I stumbled upon The Chicken Rice during the height of the pandemic. It's essentially a Thai spin on Hainanese chicken and rice. Thinking back, each time I visited this shop was right after completing an important task. When they first opened their brick and mortar shop, it was a very short walk from the OC Superior Court. Recently, I've learned that they have relocated to 4th Street Market (4SM), which is about a 15 minute walk from the courts. This is a good move as the new location allows for more visibility and plenty of seating within 4SM. Food/Drinks: Hainan Chicken Rice - this entree is just as good as it was four years ago, but instead of pickled veggies, they have now substituted it with fresh cucumbers. Definitely recommend. Crispy Chicken Salad - wanted some greens, but can't recall this entree being all that memorable. Larb Crispy Chicken Rice - wow! For those craving more spice and flavor, this is the one to order. Would highly recommend for those wanting more umami and texture. Thaiger Milk Tea - I liked the play on words here and also they used to offer a small and large size. I definitely recalled this being extremely sweet. I guess there's a reason this is no longer on the menu. They now offer a rewards program supported by Toast, so returning customers can earn one point for each dollar spent. Shame that I don't live in the surrounding area anymore or else I would be here whenever I'm at 4SM. Metered parking right outside the food hall or at one of the nearby parking garages. Service is also very friendly and helpful! read more

The Chicken Rice - Larb Crispy Chicken Rice and Hainan Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I tried this spot through my third party office delivery app, and the food came nicely packaged all together with minimal spillage. I decided to try the classic Hainan chicken with ginger rice. I appreciated that they let me choose two free sauces to go with the rice compared to other Hainan chicken spots. The ginger scallion sauce tasted a bit sour, not sure if it's a different recipe than I'm used to or it went bad. And the chopped ginger and chili I had thought was a sauce was just the chopped vegetables itself. The chicken portions were great, but meat was a bit on the drier side. I love how the rice was broken rice though. And the soup was a different taste than what I'm used to as a side soup. read more

The Chicken Rice - Hainan Chicken with Ginger Rice with ginger scallion sauce and chopped chili ginger - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Got the Hainan chicken and crispy chicken. I thought the portion size was small for the price, still felt hungry after. The chicken for both dishes was just ok. The rice was pretty flavorful. Sauces had a unique taste in a good way. The person taking my order was friendly and I got a beeper to let me know once my order was ready. read more

The Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

This place is bonkers, Hat Yai surprised me, knew I wanted to eat it again first time I ate it. Food is perfect for me, 10/10 lol, very savory! Food court, parking in Downtown Santa Ana is normal, structure is free and not a far walk. Inside the 4th street market food court, may not be 100% easy from the street but just follow your map/gps and it's there. Casual food court. I got the split hainan/hat yai, not sure if I want full hat yai, eating there 2nd time today, been looking forward to it! read more

The Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

The Chicken Rice is one of the top spots in OC for original Khao Man Gai. It's been a minute since my last visit, so I was surprised to discover that they relocated from their previous Santa Ana location into the 4th Street Market. The Chicken Rice joins a number of innovative food makers featured in this food hall. I parked at a nearby meter but according to their website, there are two parking structures off of 4th and 5th Streets that offer the first 2 hours free! I recommend making it a combo with the Chicken & Rice which includes 2 choices of protein, soup and vegetables. My go-to protein choices are Hainanese Chicken and Crispy Chicken, so I get to enjoy the best of both worlds! The combo includes a choice of signature ginger rice or steamed rice, but you can choose brown rice (+$1) or sticky rice (+$2) for an additional charge. They also allow their customers to select 2 sauces from 8 different options. The Ginger Chicken Oil is a nice complement to the Hainanese Chicken and I enjoyed dipping the Crispy Chicken in their Spicy Soybean Chili Ginger sauce. If you're a Hainan Chicken fan like I am, The Chicken Rice is a must try! read more

