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    The Chicken Rice

    4.3 (269 reviews)

    Order The Chicken Rice Takeout or Delivery

    The Chicken Rice Photos

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    THE CHICKEN RICE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Chicken Rice

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    Reviews With Photos - The Chicken Rice

    Byron C.

    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!

    The Chicken Rice Food Stall
    Alan S.

    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!

    Hainan Chicken
    Nghi T.

    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!

    Kailyn W.

    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!

    Hainan chicken rice
    Vivienne A.

    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.

    Kayla H.

    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.

    Combination - hat yai chicken (on the left) and hainan chicken on the right)
    Takeshi H.

    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.

    Hainan Chicken, Crispy Chicken, Small Soup, Ginger Scallion Oil
    Timothy Spencer T.

    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.

    The lid did not stay on the soup and more than half spilled out
    Yvonne T.

    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.

    Orange Chicken with brown rice
    Michael A.

    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

    Pretty cool food court
    Zubir E.

    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

    Combo - Hainan & Crispy Chicken

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    7 months ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    2 years ago

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

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - The Chicken Rice

    Are there free parking?

    There's metered street parking and a nearby structure that I know of. I haven't seen any free spaces in the times I visited that where super close.

    What is Thaiger milk tea?

    Thai iced tea with brown sugar

    Does their tom yum soup come with noodles?

    No, it does not

    View All 4 Questions

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    Absolutely delicious Thai food! Krua Mae Thai has quickly become one of my favorite go-to spots…read morewhen I'm craving authentic flavors and comforting dishes. Everything we ordered was packed with flavor and clearly made with care. The spices, freshness, and balance in the dishes were spot on. Each bite was satisfying and full of that bold, crave-worthy Thai taste. While the curry wasn't my personal favorite (the veggies were a bit undercooked for my taste), everything else more than made up for it. From the appetizers to the stir fry, everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Service was friendly and quick, and the owner/chef is always welcoming. Highly recommend this place for anyone who loves Thai food. You can really taste the quality and heart in every dish!

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    Came here for lunch and ordered the green curry with beef. Unfortunately, it was pretty…read moredisappointing. When the dish arrived, the coconut milk hadn't been mixed into the curry, so I had to stir it myself. The curry base was also overly sweet and didn't have much depth of flavor. The beef seemed like stew beef and was quite chewy. Also something to be aware of: the restaurant charges $3 for a small portion of plain white rice, which felt excessive for what you get. The restaurant is located in a very quiet plaza, so I'm not sure what the owner's strategy is with charging extra for rice while serving food that doesn't really stand out. With the price and quality, I'm not sure I'd come back.

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    Interior
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    TFC Signature: Red Snapper with Chili Herb
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    The Chicken Rice - thai - Updated July 2026

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