The best salt-baked chicken in Singapore

Craving for this homely Hakka dish? Here're some eateries that serve the lightly-salted chicken specialty.

By Amy Van & Alvin Lim / 18 Jun 2026

Share this article

Salt-baked chicken is a time-honoured Hakka dish that is not easy to find these days, as it requires considerable effort to prepare. The traditional way calls for a whole chicken to be completely covered with a large amount of stir-fried salt before it is baked.

After the seasoned chicken is tightly wrapped in parchment paper, the parcel is covered with hot, smoky salt and left to cook.

This helps contain moisture during the cooking process — meaning the chicken is steamed in its own juices. What awaits is a flavourful, tender chicken when unwrapped.

Here are some places to savour this homely creation.

Hakka Yu

Hakka Yu’s salt-baked chicken is baked fresh daily in two batches. (Photo: Hakka Yu)

1/7

Guangzhou import Hakka Yu shines the light on the often-unappreciated culinary tradition of the Hakkas in Singapore, delivering both the classics and some modern reinterpretations of not-so-familiar favourites.

At the top of the list, naturally, is their take on the Hakka salt-baked chicken, which they marinate and bake fresh daily in two big batches.

Find out more here.

Xi Yan

Xi Yan toasts to tradition with a limited-time menu of Hakka favourites, including salt-baked chicken. (Photo: Xi Yan)

2/7

Got a hankering for soulful Hakka nosh mixed in with modern Chinese? Head to Xi Yan, the local chapter of Hong Kong celebrity chef Jacky Yu’s Xi Yan restaurant chain.

The joint and its casual sister concept, Zing by Xi Yan, are joining hands until the end of June to showcase the best Hakka heritage eats, including abacus seeds, mei cai braised pork, pig intestines stir-fried with pineapple and, of course, Hakka salt-baked chicken (though its version is steamed).

Find out more here.

Jin Wee Restaurant

Photo: cliffordeatsgood

3/7

Jin Wee Restaurant is another old name that’s been ruling the roost in a Siglap coffeeshop for more than 60 years.

The family-owned establishment dishes out a reliably delicious repertoire of Hainanese grub and is just as well known for its charcoal-cooked, salt-baked chicken as it is for other family-style plates like Hainanese pork chop, braised pork belly, and more.

Lam’s Kitchen

Photo: Lam’s Chicken

4/7

Lam's, which has been around since 1975, offers traditional dishes including their best-selling abalone noodles and signature salt-baked chicken. They marinate grain-fed Malaysian kampung chicken with coarse Australian sea salt and herbs overnight, allowing the flavours to infuse.

The chicken is then wrapped in parchment paper and baked under a layer of salt until golden brown and juicy. This is served with a piquant Thai-style chilli sauce.

In addition to whole chicken, chicken thighs are also available. The original eatery is on Race Course Road, but there are different outlets around Singapore, including one at ION Orchard.

Find out more here.

First Class

Photo: First Class

5/7

First Class uses only fresh kampung chicken in its recipes. The poultry (about 800g to 900g each) is marinated with dang gui and Chinese wine and then wrapped with paper, covered with sea salt, and baked for two hours.

If the whole chicken is too hefty, you can opt to have chicken parts like a whole leg (or chicken feet!). Besides the regular salt-baked chicken, there are other flavours like ginseng-ginger salt-baked chicken and mala salt-baked chicken. Its outlet is located at 520 Sims Ave, 01-07, but island-wide delivery is available.

Find out more here.

Salt-n-Bake

Photo: Salt-N-Bake

6/7

This is the only halal salt-baked kampung chicken in Singapore. The idea kick-started when one of the founders went to Perak, Malaysia, and tried the famous salt-baked chicken for the first time and really enjoyed it.

Salt-N-Bake’s online store eventually debuted in March 2022. Its original flavour is said to derive from an 80-year-old recipe. The chicken is marinated with dang gui herbs and baked until golden. The other flavours offered include mala, raw honey, ginger, and ginseng.

Find out more here.

Man Fu Yuan

Photo: Man Fu Yuan

7/7

Man Fu Yuan’s Dongjiang-style salt-baked chicken is prepared by encasing the chicken in a salt crust and baking at 165 deg C for four hours. It is a culinary tradition that has stood the test of time since the Qing dynasty.

Frasers House, a Luxury Collection Hotel (formerly InterContinental Singapore), executive Chinese chef Aaron Tan says this dish requires considerable effort and patience. “The salt casing is needed to ensure that moisture is trapped and retained, encapsulating the full-bodied flavour of the chicken so that when we remove the salt crust, the meat of the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender, succulent and juicy with a touch of savoury and smokiness. The dish is then served with our signature homemade chilli sauce for an extra punch of flavour.”

It's recommended that guests enjoy this dish at the restaurant, as the chicken will be flambéed at the table, adding a welcome smokiness. This speciality is only available during the Lunar New Year season.

Find out more here.

Gourmet, Singapore restaurants