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Brief Overview
Ayam Goreng, Indonesia’s beloved fried chicken, is a dish that combines crispiness with rich layers of spice. Found everywhere from roadside stalls to family dinner tables, it is more than just fried chicken. It is a celebration of flavour, tradition, and the nation’s deep love for bold, aromatic food.
With each bite, you taste the warmth of turmeric, coriander, and garlic that seep into the meat before frying. Ayam Goreng offers a culinary experience rooted in heritage, where food is treated not just as sustenance but as an expression of culture and care passed through generations.
What Is Ayam Goreng?
Ayam Goreng is Indonesia’s traditional fried chicken, marinated with a blend of native spices and herbs before being deep fried to golden perfection. Unlike Western fried chicken, which relies on batter or breadcrumbs for its crunch, Ayam Goreng gains its crisp skin from the marinade and slow frying method.
Some regions simmer the chicken first with spices and aromatics before frying it. This process infuses the meat with depth while ensuring it remains tender within and crisp on the outside. The result is a dish that is fragrant, juicy, and deeply flavourful from edge to bone.
Ingredients and Taste
The marinade for Ayam Goreng often includes fresh garlic, shallots, coriander seeds, turmeric, galangal, and salt. These ingredients are ground into a paste and rubbed generously over chicken pieces before cooking. Sometimes coconut water or coconut milk is added during simmering to enrich the flavour.
Once fried, the chicken carries an aromatic crust with notes of turmeric and garlic leading each bite. The inside remains succulent, and the skin, though not battered, is crisp with toasted spices clinging to its surface. Each mouthful is savoury, earthy, and unmistakably Indonesian in its profile.
In many homes, it is served alongside sambal for heat and fresh vegetables for balance. Its spices are never overpowering but instead bring a warm, inviting complexity that defines traditional Indonesian food, where harmony of taste is always prioritised over sharp extremes.
A Taste of History
Ayam Goreng is a dish rooted in Indonesia’s long culinary history shaped by trade, migration, and regional diversity. The use of native spices like turmeric and galangal reflects centuries of agricultural tradition and the country’s position in the old spice trade networks that connected Asia to the wider world.
Different regions have adapted Ayam Goreng to their local tastes. Javanese versions may lean sweeter due to palm sugar in the marinade, while Padang styles include spicier notes. It is a dish that showcases how fried chicken can transcend simplicity and become an emblem of national culinary identity.
Today, Ayam Goreng remains a household favourite. It is a dish prepared for everyday meals and festive occasions alike, offering comfort and a sense of belonging to those who grew up tasting its aromatic crunch. It is Indonesian fried chicken at its most honest and most loved.
How to make Indonesian Ayam Goreng
Ayam Goreng is Indonesia’s beloved fried chicken, celebrated for its aromatic spices and golden crispiness. Expect fragrant notes of coriander, garlic, and turmeric infused deep into tender chicken pieces. This recipe guides you through marinating and frying for authentic results at home. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade:
- 1 whole chicken (around 1.2 kg) cut into 8 serving pieces
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 shallots
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon galangal powder or 2 cm fresh galangal sliced
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 lemongrass stalk bruised
- 500 ml water
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Marinade Paste
To begin, peel the garlic and shallots. Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind them into a fine paste along with ground coriander, turmeric, and salt. This aromatic blend forms the core seasoning for your Ayam Goreng.
Step 2: Marinate the Chicken
Place the chicken pieces in a large pot. Rub the spice paste thoroughly over each piece ensuring full coverage. This helps the flavours penetrate deeply. Add galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and bruised lemongrass to the pot.
Step 3: Simmer to Infuse Flavour
Pour in 500 ml water to cover the chicken. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and infused with the spices. Turn pieces halfway for even cooking.
Step 4: Drain the Chicken
Using tongs, transfer the chicken pieces onto a tray lined with paper towels. Allow them to dry and cool for at least 15 minutes. This step ensures crispier frying later.
Step 5: Prepare for Frying
Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium to high heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking to avoid burning the spices on the chicken.
Step 6: Fry the Chicken
Carefully place chicken pieces into the hot oil in batches, skin side down first. Fry until golden brown and crispy, around 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Do not overcrowd the pan to maintain oil temperature.
Step 7: Drain Excess Oil
Once fried, transfer chicken to a clean paper towel lined tray to drain any excess oil. This keeps the skin crisp and light rather than greasy.
Step 8: Optional, Fry the Spice Residue
If desired, scoop out the leftover boiled spice mixture from the pot and fry it in the remaining oil for a few minutes until crisp. Serve as crunchy garnish over the chicken.
Step 9: For Serving
Arrange the fried chicken pieces on a large serving plate. Garnish with fried shallots or crispy fried spices. This enhances aroma and texture.
Final Step: Serve and Enjoy
Serve your Ayam Goreng hot alongside steamed rice, sambal, and fresh cucumber slices. This classic pairing balances the rich, spiced chicken with refreshing sides. Enjoy immediately for the best crispness.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Ayam Goreng
- Choose chicken pieces with skin for maximum crispiness and flavour.
- Allow boiled chicken to cool and dry fully before frying to avoid oil splatters.
- Maintain medium to high oil temperature to ensure chicken crisps without burning.
- Fry leftover spices for added authentic garnish and aroma.
Indonesian Ayam Goreng (Fried Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken around 1.2 kg cut into 8 serving pieces
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 shallots
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon galangal powder or 2 cm fresh galangal sliced
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 lemongrass stalk bruised
- 500 ml water
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
- To begin, peel the garlic and shallots. Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind them into a fine paste along with ground coriander, turmeric, and salt. This aromatic blend forms the core seasoning for your Ayam Goreng.
- Place the chicken pieces in a large pot. Rub the spice paste thoroughly over each piece ensuring full coverage. This helps the flavours penetrate deeply. Add galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and bruised lemongrass to the pot.
- Pour in 500 ml water to cover the chicken. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and infused with the spices. Turn pieces halfway for even cooking.
- Using tongs, transfer the chicken pieces onto a tray lined with paper towels. Allow them to dry and cool for at least 15 minutes. This step ensures crispier frying later.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium to high heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking to avoid burning the spices on the chicken.
- Carefully place chicken pieces into the hot oil in batches, skin side down first. Fry until golden brown and crispy, around 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Do not overcrowd the pan to maintain oil temperature.
- Once fried, transfer chicken to a clean paper towel lined tray to drain any excess oil. This keeps the skin crisp and light rather than greasy.
- If desired, scoop out the leftover boiled spice mixture from the pot and fry it in the remaining oil for a few minutes until crisp. Serve as crunchy garnish over the chicken.
- Arrange the fried chicken pieces on a large serving plate. Garnish with fried shallots or crispy fried spices. This enhances aroma and texture.
- Serve your Ayam Goreng hot alongside steamed rice, sambal, and fresh cucumber slices. This classic pairing balances the rich, spiced chicken with refreshing sides. Enjoy immediately for the best crispness.
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