A Singaporean staple of moist chicken, aromatic rice, and tender bok choy, finished with chile garlic sauce and kecap manis. Almost no matter where you are on the globe, you'll find some sort of chicken and rice dish. Singaporeans perform their version with delicious justice, standing out as one of the simplest and purest versions I've ever seen. This Singaporean staple is hands down one of my favorites, which says a lot given the multitude of over-the-top, tasty dishes that surround me.
Chicken rice is simple and soothing—exactly what you should order when you want to take a break from the usual fiery dishes. I eat it just about every week. And not just because it's good value for your money, although it doesn't hurt. For that, you get a plate of perfectly tender and expertly sliced chicken roasted or steamed mildly flavored with sesame oil, a bowl of rich broth, and a mound of fragrant rice cooked in stock and chicken oil, all garnished with cucumber slices and fresh cilantro.
I like to think of it as a deconstructed chicken soup. Shell out a little more change to get a "set," which comes with steamed greens topped with a sprinkle of crispy fried shallots.
For those who crave more flavor or heat, you can drizzle on dark, thick soy sauce kecap manis and spoon on some fresh and tangy chile sauce. Though I like the flavor of the skin on the roasted option, I like the moist meat texture of the steamed chicken. Chicken rice, specifically known as Hainanese chicken rice, is from Hainan, along the southern coast of China. Immigrants brought the dish to Singapore and now you can find it everywhere—and I mean everywhere. Just look for the rows of plump poached and roasted chickens hanging on display in the shop windows.
But all of the shops look the same, so how do you choose? Singaporeans certainly have their favorites. I'm pretty loyal to Maxwell Hainanese Chicken Rice: The folks are super friendly, the chicken is juicy, and if I'm super hungry I can ask them to pop a hard-boiled tea egg onto my plate.
