Recipes

Indonesian Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng) with Sambal Matah

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 20 mins

| Cook Time: 20 mins

| Total Time: 40 mins

You may need: Bumbu Bali

Discover The Recipe

It’s impossible to discuss Indonesian cuisine without highlighting the integral role of sambal and its many forms. A spicy chili paste or relish, sambal is ubiquitous at dining tables across Indonesia, and the spice levels range from mild and fruity to searingly hot. There are said to be over 200 variations of the chili based condiment, and every Indonesian cook has their own interpretation. While we could dedicate an entire website to pairing Indonesian dishes with various sambals, our focus for this recipe is on the comforting dish called Ayam Goreng (Indonesian fried chicken), paired with a homemade sambal.

Ayam Goreng with Sambal Matah showcases how Indonesian spices and sambal work together in harmony. The breading for the fried chicken is generously seasoned with a spice blend we developed called Bumbu Bali, which enlivens the dish with hints of turmeric, coriander, cumin and the various warming spices found on Bali. The spicy Sambal Matah relish is based around hot bird’s eye or milder jalapeno chilis, which are rounded out with aromatics, a burst of citrus, and umami. The result is a salsa-like sambal that is spicy, sweet and savory with a refreshingly floral finish. Sambal cuts through the savory, and crunchy fried chicken delivering the essence of Indonesian flavor in one dish. Try our Bumbu Bali Spice in rich stews, fried rice, roasted vegetables and hearty noodle stir-frys with loads of crunchy vegetables.

Ingredients

Ayam Goreng (Fried Chicken):
4 boneless chicken thighs
½ cup of flour
2 Tbsp Piquant Post Bumbu Bali spice
½ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
Olive oil spray
Sambal Matah Spicy Salsa:
5 bird's eye chilis (caution, these are flaming hot!), or use deseeded jalapeño peppers for a relatively milder version, or roma tomatoes for no heat
½ yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 lime, juiced
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 stalk lemongrass, outer skins peeled, inner bulb diced.
½ tsp terasi (shrimp paste) or substitute 1 tsp fish sauce or 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Lime wedges for serving

Notes

Dredging is the process of lightly coating food in a dry ingredient. This is typically done to obtain a beautiful brown and crispy crust. Here is a video on how to dredge chicken.

While bird’s eye chilis are authentic, they are very spicy! When chopping, use gloves to protect your skin and to prevent chili oil spreading to anywhere else (like your eyes!)

Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.

Instructions

With paper towels, pat dry the chicken thighs. In a medium bowl, combine flour, Piquant Post Bumbu Bali, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Dredge a chicken thigh in the flour mixture, then dip into the egg, and then coat again with the flour. Place in the air fryer. Repeat with remaining chicken thighs.

Spray the chicken thighs with olive oil spray on all sides. Air fry in a convection oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, flipping halfway through (or use a conventional oven to bake the chicken at 400 deg F for 25-30 minutes for boneless thighs or 40-45 minutes for bone-in thighs)

Meanwhile, make the sambal. Finely dice the chilis, onion, and garlic. Combine in a small bowl and mix in lime juice, salt and sugar. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Saute lemongrass and shrimp paste for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Pour oil into the onion/chili mixture. Combine well, slightly mashing.

Serve crispy Ayam Goreng fried chicken with extra lime wedges and sambal matah for spooning on chicken bites!

Alternatives & Substitutions

If you don’t want fiery heat in your sambal, use milder chilis like deseeded jalapeño peppers and add a little more sugar and onion to balance out the heat. Or, skip the spicy heat altogether and substitute in a few diced roma tomatoes for the chilis.
Bumbu Spice is can be used to make a flavor-bomb paste anywhere you want layers of deep flavor, from tapenade to curries or fried rice.
Simply substitute chicken thighs for your favorite protein - we also recommend chicken breast or pork tenderloin.
Terasi is a shrimp paste that is used as an 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 or Worcestershire sauce as a substitute to provide some umami flavor.
Try using Bumbu Bali spice to make a delicious Indonesian Beef Rendang for a delightful treat. Or try our Chicken Nasi Goreng for a comforting rice dish.
Another comforting dish is Opor Ayam, an Indonesian white chicken curry, or our Malaysian Chicken Curry.
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, and Indonesian Tamarind Vegetable Soup. Or be sure to try our Vegan Mie Aceh.
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