Recipes
Chicken Nasi Goreng
Serves 4
| Prep Time: 30 mins
| Cook Time: 20 mins
| Total Time: 50 mins
You may need: Bumbu Bali
Discover The Recipe
Chicken Nasi Goreng is an Indonesian version of fried rice. A simple dish that is readily customizable to your tastes, Nasi Goreng fried rice is the ultimate Asian comfort food, packed with umami and exotic flavor. The use of Kecap Manis (pronounced kay-CHOP MAH-nees), a popular salty-sweet soy sauce condiment, and terasi (shrimp paste), sets Nasi Goreng apart from other Asian fried rice dishes. Shrimp paste (Terasi or the Malaysian version called Belacan) is easy to find online if you want to make an authentic version of this dish. Or, keep it simple and just use soy and fish sauce to provide the umami flavor. You’ll still enjoy the layers of flavor created from the aromatics and Bumbu Bali spices.
The key to achieving the best texture in fried rice is using cold, ideally leftover rice, which has less moisture. This keeps the rice from sticking together and getting mushy. Thus, Chicken Nasi Goreng fried rice is a perfect recipe to have in your repertoire to use up all the leftover rice from last night’s takeout or homemade meal. Or, make a fresh batch of rice and leave enough for this recipe uncovered in the fridge overnight.
Toss in fresh vegetables like cabbage, green onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes and top with a fried egg. Or, clear out the fridge by using whatever you have on had. For a vegetarian version, sub in tofu for the chicken and shiitake mushrooms and dulse (seaweed) for the shrimp paste & fish sauce.
Ingredients
Bumbu Bali paste:
4 cloves garlic
4 shallots
2 inch piece ginger (thumb size)
1 tsp terasi Indonesian shrimp paste (aka, belacan - buy online) or sub in 1 Tbsp fish sauce instead
1 large chili such as jalapeño, seeded (optional)
2 Tbsp Piquant Post Bumbu Bali spice
1/2 lime, juiced
Kecap Manis Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
Stir-Fried Rice:
5 cups cooked jasmine rice (*see note)
~1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 Tbsp avocado oil (or grapeseed or olive oil), divided
¼ cup Kecap Manis Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups green cabbage, chopped
Fried Eggs, green onions, sesame seeds, and extra lime wedges for garnish (optional)
Notes
Nasi goreng is best made with cold or day old rice. This helps to prevent the rice from sticking together and getting mushy. For the best texture, cook the rice the day before, and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
Kecap manis is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce. It is darker and thicker than typical soy sauce, due to the addition of palm sugar, common in Southeast Asia. But you can easily make your own! Simply heat ¼ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup brown sugar in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir and remove from heat. When it cools, it will become thicker.
To make a fried egg, heat 1 tsp oil or butter on a small pan over med-high heat. Once hot, crack the egg in the pan, it should sizzle immediately. Do not touch the egg, let the whites cook. Use a spoon to carefully spoon some of the hot oil over the whites to cook the top of the egg.
Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor, but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.
Instructions
To make the Bumbu Bali paste, combine garlic, shallots, ginger, chili, shrimp paste (or sub in fish sauce), Bumbu Bali spice, and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse to chop, using a spatula to scrape down the sides. Continue until it becomes a chunky paste.
Next, make the Kecap Manis sauce. Add the soy sauce and brown sugar to a small saucepan and heat on Med. Briefly stir sauce to dissolve sugar. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to Med-Low. Simmer 3-4 mins, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
Now, cook the chicken. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large pan or wok on Med-High. Add chicken and allow to cook for 4-5 mins. Add half the Bumbu Bali paste, mix and flip chicken to the other side, cooking for another 4-5 mins or until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Slice into 1 inch wide strips.
In the same wok, heat 2 Tbsp oil. Add the rest of the paste and stir fry until fragrant, about 1-2 mins. Add rice, Kecap Manis sauce and soy sauce. Stir to coat rice with paste and sauces. Add carrots and stir fry for 1 min. Add cabbage and chicken, stir fry for another 2 mins. Serve with green onions, sesame seeds and top with fried eggs!
Alternatives & Substitutions
This recipe is easy to customize. Use your favorite protein in place of chicken thighs, such as steak, pork, ground turkey or even baked tofu.
Terasi is a shrimp paste that is used as ingredient in numerous dishes in Indonesia. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. You can easily buy terasi (or the Malaysian version called Belacan on Amazon). Use fish sauce as a substitute instead.
Try using Bumbu Bali spice to make a delicious Indonesian Beef Rendang for a delightful treat. For a family chicken dinner, check out our recipe for Indonesian Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng), and our Chicken Nasi Goreng.
If you like shrimp, use the Bumbu Bali spice to try our spectacular Indonesian stir-fried noodles Mie Goreng recipe instead.
Vegetarians: try making our savory Balinese Pumpkin Curry! Or how about a tasty bowl of Vegan Mie Aceh, or our Indonesian Tamarind Vegetable Soup?
Chicken Nasi Goreng
Serves
4
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Piquant Post spice you'll need: Bumbu Bali
Ingredients
Bumbu Bali paste:
4 cloves garlic
4 shallots
2 inch piece ginger (thumb size)
1 tsp terasi Indonesian shrimp paste (aka, belacan - buy online) or sub in 1 Tbsp fish sauce instead
1 large chili such as jalapeño, seeded (optional)
2 Tbsp Piquant Post Bumbu Bali spice
1/2 lime, juiced
Kecap Manis Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
Stir-Fried Rice:
5 cups cooked jasmine rice (*see note)
~1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 Tbsp avocado oil (or grapeseed or olive oil), divided
¼ cup Kecap Manis Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups green cabbage, chopped
Fried Eggs, green onions, sesame seeds, and extra lime wedges for garnish (optional)
Instructions
To make the Bumbu Bali paste, combine garlic, shallots, ginger, chili, shrimp paste (or sub in fish sauce), Bumbu Bali spice, and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse to chop, using a spatula to scrape down the sides. Continue until it becomes a chunky paste.
Next, make the Kecap Manis sauce. Add the soy sauce and brown sugar to a small saucepan and heat on Med. Briefly stir sauce to dissolve sugar. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to Med-Low. Simmer 3-4 mins, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
Now, cook the chicken. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large pan or wok on Med-High. Add chicken and allow to cook for 4-5 mins. Add half the Bumbu Bali paste, mix and flip chicken to the other side, cooking for another 4-5 mins or until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Slice into 1 inch wide strips.
In the same wok, heat 2 Tbsp oil. Add the rest of the paste and stir fry until fragrant, about 1-2 mins. Add rice, Kecap Manis sauce and soy sauce. Stir to coat rice with paste and sauces. Add carrots and stir fry for 1 min. Add cabbage and chicken, stir fry for another 2 mins. Serve with green onions, sesame seeds and top with fried eggs!
Notes
Nasi goreng is best made with cold or day old rice. This helps to prevent the rice from sticking together and getting mushy. For the best texture, cook the rice the day before, and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
Kecap manis is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce. It is darker and thicker than typical soy sauce, due to the addition of palm sugar, common in Southeast Asia. But you can easily make your own! Simply heat ¼ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup brown sugar in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir and remove from heat. When it cools, it will become thicker.
To make a fried egg, heat 1 tsp oil or butter on a small pan over med-high heat. Once hot, crack the egg in the pan, it should sizzle immediately. Do not touch the egg, let the whites cook. Use a spoon to carefully spoon some of the hot oil over the whites to cook the top of the egg.
Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor, but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.
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