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So there's two Thai places in 4th Street Market, but they're really like sister restaurants. One is more of the general Thai restaurant stir fry and rice based, and the other one is more Northern Thai based with khao soi, larb, and Hainan chicken rice. I think they used to serve both types in one stall, but they've since separated and become two different shops in the market. I love a good khao soi, so I had to try this one out. There's only two choices of proteins--chicken or tofu. I ordered mine with chicken, and was surprised to see they served it with two chicken drumsticks. The curry broth was good enough to satisfy a craving, but there's other places that have better broths. The drumsticks are a little hard to eat, especially if you're trying not to get the broth on your clothes. I would have preferred something more boneless. I feel like you really need the lime to bring some freshness to the dish and cut through some of that heaviness. It is a really comforting bowl of noodle soup. Since I work nearby I'll probably be back and finally try their chicken rice next time. read more

I really enjoy the chicken at this place. I would honestly love to come here every day if it weren't a little farther from my house. The chicken is flavorful, juicy, and cooked really well, and what I love most is that there are so many sauce options to choose from, so you can switch it up every time. The soup is also very good, comforting and full of flavor, especially on a cooler day. Everything tastes fresh and thoughtfully prepared. Definitely a spot worth visiting when you're in the area. I'll absolutely be back the next time I'm in the city! read more

Ordered thru Uber Eats Experience: ordered 1 hainam chicken dark meat, and 1 crispy chicken combo and mango and sticky rice. I believe I ordered every sauce. I love this place! The miso/seaweed soup I usually don't care for was super tasty and warm, just hit right! Both combos chicken tasted amazing! Will visit the actual brick and mortar soon so I see the amazing place. Enjoy! read more

I've been meaning to try this place since moving to the OC and this place did not disappoint! I ordered the food for delivery and it came quickly. Everything was correctly. chicken is so good and the rice is divine. Portions are great for the price. I will definitely be back to try all their other chicken options! read more

The Chicken Rice - Hainan Chicken - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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After looking at all the different food options in fourth street market, my partner and I chose to come to Chicken Rice, after seeing hainan chicken on their menu (I appreciated they had pictures of the menu items). I had never had hainan chicken before but my partner has, so I was excited. When we were ordering, the service was friendly, helpful and fast. The lady gave us the choice between two different sauces with our meal. When the food came out and I had my first bite, I was in heaven. The broth was incredible and warmed me up inside. The chicken was tender and delicious. The rice at the bottom was also yummy, as it soaked up all the juices. Our meal also came with a side of broth, so I was enjoying dipping my chicken in both the broth and in the sauces. I can't wait to come back to Chicken Rice for some more hainan chicken and to try their other dishes! read more

The Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

If you really like Hainan Chicken rice then this place is NOT the real deal. I ordered white meat with rice. Got ginger scallion sauce which is pretty authentic. But the chicken is dryer than my cats' dried freeze chicken cat food. It's not fun swallowing it down my throat. The rice is ok. The soup is not the typical Hainan chicken soup but a sweet miso?! Just don't do it! Save yourself $15 bucks. read more

The Chicken Rice - Hainan chicken rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

My boyfriend picked up the hainan chicken dish for me and it was delicious. I can't say much about the service but I do know the chicken rice is located in the 4th street market. It's a food hall with plenty of options and this one is a solid option. Food Consensus: The hainan chicken was simple but flavorful. The quality of chicken was solid and the soup was flavorful. The sauces along with the chicken and ginger rice were chef's kiss. It was such a comforting dish that my boyfriend and I both enjoyed. I will definitely be getting it again when I head to that food hall. I would highly recommend checking out this spot in the 4th street market. They're serving up some solid hainan chicken. read more

The Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Located in the ever popular 4th Street Market with their expanding inclusion of mom/pop independently owned restaurants is The Chicken Rice. For ambience this is a food court so expect noise, crowds, and lines. Parking if you're lucky can be found on the street but more likely to be in the adjacent parking structures. The service is brief and brisk but not unpleasant and cannot really expect much from a food court where the interaction is only for a moment. As for the food had a mixed opinion - for starters, this is Hainan Chicken "thai" style vs. "singapore" so there are differences. Thai version tends to have more bold flavors especially with their sauce while Singapore has a more subtle approach. The chicken in itself was moist but lacked a notable flavor profile but the ginger scallion sauce makes up the gap. The same problem was found in the rice which was more on mild side and did not have a strong flavor or aroma. Now on the other hand the hat yai chicken does have a much stronger presence as combination of both sweet/salty/savory which is a great way to enjoy a different spin on fried chicken but need to eat it quickly as if wait for too long it can become somewhat soggy. The complementary soup is just a nice way to cleanse the pallet whether at the beginning or end of the meal. The price point is fair considering the portion size is quite ample and filling. Overall, an establishment worth it to try for a food item that is not always the easiest to find amongst the OC region. read more

The Chicken Rice - Combination - hat yai chicken (on the left) and hainan chicken on the right) - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

TDLR: It's a mom and pop shop inside a food court that does well by their namesake. It's not the best that I've ever had, but it doesn't need to be. The price is well within what one would expect given the portions, and this place deserves more business. Hainan chicken: I'm not gonna lie. It tastes kinda flat. It's like I'm eating white chicken that tried to be Hainan via method acting. Don't get me wrong, the flavors were good, and adding in the ginger scallion mostly fixes the problem. I just missed that unique Hainan taste that I'd normally get from traditional Singaporean or Singaporean inspired restaurants. Crispy chicken: The crunch profile is exactly what I was looking for. The batter melts in your mouth and offers little to no resistance after you bite in with your teeth. The chicken meat was tender and marinated well. I wouldn't advise using the ginger scallion sauce here because you will just taste the ginger scallion sauce. Ginger rice: Same with the Hainan chicken. I expected this strong flavor that is normal with the rice paired with Hainan chicken. Unfortunately, I got what felt like plain rice that was given a ginger essence. Things improved when it came to texture and portions. Soup: I don't know. Imagine the taste if you made a light broth with bonito flakes, scallions, and green onions. That was it. It does compliment the strong flavors of the meal by being on the light side when it comes to taste. Ginger Scallion sauce: Whatever ginger was missing from the rice was found here and then some. Whatever flavor was missing from the Hainan chicken was found here, and whatever flavor barely found in the soup WAS FOUND HERE. If you love ginger, this sauce is for you. Take it easy on it though, since adding too much would overpower whatever your eating with it. Service: I called to pick the order up. The lady (who I assume owns the business) was nice. She rang me up when I got there. No frills, no drama. Just the way I like it. Ambiance: The place is a stall in a foodcourt. I didn't focus too much on how many seats were available, but the area is cool and clean. read more

The Chicken Rice - Hainan Chicken, Crispy Chicken, Small Soup, Ginger Scallion Oil - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Food was good but they messed up my sauce order. Got 2 regular soybean ginger sauce instead of spicy soybean ginger chili sauce. It was supposed to be spicy for both orders but when I asked the cashier about it she sighed and rolled her eyes. The soup lid popped off and leaked through the paper bag. read more

The Chicken Rice - The lid did not stay on the soup and more than half spilled out - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

My girlfriend and I were walking around the busy food hall The Chicken Rice is located in and we stumbled upon this restaurant. It's located right in the middle of the row and next to a lot of open seating. We ordered the Hainan chicken from a sweet older woman, and it came out super quickly. I haven't had hainan chicken in years--I had it at a famed food hall in Singapore--and I can confidently say the hainan chicken here was so much more memorable! The chicken was juicy, the sauces were flavorful, and the broth was incredible. Definitely will be back read more

DELICIOUS. Ate it 3 days in a row. New period craving. Chicken is so juicy and flavorful

