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Listed in almost every guidebook to Singapore, featured in every tourist's vlog, countless travel shows, and earning a nod from the late Anthony Bourdain himself, this Maxwell Food Centre icon might be the most famous chicken rice on the island. With a 40-year legacy since 1986 and five outlets to its name, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice begins a new chapter, with a full-fledged restaurant – its sixth outlet – opening at Jewel Changi Airport on August 22, 2026.
The 98-seater is located in Basement 2 of the mall, right beside Food Republic. Beyond chicken rice, diners can expect a line-up of exclusive dishes, only available at this branch. Now, it's no secret that Singaporeans are divided on Tian Tian, with some swearing by its chicken rice, and others begging to differ. We head down to the new outlet to try it for ourselves, and here's a breakdown of the menu, prices and our thoughts on how it fares compared to the original Maxwell stall.
An individual chicken set at Tian Tian's Jewel outlet ($11) gets you rice, chicken and a bowl of soup, with the option to go half-steamed and half-roasted for 80 cents more. For comparison, a plate of medium-sized chicken rice (roasted or steamed) costs $6 at Maxwell – about half the price – while a small plate of roasted chicken rice costs just $5. Taste-wise, it's as we remember it. While the rice has a faint chicken fragrance, it's definitely on the softer side, slightly broken and a touch starchy, as opposed to other renditions where the grains are firmer and more separated.
As for the chicken, the steamed version has our vote over the roasted, with tender, silky flesh and a noticeable gelatinous layer under the skin – achieved by dunking the chicken in an ice bath right after poaching. Tian Tian's sauce is a thicker, sweeter gravy as opposed to the lighter, savoury sauces we're used to (and prefer). And this same sticky reduction is used for most of the add-ons, from chicken gizzards to liver (from $1.60 per serving) and even the outlet-exclusive crystal chicken feet ($9.80).
The gizzards are surprisingly tender instead of snappy, while the crystal chicken feet – painstakingly deboned till only its glassy, collagen-rich skin is left – have a nice, crunchy texture. The dish used to be a staple at the original stall till it got too troublesome to debone them everyday, and it's now finally making a comeback. They are very lightly dressed and require some heavy lifting from the accompanying condiments.
Apart from the crystal chicken feet, other exclusive items include the Tian Tian Heritage Platter ($25.80), a shareable spread of snacks like Thai-style fried tofu, ngoh hiang, tiger prawn beancurd skin rolls, fried salad prawns and Hainanese pork chop. There's also founder Madam Foo's steamed chicken curry ($13.80), a homemade recipe often served for staff meals, and now an official dish on the menu. It sees the same tender steamed chicken in a rich, aromatic curry broth, chunky potatoes and fried beancurd skin, paired with your choice of rice, yellow noodles or toasted baguette slices.
The verdict: the chicken rice at the Jewel flagship is pretty much consistent with Maxwell's, with the same soft rice, silky chicken and sweet sauce – except that you're paying airport prices here. There are a couple of additional menu items to cater for bigger groups or families, but we see this being more popular with international travellers looking to get a taste of Tian Tian between flights, or a last hit of Singapore's most iconic local dish before jetting off.
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is located at 78 Airport Boulevard, B2-243-244, Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666. Opening Hours are from 10am to 10pm daiily.
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