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Bubur Ayam Recipe: Indonesian Rice Porridge With Chicken
5 from 21 votes

Bubur Ayam Recipe: Indonesian Rice Porridge With Chicken

Bubur Ayam is a traditional Indonesian rice porridge made by slowly cooking rice with aromatic spices like salam leaves, ginger, and lemongrass until creamy. It is served with a yellow spiced sauce, diced chicken, and garnishes such as scallions, fried onions, and crackers, combining tender textures and savory flavors. This dish offers a comforting and versatile meal enjoyed at any time of day.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 6 portions
Calories: 665 kcal
Course: Brunch
Cuisine: Indonesian

Ingredients

For making congee/ rice porridge:
  • 1 cup rice see the note.
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 salam leaves see the note.
  • ½ - inch ginger
  • 1 lemongrass
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt see the note.
For making congee using leftover rice:
  • 1 ½ cup cooked rice packed
  • 5 cups water
  • 2 salam leaves see the note.
  • ½ - inch ginger
  • 1 lemongrass
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt see the note.
For the yellow sauce:
  • 1 onion finely chopped, small
  • 4 garlic chopped.
  • ½- inch ginger peeled and chopped.
  • 5 candlenuts see the note, aka Kemiri
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder see the note.
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander ground
  • 1 lemongrass
  • ½ teaspoon salt or according to taste.
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup water
For the garnish:
  • 300 chicken boneless
  • ½ - inch ginger
  • ½ teaspoon peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup soy beans
  • cooking oil
  • 3 pieces cakwe
  • 2 scallions also called green onions, spring onions
  • prawn crackers see the note, or potato crisps
Spices and condiment:
  • ground pepper either white pepper or black pepper
  • dried red chili flakes optional
  • light soy sauce
  • Sweet soy sauce optional.
  • chilli sauce optional, or sambal
  • onion optional, fried

Instructions

For the congee:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the rice/ cooked rice in a large pan with salam leaves, ginger, lemongrass, and water. Turn the heat on and boil the rice at medium-high heat.
  2. Once the water boils, add in the salt. Cook further and stir the rice every now and again. 
  3. Turn the heat down when the rice is bubbling hot and continue simmering the rice porridge until you get a thick porridge. When the grains are fully cooked, keep stirring the congee until you get a nice creamy porridge. Set aside.
For the yellow sauce:
  1. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the onions, garlic, ginger and candlenuts until you get a smooth paste. You can also use a food processor to make this paste.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan, then add in onion mixture, turmeric powder, ground coriander, salt and sugar. Fry further until the mixture releases the aroma, then add the water in.
  3. Cook the sauce until it is bubbling. Check the taste, and set aside.
For the garnish:
  1. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and boil them with ginger, peppercorns and salt until the poultry is fully cooked. Drain the chicken and deep fry until it looks lightly golden. Shred the fried chicken into slivers and set aside.
  2. Soak the soya beans for half an hour or so. Drain the water and deep fry the beans until they are lightly golden and crispy. Set aside.
  3. Slice the Cakwe and set aside.
  4. Slice the spring onions and set them aside.
Assemble the Bubur Ayam:
  1. Ladle out some rice porridge into a bowl. 
  2. Put some light soy sauce and yellow sauce over the congee.
  3. Sprinkle some spring onions and fried onions (if using).
  4. Scatter some fried soya beans over the porridge.
  5. Add some Cakwe slices and shredded chicken.
  6. Enjoy your bubur ayam with some prawn crackers or Kerupuk, and chilli sauce.

Notes

  • Use any type of rice; Basmati is common but long-grain, short-grain, or Thai rice work well.
  • Substitute salam leaves with a combination of curry leaves and bay leaves if unavailable.
  • Adjust salt initially, adding more to taste as the porridge cooks.
  • Ready-made or homemade cakwe (fried dough sticks) complement the dish and can be served alongside.
  • Candlenuts may be replaced with Macadamia nuts or omitted if unavailable.
  • Fresh turmeric root can substitute turmeric powder, adding it to the onion paste.
  • Serve with prawn crackers or potato crisps to add texture contrasts.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 665kcal (33%) Carbohydrates 63g (21%) Protein 32g (64%) Fat 33g (51%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 23g (135%) Cholesterol 64mg (21%) Sodium 2420mg (101%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 9g (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 portions

Amount Per Serving

Calories 665

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 665kcal 33%
Carbohydrates 63g 21%
Protein 32g 64%
Fat 33g 51%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 23g 135%
Cholesterol 64mg 21%
Sodium 2420mg 101%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 9g 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.