Opor ayam is a creamy, aromatic Indonesian chicken dish that's so easy to enjoy. It's kind of a stew or curry, with plenty coconut-based sauce that you'll want to soak up with some rice. Wonderfully comforting and great for any night.
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Over the years, I have developed a great fondness for Indonesian food. There's something about various flavors that really appeals to me, whether it's slightly spicy vegetables like urap sayur, coconut, chili and tender meat of beef rendang or the sweet and savory flavors in nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice).
We made sure to have a few Indonesian meals when we were in the Netherlands last year which, while arguably not all quite like the 'real thing' were delicious nonetheless. The one thing that can be tricky when picking things with the kids there is the spice level. They are still only just getting into a small amount of spice, and many Indonesian dishes are that bit too much for them.
Where is opor ayam from?
Opor ayam is from central Java, the island home to roughly half of the Indonesian population. "Opor" refers to the cooking method of braising in a coconut-based broth and this chicken version (ayam) is probably the most popular. You will also find it with chicken and egg, with other meats like duck or beef, as well as vegetarian versions with tofu or egg.
You might come across a more yellow version of this dish, too. This is from turmeric. Both the paler white version, as here, and a yellow version with turmeric (opor ayam kuning) are popular variations.
While it's a traditional dish, not a lot is known about the origins. Some say it was created by Javanese elite as an offering to their kings in pre-Islamic times, but that is just one theory. Theses days many serve it during Eid al-Fitr, but also as an everyday meal.
This fragrant chicken dish is a great child friendly dish, or for others that are more spice averse. It uses some of the classic flavors you'll find in Indonesian cuisine like lemongrass and lime leaves, but without the heat. It's also easy to make.
About the ingredients
While this might have a few ingredients, don't be put off. A few are blended in the spice paste, and others added to infuse the sauce so you still just have a few steps. A couple may be less familiar and can be harder to find. However most you can find in the majority of Asian food stores, or if not, there are options to substitute as below.
To make the spice paste:
- Ginger, garlic and shallots - you can find all of these in most supermarkets. Be sure to use fresh for all to get the best flavor for this.
- Galangal - this can be harder to find, and you may only find it in dried powder form. If so, you can use a little of the powder (about ¼ tsp). If neither are available, use some extra ginger as next-closest.
- Candlenuts - these are common in Indonesian cooking but hard to find elsewhere. Macadamia nuts are the closest alternative, as I used here.
- Ground coriander - this is also a common ingredient and helps add a touch of aromatic flavor.
You simply grind these all together then fry the mixture to help bring out the flavors.
To infuse the aromatic broth:
- Makrut lime leaves - these can also be called kaffir lime leaves and add to the aromatic broth/sauce. If you can't find fresh leaves, it's best to skip as dried don't really work here. Instead, you could add a little grated lime zest to give a little of that zesty flavor.
- Lemongrass - this is another common Asian ingredient with a lovely lemon-like aroma (hence the name). In some dishes, you grind it or finely chop it in the paste. However for this you just want lengths from a stem to help get some flavor into the broth. These days, the stems are pretty widely available.
- Indonesian bay leaves - these are not quite the same as 'regular' bay leaves. They are generally larger and the flavor is more like a cross between those and curry leaves. If you can't find any (I couldn't), then a regular bay leaf will give a bit of aromatic flavor, but is certainly not the same. A couple curry leaves are closer but don't use too many as they can be overpowering.
- Coconut milk - this gives the broth it's lovely smooth creaminess. Be sure to use a good quality coconut milk, and don't use a low fat one as it doesn't give the same richness.
Typically, you use bone-in chicken pieces for this - I used a mix of drumsticks and thighs. The bones help to add that bit more flavor to the broth. They also cook a little slower which for this, is actually a good thing as it helps the flavors develop more. However I have also had a version with diced, boneless chicken which is unsurprisingly that bit easier to eat.
What to serve with opor ayam
Since this is quite a brothy dish, you definitely want to serve something with it to soak up all the sauce. Traditionally, that's either steamed rice or rice cakes (lontong) which definitely work well. You also traditionally top the dish with some crispy fried shallots. They add a lovely extra bit of flavor and texture.
While this is a very mild dish in itself, if you want to add a bit of heat, you can add some alongside. You can serve a classic sambal (spicy sauce/paste) or some spiced vegetables with this. However, it's also delicious as it is.
Opor ayam is a lovely aromatic Indonesian chicken dish that's a great introduction to some of the classic Indonesian flavors without the spice of many other dishes. It's easy to make, and easy to enjoy. Be sure to try it soon.
Try these other comforting chicken recipes:
- Aji de gallina (Peruvian chicken stew, with a slightly spicy, creamy sauce)
- Lebanese chicken and rice (aromatic, meaty rice with chicken and crunchy fried nuts - a delicious mix)
- Musakhan (Palestinian sumac chicken, with deliciously flavorful, soft onions alongside)
- Chicken rendang (with all the delicious flavors of the more classic beef, but a little lighter and a lot quicker)
- Plus get more Southeast Asian recipes and chicken recipes in the archives.
Opor ayam
Ingredients
For spice paste
- 3 ½ oz shallots (3.5oz is around 3 shallots)
- 1 tablespoon galangal
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoon macadamia nuts or candlenuts (more traditional) if available
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch salt
For rest of dish
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 stem lemongrass
- 2 makrut/kaffir lime leaves
- 2 Indonesian bay leaves if available - if not 1 regular bay or 2 curry leaves
- 2 lb chicken legs cut into drumsticks and thighs, or just all one or other fine too
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups water
To serve
- rice or rice cakes and some crispy caramelized onion
Instructions
To make spice paste
- Peel and roughly chop the shallots, galangal, ginger and garlic. The galangal in particular you may want to chop smaller as it can be pretty firm and so harder to break up.
- Place the chopped shallots, galangal, ginger and garlic in a small food processor or blender with the macadamia/candlenuts, coriander, pepper and salt. Blend well so that you form a relatively smooth paste - a bit chunky is fine but you don't want any bits too big. You may need to scrape down and re-blend a couple times.
To make dish
- Warm the oil in a medium-large heavy based pot/pan (or Dutch oven) over medium heat and add the spice paste. Cook for around 2 - 3 minutes until the paste becomes aromatic and the shallots are softening. Stir regularly to avoid the paste burning.
- As the paste cooks, cut the lemongrass stem in half and roughly bash to help break up a little (you can also save the white part for another recipe and just use the green part if you prefer. If it's small, use a second green part from another stem). Once the paste is aromatic, add the lemongrass and lime leaves. Cook a minute.
- Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes, turning regularly, so the chicken gently cooks and is no longer pink. You don't want it to brown or crisp, just no longer be clearly raw on the outside.
- Add the coconut milk and water - you may not need all the water, just enough to just about cover the chicken. Stir to mix everything through then press the chicken under the liquid. Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for around 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve over rice or rice cakes, and top with some crispy caramelized onions.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Vicky says
This was a new way to prepare chicken for me, but I love the creaminess of the sauce! It had a great flavor and went perfectly with the rice.
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad you enjoyed!