Ayam Betawi (Crispy chicken in sweet soy sauce)
Ready in 30 minutes
Want to serve a fragrant Indonesian classic in under 30 minutes? Crispy chicken in sweet soy sauce (ayam Betawi) is one of those dishes that has it all.
Lightly crispy chicken, a rich sauce with sweetness and a bit of heat, and a smell that instantly brings you to Indonesian cooking. “Ajam” means chicken in Indonesian, and “Betawi” refers to the original inhabitants of Jakarta, known for their flavorful and spice-driven cuisine. Our version is a modern take that’s easy to make without sacrificing flavor.
Golden brown and lightly crispy
The base of this dish is boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cut them into bite-sized pieces. Lightly coat the chicken with a bit of flour so it develops a thin crispy layer when cooking. Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a wok and cook the chicken until golden brown. Stir occasionally so each piece browns evenly. Once crispy, transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain.
The spice paste (bumbu)
Meanwhile, make the bumbu, the flavor base of many Indonesian dishes. This one is nice and simple. Blend shallots, cloves garlic, ground coriander, and sambal into a coarse spice paste. Gently cook this mixture in a little vegetable oil to release the flavors and aromas. Then add gula jawa (or brown sugar), lemon juice, kecap manis (or sweet soy sauce), and water. Let it simmer briefly, then return the chicken to the pan.
Kecap manis
An important ingredient in ayam Betawi is kecap manis. This is a thick, sweet Indonesian soy sauce with a distinctive flavor that’s widely used in Indonesian cooking. If you can’t find kecap manis, you can use a sweet soy sauce instead. Just make sure to choose a thick, syrupy variety, as thinner versions won’t provide the same flavor and texture.
If you don’t have either on hand, you can easily make a substitute at home. In this recipe, we use 3 tablespoons kecap manis. You can replace it with a mix of 1 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoons molasses, and 1 tablespoons brown sugar. You can make this ahead of time if you want the sauce to thicken slightly, but that’s not required.
Serve with rice and sides
Let everything simmer for a few more minutes so the chicken can absorb the sauce. The aroma alone is hard to resist. Serve the ajam Betawi with steamed white rice and a side like green beans in coconut sauce (sayur buncis). These vegetable dishes pair well with the sweet and slightly spicy sauce. Want to add something extra? A spicy Indonesian egg on the side finishes it off nicely.
Ayam Betawi (crispy chicken in sweet soy sauce)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
Description
Lightly crispy chicken, a rich sauce with sweetness and a bit of heat, and a smell that instantly brings you to Indonesian cooking.
Ingredients
- 15 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tablespoons kecap manis or sweet soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar (gula jawa), or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (chili paste), or sriracha
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour. The chicken should be lightly coated (see image above).
- Add a layer of vegetable oil (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch) to a wok and cook/fry the chicken over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown all over. Stir regularly. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
- Finely chop the shallots and garlic, then mix with the ground coriander and sambal (or sriracha). You can also use a food processor to make a coarse paste. This is your bumbu.
- Remove most of the oil from the wok and cook the bumbu briefly. Add the gula jawa (or brown sugar), lemon juice, 3 tablespoons kecap manis or sweet soy sauce (see above for a subsitute), and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat.
- Add the chicken and mix well. Let it simmer for a few minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indonesian
