Winning formula of an old-school roast chicken rice that draws a queue even before stall opens

Set up in 1969, Tong Kee Chicken Rice (東記雞饭) stall has shifted back to the Margaret Drive Hawker Centre in Aug 2022 after being redeveloped under HDB's Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme.
Helmed by the 2nd generation owner, Mr Tan, the stall specialises in roast chicken. Using a secret recipe passed down by his father, the chickens are marinated first before being deep-fried. Coated in golden brown, the chicken retains some juiciness and succulence, and it makes a perfect meal with fragrant rice and complementary cabbage soup. Worth mentioning is that the rice is cooked manually in the traditional way using a large pot and not rice cooker. This gives the rice the fragrance as it absorbs the spice flavours.
Mr Tan also takes pride in the special Char Siew sauce he makes. The sauce is savoury sweet, with a light smoky note, and it is worth a try.
Watch the video for a glimpse at the winning formula of Mr Tan's roast chicken rice. Brought to you by HappyCat.黑皮猫.
Operating hours:
10.30am - 3pm
Closed on Mondays
Address:
Margaret Drive Food Centre #01-36, 38A Margaret Drive, Singapore 142038
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[@-MarkWinston-]

If anyone is wondering, that marinade he dipped the chicken in is water mixed with 5 spice, salt, maltose, light soya sauce, sesame oil, white vinegar, white pepper and msg. No oyster sauce or dark soya sauce needed. And no, maltose or sugar wont burn when frying but it will caramalize and give the chicken a nice golden brown colour. This way the chicken is lightly seasoned inside and out and many will think it is underseasoned but couple that with hot oil, the 5 spice flavour will pop.

[@ad-so1ty]

How it's be crispy like that without maltose and that merinate is very watery? Pls help me

[@-MarkWinston-]

@@ad-so1ty the chicken has to be dried first after the marinate. It will be less crispy and brown without maltose or sugar. And chicken like this wont stay crispy for long, whatever you put.

[@Kekeke892]

hiiii can i ask? 1)Do we need to cook in marinade first before deep fry? Cause I thought i saw the marinade simmering. 2) Also, how long to fry for? Its so important to me since i havent seen one proper recipe for hainanese roast chicken, your comment came the closest to it. Omg, your reply will be highly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

[@-MarkWinston-]

​@@Kekeke892That marinade is not simmering in this case but you can do it this way : Mix 1 tablespoon of all the ingredients I mentioned with 500ml of water and boil it (15-30 minutes) till the 5 spice releases its flavour into the water. While it is boiling, dip a DRY whole chicken in and make sure the marinade enters the cavity of the chicken. This boiling marinade will firm up the skin so you dont need to scald the chicken like this vid. Then hang the chicken to dry. When the chicken has dried, deep fry it. Frying times depends on the weight of the chicken. For a more intense flavour, rub some 5 spice + salt (1:1 ratio) into the cavity before you hang it to dry. After frying you will see that the 5 spice you rubbed in the cavity become dark, just like the shops.

[@Kekeke892]

@@-MarkWinston- omg I can’t express how much I appreciate you and your elaborate reply. As a Singaporean who loves abroad there aren’t any good recipes for roast chicken. Omg I’m sorry to bother you with one FINAL question I promise, per your instruction to dip the chicken into the marinade, I don’t have to soak the chicken in marinade overnight or something? Just dip and dry? THANK YOU THANK YOU

[@begotten59]

Yummy roasted chicken with rice 🥇🥇🥇Thank you Uncle 🇸🇬 👏👏👏

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

You are most welcome

[@ubanman]

Thanks for confirming Roast Chicken is actually Fried. Would have loved to try this back when I went to SG.

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Where are you from? Welcome back!!

[@ponyrang]

My best friend, OMG! So wonderful! I really love this! Thank you so much!

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

I'm glad you like it. This is really good.

[@bowlampar]

This roasted chicken and its rice turn me into a drooling bot again ....🥲🥲So Yummy!

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

So good

[@TheAlexdesauza]

A lot of hard work but the end result is so satisfying judging by the queues from customers ❤thanks for sharing this video

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

My pleasure 😊Thks for watching.

[@hansalas]

Yeah, even as a Singaporean, i never knew roast chicken was fried. I always assumed it was roasted in some oven.

