Opor Ayam (Indonesian Coconut Chicken)
Indonesian chicken gently simmered in coconut milk with lemongrass, galangal, candlenut, coriander, and turmeric until fragrant and tender.
⏱ 55 min total🔪 20 min prep🔥 35 min cookMediumServes 6Indonesian
Ingredients
- •2 lb bone-in chicken thighs
- •2 cans (13.5 oz each) coconut milk
- •2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- •1 inch galangal, sliced
- •4 candlenuts
- •4 cloves garlic
- •4 shallots
- •1 tsp ground coriander
- •1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- •2 bay leaves
- •2 tbsp vegetable oil
- •1 tsp salt
- •1 cup water
Directions
- 1Blend candlenuts, garlic, shallots, coriander, turmeric, and 2 tablespoons water into a coarse paste.
- 2Heat oil in a wide pot and cook the spice paste for 4 minutes until fragrant.
- 3Add chicken thighs and turn them in the paste for 3 minutes.
- 4Pour in coconut milk and water, then add lemongrass, galangal, bay leaves, and salt.
- 5Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 25–30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce lightly thickens.
- 6Remove lemongrass, galangal, and bay leaves before serving with rice.
💡 Keep the coconut milk at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so the sauce stays smooth instead of separating.
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