can someone please clue me in to what is good about Hainan chicken? looks like the plainest, least interesting dish Ive ever seen!
I have no idea why people like it.
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If it’s done right, the best thing is the rice.
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I was thinking the same thing about NY style pizza 
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ok, you’re weird! 
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everything looks good except that chicken! too weird! and the skin on it…ugh! cmon people, defend this indefensible dish…this curious eater wants to know!
true or not, Im thinking thats one of the funniest comments Ive ever read here!
There is a lot of elements to Hainan Chicken Rice just like a good slice of NY Pizza.
You have sauce, cheese, and crust right? All three has to be right to make it a good slice.
With Hainan Chicken you have sauce, rice, and chicken. What makes it interesting is each bite can be different with the different sauces.
All 3 elements just like a pizza has to be right or else it throws off the whole dish.
The beauty is in outward display of simplicity like pizza but as @JLee will probably tell you it’s alot of work.
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For the chicken alone, I think it’s more a texture thing: bouncy and relatively juicy. But I think @JeetKuneBao said it really well: it’s really a combo of sauce, rice, and chicken. The few times I’ve had it, the rice and sauce really are the most enjoyable parts to me.
And there are at least a few really sh*tty versions (one of which I had this weekend) that don’t really taste much like well done versions, even if they look kind of similar.
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This guy agrees with me.
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The author seems to be a woman…
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luckily for you, you may soon be able to get it in fried form at PRD…
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Hey man, our appreciation for different textures can be cultural but no need to call it gross. I don’t like squishier textures but I can appreciate good hainan chicken for what it is.
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Curious, what did you think when you first had it?
Admittedly, some of my non-Asian friends don’t like chicken skin unless it is fried, either. They don’t like the texture. More skin for me!!
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indeed!
Cmon, to me, it’s gross…there are plenty of foods from all cultures I find gross…I dont think im attacking Asians, Asian Americans or Chinese Americans or anyone else by referring to something as gross!
ive never had it because it looks unappetizing, especially wouldn’t touch the skin…no big deal, there are plenty of other dishes for me…I just find it interesting bc FTCers seem obsessed with it and PRD’s version…Hey, Im chow fun obsessed…to each his own!
I didn’t say you were. I said just because western cultures value different textures it doesn’t mean the food is gross, it just means you don’t like it. I don’t either!
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How can you judge a dish without ever trying it ?
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