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The results are in – the one dish that defines our city-state is chicken rice. Does that surprise you?
As part of this year’s Time Out Index, we polled some 38,000 of our readers to help identify the single meal that defines their city. Of course, given our reputation as a food-obsessed nation, coming to a decision was a difficult task. In the end, chicken rice came up tops as the most iconic dish of Singapore, edging out chilli crab and laksa.
Chicken rice might be a combination that sounds deceptively simple, but every component – from the fluffy grains right down to the accompanying sauces – plays a part in creating an aromatic, versatile meal that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Even so, the jury is still out on which is the superior version of chicken rice: black or white? It’s a reference to how the all-important bird is cooked – steamed (white) to lock in all its natural juices, or roasted (black) till the skin turns amber. But there’s one thing that most can agree on – that the dish is only as good as the rice. Pandan-scented grains, cooked in flavourful broth and the bird’s own fat, is what will set apart the mediocre versions from those that are worth braving the queues for.
A simple web search will reveal that Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, located within Maxwell Food Centre is the place to go for tender and juicy meat, paired with fragrant rice. Others might head to the east to seek out Delicious Boneless Chicken Rice – a stall that lives up to its moniker. It even comes with sides of achar, a mixed spicy salad, and a belly-warming pork rib and lotus root soup to help wash everything down. But for those willing to splurge, there’s a version served at one-Michelin-starred Labyrinth where local chef Han Li Guang jazzes up his grandmother’s rendition of the traditional dish by cooking it in a claypot to seal in all the flavours.
Hungry for some chicken rice now? Check out our guide to the best spots in town to satisfy your craving. Then, bookmark our Time Out guide to the world's most iconic dishes for when travel borders safely reopen. Till then, you can still get a sampling of Kuala Lumpur’s nasi lemak at The Coconut Club, Hong Kong’s steamy dim sum at Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant, and Boston’s lobster roll at Luke's Lobster.
Where do you go to get your chicken rice fix? Share with us your favourite spots in Singapore via the #LoveLocal hashtag.