Free chicken soup is served here！ The “Hainanese Chicken Rice” on Qingcheng Street comes with red sauce and scallion-ginger sauce.

Text and photos by /KUNI

(Qingcheng Hainanese Chicken Rice Set #2 comes with five side dishes)

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Qingcheng Hainanese Chicken Rice
Address: No. 8, Lane 16, Qingcheng Street, Songshan District, Taipei City
Phone: (02)8712-1200
Hours: 11:00–21:00 Mon–Sun
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Finally got to see it with my own eyes！ In the evening, I headed specifically to the intersection of Nanjing and Fuxing Roads, then slipped into a lane along Qingcheng Street. No need to look around—just head straight for the place with the crowd.

(The queue of people waiting outside)

The tantalizing aroma of the rice starts wafting from the queue itself, which is quite surprising. Like at chain fast-food joints, ordering is done at the counter. After paying, you find an empty table and wait for your food.

(It’s recommended to find an empty table on your own first)

(Unlimited supply of chicken soup)

(Red sauce and scallion-ginger sauce served with the chicken thigh)

I ordered Set #2 (NT$95), which comes with five side dishes. The cabbage was stir-fried with thinly sliced garlic, which was a nice touch. Unfortunately, the main dish only came with half a boneless chicken thigh, so I ended up ordering an entire one as well (NT$110). One bite and I finally understood why this place is so popular—it shares the same characteristics as other famously busy eateries: “balance and satisfying flavor.”

(Set #2 with five side dishes)

The boneless thigh meat isn’t as salty compared to Taiwanese-style brined chicken, but when paired with the high-quality red and green sauces, it transforms completely. The former is sweet, sour, and spicy, while the latter offers a different flavor profile thanks to the scallions and ginger. The meat is firm yet not tough, slightly juicy with a bouncy texture and delicious skin jelly. Finally, the fragrant rice cooked in chicken broth is the ultimate highlight.

(Single order of boneless chicken thigh)

(The very satisfying scallion-ginger sauce)

Compared to 2008, when they were still running a stall opposite the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, the price of Set #2 has gone up by about fifteen dollars. It’s not exactly cheap, but I still really love it. Simple ingenuity, simple deliciousness.

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