Makcik Chicken – Satisfying, Confirm Steeemmm Chicken Rice

Makcik Chicken is known for two things – their chicken rice, and their cheeky social media persona. Founded by a husband-and-wife duo, the brand has since gained a cult following thanks to their tongue-in-cheek marketing efforts, and expertly crafted version of the modern chicken rice. The fact that this halal eatery is only available via delivery or takeaway begs the question: Is their chicken rice really that good? (Spoiler alert: It is)

Right from the start, ordering from Makcik Chicken proved to be an adorable experience. The confirmation email sent was delightfully colloquial. “Makcik chop chop prepare your order now. Later when the hansem driver pick up from my kitchen, Makcik send you another notification ok?” (btw, Makcik lied. Our driver was a lady.)

Each order of the Confirm Steeemmm Chicken Rice ($9.50) comes with a hearty portion of fragrant Japanese rice, ginger-and-garlic-infused tender sous vide chicken thigh, hanjuku egg, shredded cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and a trio of sauces that came in separate containers.

The sauces are where Makcik differ from the chicken rice stalls outside. While the red chilli is the usual chicken rice chilli variant that packs a fiery punch, spicy lightweights will appreciate the unique spring onion and ginger chilli. It has a gentle fire power, with fresh herbaceous notes and a slight tang. And you can’t go wrong with the sweet-salty combination from the soya sauce and sesame oil mixture.

You won’t have to worry about the chicken-to-rice ratio here. Generous slices of chicken thigh are drizzled with soya sauce, with hints of garlic permeating every piece. We also liked how each of the thick slices could be sliced through easily with the plastic forks provided.

The hanjuku egg did not come with the #yolkporn we were expecting, but it was delightful nonetheless. It was seasoned lightly, and the soft-set middle made it a great accompaniment to the fluffy grains. We also liked that the rice wasn’t too oily and salty, making it a great base for the condiments and the juicy chicken thigh.  

Also part of the menu is Makcik’s concoctions of drinks. They’ve got bandung and calamansi juice, but we opted for the Cik Rose Syrup Limau ($6.50), which is an unconventional blend of rose and lime juice with pomegranate seeds. It was refreshingly floral and zesty drink, but our straw kept getting stuck with the rose petals garnish and pomegranate seeds. Definitely not a drink to consume with a straw.