Ok so yes sometimes I forget to take pictures especially when the foods good. This place has simple execution with really good food. Located in the fourth street market in Santa Ana this spot has really good chicken with rice which is a great combo especially when they have like 6 different kinds of chicken you can pair with either ginger, white or brown rice. They have like 5 different sauces too I personally like the ginger and soy ones they're delicious. I posted the orange chicken but but i also ordered the bbq chicken which was good and last week I tried the Hainan which was ok but so far the orange and bbq are my favorite. Staff is friendly and the mood here is super chill free WiFi and clean read more

The Chicken Rice - Orange Chicken with brown rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Unfortunately, I really cannot recommend the Hainan chicken rice dish. While the rice was flavored with ginger and chicken stock and tasted fine, the chicken itself was overcooked, dry and tough. Hainan chicken is normally poached resulting in moist and tender meat, even for the breast portion. It was not the case here. read more

We are huge chicken rice fans and was excited to try this. It's located inside a food court, overall ambience was nice. We called and ordered ahead of time and the order was ready when we got there. We ordered the Hainan chicken and the Crispy chicken. With chicken rice, it's all the rice first and then the chicken. Would give the rice 3/5 as it's dry and does not have the rich taste from the chicken broth. The crispy chicken was decent , would give it a 4/5. The hainan chicken is very dry and would give it a 3/5. The chilli sauce has a strong vinegar taste. Overall, this is average. There are better chicken rice option, like at Belacan Grill read more

The Chicken Rice - Pretty cool food court - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

A big let down. I had been looking forward to trying this spot. I ordered the basic chicken rice and when I got my dish the chicken was pink (not cooked). Also, the pickled vegetables in photos from other diners also were no longer available. The cashier was willing to remake the dish however the chicken still seemed undercooked. Of the edible chicken the texture was not of a real chicken and tasted plastic - y. When you've had heirloom or organic chicken it's easy to tell when the chicken is not that and this chicken rice failed on so many facets. Go somewhere else, this is not chicken rice. read more

Food was 5 stars, experience brought it down to 3. I walked in on a slow monday afternoon. When I approached the counter with no line, I was met with a girl who seemed like she did not want to be there. No smile, barely a greeting. I've never been here so I asked for a couple of recommendations and she answered like I was bothering her. I couldn't find the descriptions of each bowl on the updated menu so I asked her what the Hat Yai was and she responded with "bone". When I clarified she said bone? she repeated dead panned bone. After ordering I learned that it was teriyaki marinated fried chicken through yelp lol. I was caught off guard with how unfriendly she was. The food was actually very good. Ordered the hainan chicken and the fried chicken and they were cooked very well, juicy! The spicy soybean sauce was really flavorful and paired deliciously with the fried chicken.The ginger scallion sauce was literally that with no salt. Would pick another sauce next time. Overall, I would come here again for the food. Hopefully the next time I'm there the girl up front has a better attitude or someone else is there. read more

This place gets 1 point for being one of the few places in OC that even serves Hainan Chicken Rice, and 4 more for doing it pretty damn well. I got a combo with the Hainan Chicken and Fried Chicken and both were cooked satisfyingly well. Everything from the rice to the soup and sauces were spot on in flavor and made for one compact and delicious meal. This is easily my favorite spot now at 4th Street Market, with that sandwich spot coming in a close second. I know there are some people who just won't be satisfied until they find Hawker stand or Savoy level Hainanese Chicken, but this is OC folks. And for me, this is as good as it gets right now. read more

The Chicken Rice - Combo - Hainan & Crispy Chicken - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

My daughter and I did end up trying their Hainan Chicken...sooo much better! I would Definitely recommend it at this spot. Just not the popcorn chicken. TRY THEIR HAINAN CHICKEN! Service is not going to be what people usually get here as this is from a different community. This type of Service is very common but they're are those that are much better. Just know, just because their Service or customer service isn't up to par, doesn't mean their food isn't. Give it a try. If unsure, try one thing to share, that way, you try it and dint have to spend too much money. No ambiance really as it's a spot in a food court. The whole food court ambiance is pretty outgoing with tables inside, a bar inside, outdoor seating with games. So it's fun. Can still get some work done if one likes or needs to be around people to get work done. read more

