Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken

Name: Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs; 8 cups water; 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised; 6 slices fresh galangal (or ginger), sliced; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; 4 garlic cloves (for broth), smashed; 2 tsp salt; 2 cups neutral oil (for frying); 4 red Fresno or Holland chilies, roughly chopped; 2-4 bird's eye chilies (to taste), roughly chopped; 1/2 tsp shrimp paste (terasi or belacan), toasted; 2 garlic cloves (for sambal); 2 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1/2 tsp sugar; 1 cucumber, sliced; 2 cups steamed white rice (for serving)

Tender fried chicken thighs smashed onto a sambal plate, a beloved Indonesian street-food dish where the crispy chicken and fiery fresh chili paste meld together. Serve with steamed rice and sliced cucumber.

50 minMediumServes 4540 cal/serving

IndonesianLunchStovetopStandardHigh ProteinLow CarbCorn-Free

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Ingredients

4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
8 cups water
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
6 slices fresh galangal (or ginger), sliced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
4 garlic cloves (for broth), smashed
2 tsp salt
2 cups neutral oil (for frying)
4 red Fresno or Holland chilies, roughly chopped
2-4 bird's eye chilies (to taste), roughly chopped
1/2 tsp shrimp paste (terasi or belacan), toasted
2 garlic cloves (for sambal)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cucumber, sliced
2 cups steamed white rice (for serving)

Instructions

1

Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 bruised lemongrass stalks, 6 slices sliced fresh galangal (or ginger), 4 smashed garlic cloves (for broth), 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 2 tsp salt. Add 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
2

Remove bone-in skin-on chicken thighs from the broth and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
3

Heat 2 cups neutral oil (for frying) in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Fry bone-in skin-on chicken thighs in batches for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on a wire rack.
4

Make the sambal: pound or blend 4 roughly chopped red Fresno or Holland chilies, 2-4 roughly chopped bird's eye chilies (to taste), 2 garlic cloves (for sambal), 1/2 tsp toasted shrimp paste (terasi or belacan), 1/2 tsp sugar, and a pinch of salt into a coarse paste. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lime juice.
5

Spread the sambal on a serving plate. Place each piece of fried chicken on the sambal and press firmly with the back of a heavy spoon or pestle to smash the chicken into the paste.
6

Serve immediately with 1 sliced cucumber and 2 cups steamed white rice (for serving).

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Questions

How hot should the oil be for Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken?

For Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken, the target internal temperature is 165 F (about 75 C), given in step 1. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork. The frying oil is held at 350 F (about 175 C) in step 3. Hotter scorches the outside before the inside cooks, and cooler turns it greasy.

Why pat it dry first in Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken?

Step 2 reads: "Remove bone-in skin-on chicken thighs from the broth and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels." Surface water has to boil off before anything can brown. Drying at step 2 means the food sears in the first minute instead of steaming.

What can I use instead of sambal oelek in Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken?

The entry for Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken calls for 2 garlic cloves (for sambal). In its place: Sriracha or any plain chili-garlic sauce works, measure for measure. Crushed red pepper flakes soaked in a little vinegar also do the job.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs in Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken?

Yes, with care. Breasts dry out sooner: pull them at 165 F, which usually means a few minutes less than the thighs would take. As written, the entry for Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken uses 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs.

Is Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken spicy?

Yes, it is properly hot. The heat in Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken comes from 4 red Fresno or Holland chilies, roughly chopped, 2-4 bird's eye chilies (to taste), roughly chopped and 2 garlic cloves (for sambal). For a milder plate, remove the seeds and ribs from the bird's eye chilies, or use half; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Does Ayam Penyet Smashed Fried Chicken contain shellfish?

Yes: 1/2 tsp shrimp paste (terasi or belacan), toasted. The full allergen list for this entry is shellfish. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Serve it with

Urap Coconut Dressed Vegetables side
Rujak Spicy Fruit Salad salad
Beef Rawon soup
Es Teler Mixed Fruit Coconut Cooler drink

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