Opor Ayam (Indonesian Coconut Chicken)

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

  1. 1Blend candlenuts, garlic, shallots, coriander, turmeric, and 2 tablespoons water into a coarse paste.
  2. 2Heat oil in a wide pot and cook the spice paste for 4 minutes until fragrant.
  3. 3Add chicken thighs and turn them in the paste for 3 minutes.
  4. 4Pour in coconut milk and water, then add lemongrass, galangal, bay leaves, and salt.
  5. 5Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 25–30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce lightly thickens.
  6. 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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