[@iphoneneo9981]

One of our heritage roast chicken previously from old margaret drive hawker centre. Must support

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thks for the comments

[@btfoodstory]

Wow, looks so yummy! No wonder that customers line up before the stall opens

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Yes they do! I enjoy having it!

[@colinmccauley3301]

the music was superb

[@pllin240]

thanks for sharing 👍 food looks so yummy 😋

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thanks for visiting

[@yalingipad6189]

Nice food and thks for sharing.

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thanks for visiting

[@minniec.9127]

Fabulous. It's perfection from sauce to chicken to chasiu to crispy pork 😋😋👍👍Yum!

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thank you 😋

[@mikecole5066]

@@HappyCat.CarlNeo Yes that plate of Char siu, Roast Pork and Fried Chicken was one of the tastiest things ever on Y-tube.

[@staceyk.210]

Chicken one of my main protein that I eat quite Regularly!! But I must admit I haven't try it Roasted usually I bake it or BBQ it or last but no least fry it!! I love this take on it a lot more healthier and probably Scrumptious enough to eat!! This guy certainly had it down to a Art!! I would love to try it when I get to Singapore!! Great 🔥 Video and Thanks for Sharing💙🤍🦋🤍💙

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

This one is one of a legend since his old venue. His supporters kept coming back although this Food centre is not as accessible. Welcome to try it. In Singapore, for convenient sack, the naming of roasting actually including frying. :)

[@9999Ives]

Looks so good

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thks for visiting!

[@ylcheng5810]

Very good food! Yummy

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

It was!

[@jasonlucas2328]

Delicious food!!! 👍👍👍!!!

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Yes, thank you

[@Potomacstud]

Superb

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thank you!

[@sugawawidya6126]

Berapa lama ayam di goreng??

[@neriayovita]

wanna try this when visit Singapore again

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Welcome!

[@neocarl7293]

Best roast chicken rice in town!

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Nice

[@SwordSaint83]

Do they provide bone removal service ?

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

They do.

[@SwordSaint83]

@@HappyCat.CarlNeo Nice

[@ivy7690]

最后鸡块和脆皮肉的展示太诱人啦！😍😂记住了：东记鸡饭，谢谢好友精彩分享。❤️🌺👍👍👍

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

感谢光临。烧鸡的确很好吃！

[@angelalabor7163]

I Love Singapore...

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Welcome!

[@macneo1941]

Best chicken rice and the char siew sauce.

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Oh yes!

[@angelalabor7163]

The one stall also in China Town delicious Hainanese chicken..yummyyy

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Yes, you are right. Check out my Chinatown video on hainanese chicken too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/famYeJugZbV0qrc

[@LemoNanora]

Used to love "roasted" chicken rice but slowly not liking it because it's not real roasted but oil fry as what is shown in the video and the same method used by all the roasted chicken rice seller

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

It is a local terminology.

[@LemoNanora]

@@HappyCat.CarlNeo True but I wonder how it could have been if it was really roasted like how roasted duck is

[@Kevin-sl2yw]

Yummy! Shot on iPhone...

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thank you!. How you know is iphone.

[@Kevin-sl2yw]

5:37

[@neobh4783]

worth the que! One of the shiok food you could find and is value for money.

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

thks for sharing

[@AnNguyen-lw7oi]

wow ☺👍

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@adrianstewart8325]

Why is it called roasted chicken instead of fried?

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Local issues. Many peoples asked the same question.

[@SlovenCathrin]

there is a Hawker chan near my wkplace, it still has the signs of Michellin star but yuck doesn taste good the chicken rice

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Still good in Chinatown. Thanks for sharing.

[@handryantoakai6951]

😋😋😋👍👍👍

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Nice

[@lehong1144]

Vit quay ngon dữ vây ta

[@gopenh2o]

🥰🥰😍😍🤩🤩

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Nice

[@albertteng1191]

I think its fried not roasted. Recipe is like cantonese fried chicken

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Yes. As mentioned in this description. This is a local term strangely used as it is. Thk you.

[@PhuongBui-bg8zh]

it deep fry. it is not roast. but it look yummy

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Yes.

[@whodis407]

NOT roast chicken. That is a Cantonese preparation: Jah gee gai.

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Yes. As per description this is a "local" term.

[@dannylai4672]

Hello come on, ur chicken is deep fried n is not grill,,,... pls use the right words,,,...

[@HappyCat.CarlNeo]

Did explain. Singapore "tradition" of using though is mismatch.