Bring the vibrant street food culture of Indonesia into your kitchen with this aromatic, sweet-and-savory grilled chicken recipe.
Ayam Bakar features tender chicken thighs simmered in a deeply fragrant spice paste infused with lemongrass, ginger, and shallots before being finished over a live charcoal flame.
The resulting dish offers a mouthwatering balance of caramelized sweetness, rich savory depths, and a smoky char that is utterly irresistible.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 6
Ingredients Needed
The Aromatic Paste
- Shallots: 3/4 cup, sliced
- Garlic: 6 cloves, peeled
- Ginger: 1 (3-inch) piece, peeled and sliced
- Lemongrass: 1 stalk (tender white inner core only, sliced)
- Kaffir Lime Leaves: 4 leaves (optional)
Cooking & Seasoning Base
- Vegetable Oil: 3 tablespoons
- Ground Coriander: 2 teaspoons
- Ground Cumin: 1 teaspoon
- Ground Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground White Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
- Kosher Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Sambal Chili Sauce: 1 tablespoon (plus extra for serving)
- Brown Sugar: 1/4 cup
- Soy Sauce: 1/4 cup
- Chicken Broth: 2 cups
- Bay Leaves: 2 leaves
The Protein
- Chicken Thighs: 6 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs with skin on
Optional Garnishes
- Freshly sliced or diced red chilies
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Fresh lime wedges
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Blend the Aromatics
Combine the sliced shallots, peeled garlic cloves, ginger, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves in a food processor or blender. Pulse and process until the mixture transforms into a smooth, very fine paste.
2. Sauté and Spice
Warm the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the blended paste, spreading it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, white pepper, and salt directly over the paste.
Cook while stirring continuously for about 4 minutes, allowing the mixture to become highly fragrant and lightly caramelize against the skillet.
3. Build the Braising Liquid
Stir in the sambal chili sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, and bay leaves. Use a flat spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Turn the heat up and bring the liquid to a rapid boil.
4. Prepare and Simmer the Chicken
- Make 3 shallow cuts into the center of each chicken thigh, perpendicular to the bone and spaced about 1/2-inch apart.
- Lay the chicken pieces skin-side down into the simmering sauce.
- Baste the exposed tops with the surrounding liquid, cover the skillet with a lid, and reduce the heat to low-medium. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid, carefully flip each thigh over, and continue simmering uncovered for another 15 minutes, basting periodically.
5. Reduce the Sauce
Keep cooking and occasionally turning the thighs until the meat is thoroughly tender (without falling completely off the bone) and the liquid reduces into a thick, glossy glaze.
Note: If the chicken cooks through before the sauce fully reduces, temporarily transfer the meat to a clean plate, thicken the sauce for a few minutes more, then return the chicken to the pan on low heat until warmed through.
6. Charcoal Grill Finish
While the sauce finishes, heat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Place the glazed chicken thighs directly onto the grates, turning and moving them frequently.
Grill for roughly 2 minutes per side until roughly half of the surface develops a smoky, bittersweet char.
7. Plate and Serve
Spoon the remaining thick sauce onto a serving platter, arrange the charred chicken thighs on top, and garnish with fresh red chilies, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.
Pro Cooking Tips
Alternative Cooking Methods
If you do not have an outdoor charcoal grill, you can achieve a similar smoky finish by placing the chicken under a hot indoor broiler or searing them on a smoking-hot cast-iron grill pan.
Liquid Variations
While traditional Indonesian variations sometimes utilize coconut water or rich coconut milk, chicken broth or clean water keeps the complex profile of the spice paste front and center without becoming overwhelmingly heavy.
Managing the Heat
Adjust the amount of sambal chili sauce up or down depending on your preference for heat.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Calories | 464 | — |
| Total Fat | 28g | 36% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 37% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Total Sugars | 10g | — |
| Protein | 38g | 76% |
| Cholesterol | 196mg | 65% |
| Sodium | 1410mg | 61% |
| Potassium | 667mg | 14% |
| Iron | 4mg | 21% |
| Calcium | 60mg | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 5% |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Values may vary depending on individual daily energy needs.