My husband and I basically choked from inhaling this meal too fast, it was too good. The chicken was steamed well, the sabaw (soup in Tagalog) was CLEAN, and we ATE this up. This is such a homey meal that reminds you of when your grandparents made you a bowl of chicken and rice to show they love you. The rumors are true - this place is amazing. My husband was especially pleased.... read more

The Chicken Rice - Hainan Chicken - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

This is reminiscent of the chicken rice I loved in Bangkok, Thailand. It is simple, nothing super fancy. It is affordable. It is good. I am not a sauce person, but I really liked their sauces. The thai tea is not too sweet, pretty good also. The fried tofu wasn't to my liking, but my wife loved it. Parking structure available 1 hour free parking, located in somewhat of a food court with many other available options. I will definitely frequent this place more. read more

The Chicken Rice - Fried tofu, hainan chicken, thai tea. - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Great flavor! I think a lot of people don't appreciate the simplicity of hainan chicken. It's steamed in a way that preserves the core flavor and takes in the flavor of the skin. I first tried it in Singapore and was amazed. The Chicken Rice recreates this classic dish wonderfully, true to form. You can also choose variations like the crispy skin version. Service was fast- I barely walked away for 4 min before my buzzer went off to tell me my food was ready. Word of caution for this neighborhood- there is LOTS OF CONSTRUCTION going on right now in the streets, with lots of detours and one way streets. So it's hard to navigate and park. Recommend parking behind the food court, in the structure between 4th & 5th. read more

The Chicken Rice - Hainan chicken - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Thank you to the sweet staff who made me food even though it seemed like things were closing for the day! Delicious pad see ew! Will come tomorrow to check out the other places! read more

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Coming from Seattle, I will never not get over prices here! LA/ OC/Anaheim!! It's Soooooo cheappppppppp. Like damn! I wanted something during my Disney stay that's not on or from the Disney property and from a million reservations I made during. And I will always utilize the delivery service whenever I can. So here I go. This was in between lunch/ Disney park break/ back to my hotel for 1-2 hours outfit change/ shower. Delivery was 35 minutes. Felt faster but food was still warm when it came. I surprised myself by ordering only one entree ( my eyes are always so much bigger and I'm known to order everything on the menu for a taste). But it was a large combo and large it was. My combo with half hat yai crispy chicken and half original Hainan chicken was delish! Rice was even tastier. I love the soup too. Literally took 2 bites because I had a hard to get reservation afterwards and I didn't want to go and not eat. But food was delicious! Perfect for hotel room: I had a suite with the whole kitchenette but didn't even have to use it. Still hot/ warm and delicious. And oh so reasonably priced. I could move here just for the food :D read more

The Chicken Rice - Crispy Chicken Hainan Chicken Chicken n Rice Combo - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I've been trying to find another hainan chicken place near me and stumbled on this place while shopping around the area. LOVED the chicken it was light and refreshing and doesn't leave you feeling gross and full. The food itself came by very quickly. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Located in the food hall at the very back. This place is not only super tasty, the portions are not bad for the price, and the service is A1. The gentleman who took my order had such a kind aura and even helped me take my drinks to my table. Highly recommend!! read more

The Chicken Rice - $15 for chicken combo. 10/10! - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Came here during my lunch the other day and I was pleasantly surprised by this place! I've tried different hainan chicken places so my expectations were pretty high and I didn't really feel like having anything else at the 4th street market. I'm really glad I chose this place cause I ended up really liking it! The chicken was moist in my opinion and I loved the rice. I love the sauces too but I wish there wasn't a limit on how many you can get lol the price point is pretty good too for that area! Would definitely come back. read more

The Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Went back to Tuk Tuk for the 2nd time in a week. My hubby's eyes veered to the menu on the right which serves hainanese chicken. The Chicken Rice specializes in thai -style hainanese chicken rice. You choose your chicken (hainan, crispy, hat yai or orange), then you choose your rice (ginger, white or brown) then you get 2 sauces (out of 6 options) with a small cup of soup and small side of veggies - all for $12.50. You can combo it & get 2 orders of chicken for an additional $3. He went with Hat Yai which is fried chicken marinated in homemade teriyaki sauce topped with toasted garlic (excellent choice), ginger rice (must have), signature soybean ginger & ginger scallion oil. The 2 sauces were to die for (but only if you like a hint of ginger). Leftover was still very good the following day. Delicious thai style chicken, ginger rice & ginger-infused sauces plus superior service! Go check them out!!! read more

The Chicken Rice - Hat Yai Fried Chicken - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Loved the chicken rice and sticky rice with mango. I tried the ginger oil and spicy dipping sauces and they were great. read more

The Chicken Rice - Chicken rice and mango with sticky rice. - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Great food at this local joint in the Santa Ana food court/commons. Service was quick and food came out delish. Simple yet fresh and tasty! Great for a quick bite but none of that super unhealthy stuff. read more

I was really looking forward to this based on all the Yelp reviews but I felt really let down. I ordered the steamed hainan chicken rice (with ginger rice.). Also ordered the Yat Hai fried chicken and their fried hainan chicken. The Yat Hai fried chicken was really tough and dry... like jerky dry. The bone-in pieces were cut into smaller pieces so it's hard to tell what part of the chicken the piece is from, especially since it was all so dark from over-frying. When biting into this, I got a shard of bone which was not enjoyable. Totally unimpressed with this. The fried hainan chicken was good. Not overly breaded. The steamed hainan chicken was all right but seemed a bit on the dryer side. It's a good thing for the sauces (but I have grown up eating hainanese chicken rice plain so adding in the sauce for me was not a huge plus.) Unfortunately I will not be returning for the chicken rice from here. I only came here because The Hainan Chicken Rice in Irvine was not taking orders today (and I did not feel like turning on the stove to make it myself in this heat) so I thought I'd try something new. read more

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Rarely do I give a place a perfect five stars, but The Chicken Rice 100% deserves it. The Hainan Chicken was amazing. The chicken was moist, the ginger rice had the right amount of ginger, and their spicy signature sauce totally made that dish come together. You get a choice of two sauces, but I'd highly recommend getting two of the spicy signature sauces. It totally satisfied my craving, and I'm still thinking about it. I had the leftovers for dinner and I want more. I might even come back this week. The mango sticky rice was also really yummy. It reminded me of the mango sticky rice I had in Thailand. The lady who helped me was very nice. My order was already waiting for me on the table. I always check my order because we often eat out and there have been countless times where they forget to give us something or it was the wrong order. This time, they didn't give us the correct sauce and forgot my side order of white rice. To be fair, they said they were new. It had only been opened for three days, and they were still working things out. My online order was different from the order printed. When you order online, side options and sauces somehow don't make it to the kitchen. Hopefully, they'll have that fixed soon. They were super apologetic and it wasn't really a big deal. read more

The Chicken Rice - Hainan Chicken, Hat Yai Fried Chicken, and Mango Sticky Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Not going to lie, the food was pretty amazing, I highly recommend you give this place a try.

Takes me back to Singapore and Thailand street food. So delicious and well prepared. Truly enjoyed it.

I was craving hainan chicken from Savoy Kitchen (located in L.A. county) today. I checked DoorDash and was excited to find The Chicken Rice, I was even more happy to see all the great Yelp reviews! Unfortunately, after having my first bite, I was disappointed. Flavor from the ginger rice, chicken and even the sauces did not come close to Savoy Kitchen. I've had home made hainan chicken made by my friend and it was delish! I tried the soybean ginger chili sauce and it was just okay. The sweet soy sauce was really sweet! Sad to say I won't be ordering from here again. The best part of my order was the Thai Tea. * .50 charge for extra sauce or special sauce **If you're looking for great hainan chicken and are in the SGV area, try Savoy Kitchen. read more

The Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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