oily texture and ensure its fragrance, time control and the use of quality rice grains is very important. A few different types of rice grains are used to make the chicken rice (mainly Song He old rice), and workers have to ensure that the rice gets neither too sticky nor too dry throughout the cooking process.

Measuring the amount of rice to be moulded into a ball is another key factor in achieving consistency. On top of that, a lot of manpower is required as the rice balls have to be hand-pressed while they are still hot in order for the rice to maintain its shape when served.

The stall avoids using frozen chicken. Instead, they serve 3 varieties of fresh chicken – roasted, soya sauce, and steamed chicken. Michael mentioned that the roasted chicken is the most popular amongst younger customers!

After tasting all three types of chicken, we decided to order the half roasted chicken set meal($20) which feeds about 2-3! It comes with 10 rice balls, vegetables, and soup.

The roasted chicken skin was glistening, and the meat was exceptionally succulent and juicy. Moreover, the sweet and savoury gravy, which had just the right amount of oiliness, complemented the overall taste of the chicken and fragrance of the rice. I can’t remember the last time I had such a satisfying plate of chicken rice!

The chilli was also extraordinarily fresh, but it was quite spicy and may overwhelm the taste of the chicken rice balls. Michael recommended us to try the individual ingredients on their own before soaking them in chilli!

I feel that 3 rice balls are equivalent to 1 serving of rice! This is their roasted chicken drumstick with rice set which costs only $4.50.

When asked if he had any thoughts about the future of the Chicken Rice industry in Singapore, Michael mentioned that he is not interested in fame or reputation — he simply wishes to deliver a taste that he holds close to his heart. Preserving the taste that never fails to evoke memories of Michael’s childhood in Malacca, Qi Lin Xuan Chicken rice is a must-try!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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