By The Table desk · Last verified 3 October 2026
Chicken rice is chicken, rice and sauces, done so well that it became Singapore’s unofficial national dish. The chicken comes white (poached, the classic Hainanese way) or roasted, and sometimes as soy sauce chicken. The rice is cooked in chicken stock and chicken fat with ginger, garlic and pandan, so it’s fragrant on its own. It’s served with chilli sauce, ginger paste and dark soy, and a plate at a hawker stall usually costs about S$4 to S$6, a little more at famous stalls.
Ordering is easy once you know the three questions the stall will ask you. Here they are, with the answers.
Quick facts
- Origin: brought by Hainanese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, then made Singapore’s own.
- Styles: white (poached), roasted, and soy sauce chicken at some stalls.
- Rice: cooked in chicken stock and fat with ginger, garlic and pandan.
- Sauces: chilli with garlic and lime, grated ginger, and sweet dark soy.
- Hawker price: usually about S$4 to S$6 a plate.
- Restaurants and hotels: often S$15 to S$25 or more.
The three questions
| The stall asks | You can say | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| White or roasted? | “White” or “Roasted” (some stalls: “Mix”) | Poached and silky, or roasted with browned skin |
| Which part? | “Drumstick” (thigh and leg) or “Breast” | Drumstick is juicier and often costs a little more; breast is leaner |
| Here or take away? | “Have here” or “Ta pao” | Eat at the table or packed to go |
Useful extras: “more rice” or “less rice”, “no skin”, and “add egg”, “add vegetables” or “add gizzard and liver” where the stall offers them. Each add-on has its own small price on the board.
White or roasted?
White chicken is the original: the whole bird is gently poached so the meat stays just cooked and tender, and the skin turns smooth and slightly springy. It’s often finished with a drizzle of light soy and sesame oil. Roasted chicken has a browned, firmer skin and a deeper, sweeter flavour, and many children prefer it. Can’t decide? Some stalls will give you half and half.
Ordering for the family
- Order a quarter, half or whole chicken for the table; the price is on the board.
- Order rice by the plate or bowl, one per person.
- Add a vegetable dish, such as blanched bean sprouts or Chinese greens with oyster sauce.
- Ask for extra chilli and ginger in small containers if you’re packing it home.
The WahLiao Verdict
Judge a chicken rice stall by its rice first: it should be fragrant and glossy enough to eat plain. Then try the chilli, which every stall makes its own way. White drumstick is the classic order, but the happy truth is that the best chicken rice is often the one nearest your home, for under six dollars.
Questions people ask
Why is the white chicken a little pink near the bone?
Poached chicken is cooked gently, and a faint pink tinge near the bone is common in properly cooked chicken. If the meat itself looks raw or the juices run red, ask the stall to check it.
Does chicken rice come with soup?
Many stalls serve a small bowl of clear chicken soup with the plate. Others charge for it or don’t offer it.
Is chicken rice halal?
Only at stalls with halal certification. See what the signs at a stall mean.
What’s the difference between Hainanese and Cantonese chicken rice?
In everyday Singapore use, “Hainanese” usually means the poached white chicken, while Cantonese-style stalls are known for roasted and soy sauce chicken. Many stalls now sell both.
Sources: Singapore Spirit on Hainanese chicken rice; Smart Calculator on hawker prices in 2026. Prices vary by stall. The Table explains; it does not endorse.
Read next: The Singapore Hawker Food Glossary · Zi Char Explained · Back to The Table
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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