Hainanese chicken rice

Hainanese chicken rice is a dish adapted from early Chinese immigrants originally from Hainan province in southern China. The Hainanese in China traditionally used a specific breed, the Wenchang chicken, to make the dish. Wenchang chicken rice remained a dish for special occasions in Hainanese homes in Singapore until the 1940s. There is a shared culture of seasoned rice dishes across Hainan and the Leizhou peninsula. Wenchang chicken rice is closely related to another chicken rice dish known as Anpu chicken rice () from Zhanjiang in western Guangdong province, and Anpu chicken rice is speculated to be the predecessor to Wenchang chicken rice. The city of Zhanjiang is also known for its wild betel rice () and duck rice (). Almost every country in Asia with a history of immigration from China has a version of Hainanese chicken rice. The San Francisco Chronicle says, "the dish maps 150 years' immigration from China's Hainan Island...to Singapore and Malaysia, where the dish is often known as Hainan chicken rice; to Vietnam, where it is called "Hai Nam chicken"; and to Thailand, where it has been renamed khao man gai ("chicken fat rice")." soup Controversy over origin In a debate that stretches back decades to 1965, when the two countries split, Malaysia and Singapore have both laid claim to inventing the dish. In 2009, Malaysian Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen said that Hainanese chicken rice was "uniquely Malaysian" and had been "hijacked" by other countries. Ng later clarified that she was misquoted on her intention to patent the foods, and that a study on the origins of the foods would be conducted "and an apology conveyed if it was wrongly claimed." In 2018, then Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng joked that Singapore claimed "chicken rice is theirs (and) if we're not careful, 'char koay teow' will become theirs" one day. ==Reception==

Catherine Ling of CNN called Hainanese chicken rice one of the "40 Singapore foods we can't live without". It was listed as one of the "World's 50 best foods" by CNN in 2018. David Farley of the BBC called it "the dish worth the 15-hour flight" and said it was "deceptively simple – which is good, because on paper it sounds awfully boring." Saveur called it "one of the most beloved culinary exports of Southeast Asia." ==Variations==

Malaysia , Johor, Malaysia In Malaysia, ( "chicken rice" in Bahasa Melayu) is "a culinary staple" and a popular street food, particularly in Ipoh, a center of Hainanese immigration. The general term nasi ayam can refer to multiple variations including roasted and fried chicken, can be served with a variety of sauces including barbecue, and can be accompanied by a variety of side dishes including steamed rice rather than seasoned 'oily' rice, soup, or chicken offal. In Malacca and Muar, the rice is served in balls rather than in bowls; this dish is commonly known as Chicken rice balls. Steamed rice is shaped into golf ball-sized orbs and served alongside the chopped chicken. Singapore , Meritus Mandarin Singapore In Singapore, the dish was born out of frugality, created by servant-class immigrants trying to utilise limited sources to its maximum. An old hen which had passed its egg-laying years would be slaughtered to be cooked into broth and rice to extract the chicken flavour. The dish was popularised in Singapore in the 1950s by Moh Lee Twee, whose Swee Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant operated from 1947 to 1997. Hong Kong food critic Chua Lam credits Moh with the creation of the dish. While most commonly associated with Singaporean cuisine, the dish is also seen throughout Southeast Asia and in parts of the United States, The dish is widely popular in Singapore and can be found in hawker centres, restaurants and hotels. Khao man kai is served with a garnish of cucumbers and occasionally chicken blood tofu and fresh coriander, along with a bowl of nam sup, a clear chicken broth which often contains sliced daikon. The accompanying sauce is most often made with tauchu (also known as yellow soybean paste), thick soy sauce, chilli, ginger, garlic and vinegar. One famous Bangkok neighbourhood for Khao man kai is Pratunam in Ratchathewi district, located near to Platinum Fashion Mall, CentralWorld and Ratchaprasong Intersection. A restaurant in Pratunam received Bib Gourmand awards from the 2018 Michelin Guide. Khao man kai is also well known in other areas, including Pracha Chuen, Yaowarat and Phasi Charoen near Bang Wa BTS station and Phyathai 3 Hospital including various places are Thanon Tok near Rama III Bridge, Thong Lor on Sukhumvit Road, Wat Suthiwararam, Sathu Pradit, Bang Kapi, Wat Saket, and Saphan Kwai neighbourhoods. Vietnam The dish is known as in Vietnamese, and is common in South Vietnam. Cambodia In Cambodia, the dish is known as bay moan () in Khmer, which translates to "chicken rice". An assortment of pickled vegetables is served alongside as a street food. Its origins can be traced back to the 17th century, where it is believed to have been introduced by Hokkien and Hainanese immigrants. ==In popular culture==

• Khao man kai is a 1998 Ruangsak "James" Loychusak single. Loychusak's grandmother sold Khao man kai in his native Nakhon Si Thammarat. • Rice Rhapsody (alternative title Hainan Chicken Rice) is a 2004 Singaporean comedy set in a successful chicken rice restaurant in Singapore's Chinatown. • Chicken Rice War is a 2000 Singaporean romantic comedy adaptation of Romeo and Juliet featuring two rival chicken rice hawker families whose children fall in love. • Hainanese chicken rice was featured on the Netflix TV series Street Food in season 1. • Hainanese chicken rice was featured in the 2025 TV anime series Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. Hainanese chicken rice also trended on Japanese Twitter (X) under the hashtag #Khaomankai (カオマンガイ). ==See also==