Hainanese Chicken Rice

Introduction

You cannot not talk about Chicken Rice when it comes to Singapore food. 

The humble chicken rice is something that every Singaporean child grows up with. It cheap and accessible, and great source of sustenance for a growing child. Once you have taken your first bite, it becomes moreish and even addictive. Chicken rice is like tacos to the Mexicans and sushi to the Japanese; one cannot overstate its importance in Singapore food culture. 

In this article, I will not be delve into how good chicken rice is or how to prepare it. There are tons of articles and Youtube videos online on those topics. Instead, I will dive straight in to deconstruct this quintessential Singapore dish.

The Basics

At its very core, the Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice consists of a few key components:

- Chicken, either boiled or roasted

- Fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock; white rice will not do

- Chili made using same chicken stock

- Slices of cucumber

All of the above can be served on a single plate and forms the most basic form of the dish. As of 2022, this version will set you back between S$3.50 to S$5.00, and is thus one of the cheapest full meals you can get in Singapore.

The Chicken

Chicken rice stalls typically specialise in either boiled (or white) chicken or roasted (or dark) chicken. Most of them will serve both, but they usually sell more of the type that they specialise in.

The most original, OG form of chicken is the boiled, white chicken. Don't be fooled by the word "boiled" however; if you are thinking that this is the healthy, bland and tasteless version, then you'll be in for a shock! If done well, the meat remains very tender and succulent, and the best stalls do it so well that even the chicken breast remains juicy. 

The roast chicken is the alternative that has become very popular for its charred and flavourful taste. The roast seasoning gives the chicken a completely different flavour and texture profile, and the chicken skin often retains a slight crispiness. 

When order chicken rice, the basic version is usually served with either chicken breast meat or chicken wings. You can order a more premium version by asking for chicken drumstick. The chicken drumstick tends to be even juicer, and most stalls will de-bone the drumstick before serving it. This will require you to top-up up an extra dollar or so for that, but it is totally worth it.

A third, less common, type of chicken rice makes use of braised soy sauce chicken. Braised soy sauce chicken are usually served by stalls that specialise in soy sauce chicken noodles, not rice. Hence this dish is usually not the first type that comes to mind when talking about chicken rice.

The Rice

Some would say chicken rice is defined not by the chicken, but by the rice. 

The rice is usually cooked using the oil and stock leftover from cooking the chicken, along with some ginger, garlic and pandan leaves (recipes vary). 

A good chicken rice (the rice, not the dish) is defined by a number of key characteristics. It must be full of flavour, both in terms of aroma and that umani taste. It must not taste too oily. The rice texture should be firm to the bite and not soggy or clumpy. 

Most stalls will get the flavour and texture profile right. More often than not, the deciding factor is the "oiliness". The best rice will deliver the flavour punch without being too oily, which is a very hard thing to perfect. 

Of course, it's often down to a matter of personal taste. Even among Singaporeans, we don't tend to agree on which stall serves the perfect chicken rice. And quite often the argument is on the rice and not the chicken.

That said, the calories from chicken rice come in large part from the rice itself. So for health-conscious folks, going for a less oily option is a good way to control calorie consumption. Point to note: "less oily option" usually means patronising a different stall altogether. Every chicken rice stall will cook their rice in one way only and they don't offer a healthier version. Some rice stall may have white rice (which would have no oil), but not always. 

Realistically,  you won't be able to avoid consuming a fair amount of fat when eating chicken rice. So if you are watching your health, then chicken rice is best reserved for cheat days.

The Chili Sauce

The chili condiment that comes with chicken rice is a must-have. It forms the trifecta of a good chicken rice, and yes, Singaporeans argue about which chili sauce is the best too. If there was a grading system on chicken rice, then the chicken, rice and chili will have to be separately graded.

You may be thinking: what's so important about chili? It provides the acid that cuts into an otherwise oily and savoury dish, allowing you to cleanse the palate before going for more.

The chili sauce is basically chopped chili mixed with vinegar, chicken fat and seasoning. Every chicken rice stall has its own recipe and makes its own chili sauce. The taste can range from mildly spicy to fiery hot. I am a serious chili eater, and even I get the occasional spice shock when trying out a new chicken rice stall.

That said, I highly recommend eating chicken rice with chili if your palate can take it. After a while the spice will be balanced out by the flavour of the rice. Not convinced? Get a coconut drink to quench the heat.

Slices of Cucumber

Cucumber slices are the default fibre accompaniment of the chicken rice. A standard plate will usually come with 2-3 slices. In my opinion, they are thrown in as yet another palate cleanser, and can help to cool the spice from the chili sauce. Not all shops serve cucumber; some serve beansprouts or some other leafy greens. I wouldn't consider these the traditional styles in Singapore. Beansprouts are more a Malaysian Ipoh tradition, while leafy greens are more a Hong Kong influence. 

A favourite way of mine for eating cucumbers is to led them soak in the chicken juices. This works especially when we order a whole chicken for sharing, and the cucumbers are typically layered at the bottom. When all the chicken is gone, the cucumber slices would have soaked up all the chicken juices and are usually no longer crunchy. However, the slices would be packed full of chicken flavours. At that point, they are obviously not going to be cleansing any palates, but more like pieces of chicken flavour bombs.

Other Stuff

The chicken rice stall has evolved quite a fair bit over the years. While the core remains unchanged, most stalls now offer add-ons and sides to complete the meal. Some of the more common ones are as follows:

Chicken liver and gizzards - One of the most common sides and available for order at almost all stalls. Each bring a very different texture to the meal; the liver is soft and smooth (think foie gras, but with a firmer, gamier bite) while the gizzard has a really chewy texture. The texture is certainly polarising; you either love them or hate them.

Braised Hard-boiled egg - Another popular side is a whole hard-boiled egg, usually braised in soy sauce seasoning. It gives a nutritional boost and is popular as a side when packing lunch for kids. 

Tofu - Tofu are usually braised as well, and is something that's easy for the stall-owners to prepare and serve. Good option for a healthier choice. Point to note: while you techically can substitute the chicken with tofu, there's really no point. As mentioned earlier, the rice itself is cooked in chicken oil and stock, so switching in tofu doesn't do much to improve the "healthiness" of the dish.