Hainan Chicken Rice is very popular among the Chinese community in Malaysia and Singapore. The difference between Chicken Rice and Hainanese Chicken Rice is that the latter rice is served in the form of balls.

Hainanese Chicken Rice is cooked in chicken stock and served with steamed chicken while rice balls are served in a round shape. Melaka is known to have restaurants that serve this Baba Nyonya heritage dish.

During the old days, chicken rice was made into rice balls to make it easier (less messy) for workers to bring to work.