Where To Find The Best Chicken Rice In Singapore

Looks simple, right? A plate of chicken rice. But in Singapore, this humble dish is practically a national obsession and definitely not something to be underestimated. Often crowned the island’s unofficial national dish, Hainanese chicken rice has gone from everyday comfort food to an international icon.

At its core, it’s all about precision. Silky poached chicken, fragrant rice cooked in rich chicken fat and stock, and the essential trio of chilli, ginger paste and dark soy. The process is deceptively meticulous too: poaching kampung chicken just right, chilling it for that signature tender bite, and coaxing every bit of flavour into the rice.

From hawker stalls to heritage institutions, here’s where to find some of the most legit plates of chicken rice across the island.

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken Rice

Various Locations

Image credit: Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken Rice | Supplied

A Michelin Bib Gourmand stalwart for the past nine years, Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken Rice serves nearly four decades of heritage with every plate of chicken rice.

This famous eatery started small in 1987 in Lengkok Bahru, before moving to Tiong Bahru Market a year later, and growing into one of the country’s most recognised and reputable chicken rice names, thanks to generations of sincere cooking, and a guiding belief that good food should be simple, honest and accessible.

Although the roast chicken here is also very popular, it’s the signature Hainanese boneless chicken that the stall is famous for. The chicken is slightly on the fattier side, with tender and juicy meat, served with mild turmeric-fragrant rice. Come early and be prepared to queue.

And now, expanding beyond its hawker roots, the Bib Gourmand’s only full-service dine-in restaurant has recently opened its flagship outlet at Takashimaya Shopping Centre. What better way to continue honouring tradition, while introducing a more elevated way of enjoying one of Singapore’s most iconic dishes.

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-10/11 Maxwell Food Centre

Image credit: Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice | Facebook

Remember the famous Gordon Ramsay Hawker Cook-Off in 2013 for the Singtel Hawker Heroes Challenge? It was right here, at Tian Tian, becoming one of the most iconic moments in Singapore’s hawker history. Founded at Maxwell Food Centre in 1986, Tian Tian began as a humble hawker stall offering authentic Hainanese chicken rice prepared with traditional family recipes.

And now a household name, the queues for the velvety chicken with springy skin and aromatic oil rice at Tian Tian say it all. Every plate of chicken rice looks the same, no matter how busy it gets. But come early, the stall closes as soon as the chicken is sold out. Check out their other outlets across the island too incase you can’t get a plate of chicken rice here. 

Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice & Curry Chicken Noodle

505 Beach Road B1-53 Golden Mile Food Centre

Image credit: Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice & Curry Chicken Noodle | Facebook

As the name suggests, Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice & Curry Chicken Noodle serves only two classics since it opened in 1987: curry chicken noodles and Hainanese chicken rice, done either roasted or steamed.

The silky steamed chicken stands out for its springy skin and tender flesh, served with just the right amount of good quality soy sauce, complemented with perfectly cooked rice infused with that perfect must-have chicken fat and ginger aroma.

Chatterbox

Hilton Singapore Orchard, 333 Orchard Road, #05-03

Image credit: Chatterbox | Supplied

The most famous high-end chicken rice in Singapore is the legendary Mandarin Chicken Rice from Chatterbox which comes in at $25 per set.

Since opening its doors in 1971, Chatterbox Singapore has remained a symbol of consistency and quality, bringing authentic Singaporean hawker street food to a 5-star luxury hotel. Still using their 50-year-old recipe, free-range chickens (weighing approximately 2kg each for four servings) are specially reared for 60 days, an additional 15 days more to ensure plumper, juicier, and more flavourful meat.

Served boneless, with a side of fragrant, broth-cooked jasmine rice cooked with sesame oil, chicken fat and stock, and paired with the signature trio of homemade sauces of dark soya, ginger puree and chilli.

Boon Tong Kee

399, 401 & 403 Balestier Road

Image credit: Boon Tong Kee | Facebook

What originally started as a small stall in Chinatown serving Cantonese chicken rice in 1979, quickly grew into the first Boon Tong Kee restaurant at Balestier Road in 1983, serving excellent quality food at great value. The signature boiled chicken is made with a treasured recipe, served tender and accompanied by a special chicken sauce and glossy chicken rice.

And while this flagship Balestier Road branch had been listed as a "MICHELIN Selected" eatery for several years, it was finally promoted to a Bib Gourmand last year in the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2025. Today, the restaurant has outlets all over the island, namely at MacPherson Road, Whampoa West, River Valley Road, Cheong Chin Nam Road and East Coast Road.

Must-try dishes include the tender Signature Boiled Kampong Chicken for perfect poached chicken served with a light, savory soy-based sauce and their famous house-made chili sauce.

Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice

Block 40, Stall 5, #01-39, Holland Drive

Image credit: Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice | Supplied

Situated within Chang Chen Mee Wah Coffee Shop at Holland Drive, Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice has been serving chicken rice since 1978, and has been on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list since 2018.

Since the original stall opened on Margaret Drive years ago, their chicken rice has been made the same way, serving only juicy and tender poached chicken, served with aromatic oil rice and an addictive ground ginger sauce and old-style chilli sauce.

Heng Long BBQ Chicken Rice

Mei Ling Market & Food Centre, #02-42, 159 Mei Chin Road

Image credit: Heng Long BBQ Chicken Rice | Facebook

Possibly the only Michelin-recommended hawker stall for Cantonese-style chicken rice (and other roasted delights) in Queenstown is Heng Long BBQ Chicken Rice. Previously located at the nearby Stirling Road, the brine-poached rice here is very popular, as is the BBQ chicken rice. Both use fresh chicken, yielding succulent, naturally flavourful meat with tender texture and well-judged seasoning. Paired with fragrant rice, it comes together as a simple yet deeply satisfying meal.

Looking for more? Check out:

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• The Best Singapore Brunch Experiences To Try Right Now

Main image credit: Chatterbox | Facebook

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