Chic Now Hainan Chicken Rice

Hainanese chicken rice is a fascinating dish for a number of reasons, but largely because it can deliver great flavors and textures despite looking and sounding so plain. In Singapore, hawker center restaurants compete to make the best version, winning Michelin attention and daily lines of fans. Finding a truly great version in Orange County isn’t as easy, but two locations of Chic Now Hainan Chicken Rice – one in an Irvine ghost kitchen and a newer spot at Rodeo 39 Public Market – are offering compelling options.

Ideally, Hainanese chicken rice maximizes the poultry flavor in both the boiled, sliced chicken and its accompanying rice by cooking each in chicken juices, adding salt to the chicken and garlic to the rice for a little extra punch. The texture of the chicken should be silky and moist; the rice at medium firmness.

Sold for $15 as a chicken and rice combo, or $18 with a drink, Chic Now’s versions aren’t quite award-worthy, but good enough: Their chicken is super tender, served either with or without skin as you prefer, though the flavor isn’t as impressively strong as it could be. Similarly, the rice has lighter chicken and garlic traces than we’d prefer, but still tastes pretty good on its own. Notably, it can be ordered without chicken for $3 per bowl; an extra portion of sliced chicken can be added for $7.