The 18-year-old has emerged as the main obstacle to Hanyu, the defending champion from Japan, at the Pyeongchang Games, largely through his dazzling four-rotation jumps.
Chen is the first skater in the history of the sport to line up five quads in a four-and-a-half-minute free dance routine.
It is an audacious achievement that his supporters – if not Hanyu and company – will be hoping he reproduces in South Korea.
Chen concluded his first practice session at the Gangneung Arena on Wednesday and beamed: “The ice feels awesome.”
He said, “For the short programme, I’m still sticking with two quads.”
“Long, probably between four to five, depending on how things go in practices. It just kind of depends on percentages and how I feel.”
Born in Salt Lake City, the venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics marred by a voting scandal that changed the face of his sport, Chen is due to get some high-level practice in as part of the US squad for the team event which starts on Friday.
That’s in contrast to Hanyu, who is skipping the team contest as he continues his battle to be at his best after serious injury.
Chen downplayed his status as one of the main contenders in a field that, besides Hanyu, also features Shoma Uno, the Sochi 2014 runner-up, and Spain’s six-time European champion Javier Fernández.
“Honestly, I don’t try to think about it and I’m not really thinking about it,” shrugged Chen, who now lives in Long Beach, California.
“Ultimately, I just want to come out of this competition proud of what I’ve done. So that’s my goal right now.”
“I still have a couple of practices to get my feet under me, but ultimately everything feels good right now.”
Born three years before the Salt Lake City Games, this is Chen’s Olympic debut.
“Eighteen years we’ve been looking at the rings and now we’re here. It’s really cool to have that happen,” he said.
From October to December Chen won three Grand Prix competitions, defeating Hanyu along the way, before an emphatic triumph in his national championships last month.
He said he is desperately hoping to get the call for the team event, which would serve as a warm-up for the singles.
“I’m not sure of the team yet. But I feel like I’m a good addition and also, we’re at the Olympics, we get only one shot on the ice, so to have another shot is like a great experience,” he said.
“It would be good to put the programme out there before I get to do the individual.”
“I think we have a pretty good shot of getting on the podium.”