The Best Indonesian Sweet Soy Chicken - Ayam Kecap
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Additional Time
3 mins
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Total Time
48 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
272 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
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Cuisine
Indonesian
The Best Indonesian Sweet Soy Chicken - Ayam Kecap
Description
The chicken is initially marinated with tamarind juice and salt, with piercing to help the flavors penetrate. It is then cooked by deep-frying until golden or steam-fried starting with frying just until opaque then steaming with a lid. The cook time varies depending on whether the chicken is bone-in or boneless, typically between 12 and 25 minutes.
Separately, onions, garlic, and chilies are fried until the onions turn light golden, then sweet soy sauce, black pepper, and salt are added and cooked until bubbling. The fried chicken is returned to the pan, stirred into the sauce, and simmered briefly until flavors combine. The sauce has a balance of sweetness, mild spiciness from the chilies, and the distinctive savory-sour note of tamarind.
This dish pairs well with rice and can be a centerpiece of an Indonesian meal. Substitutions for sweet soy sauce are suggested when unavailable, such as mixing dark soy sauce with honey or brown sugar to mimic the flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ pounds chicken Boneless or with bones. Cut in pieces
- 3 tablespoons tamarind juice
- 1 teaspoon salt for the marinade
- 2 onion medium size, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely sliced
- 2 red chili or green chili, sliced diagonally
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper coarse
- 1/3 cup Sweet soy sauce see the note, Indonesian
- cooking oil
Instructions
- Marinade the chicken with tamarind juice and salt. Pierce the meat by using a skewer or fork. Set aside and leave it to rest for about half an hour.
- When you're ready to cook, heat the oil on a wok or frying pan. And start deep-frying or steam-frying the chicken. For the latter one, you heat two tablespoons of oil on a frying pan and fry the chicken pieces until they turn opaque. Then turn the heat down and put the lid on the pan to steam-cook the poultry.
- If you use boneless chicken, it will normally take about 12-15 minutes to deep-fry. If you use chicken with bone, it may take slightly longer. Around 20-25 minutes. Set aside.
- Then, fry the onions in a pan with 4-5 tablespoons of cooking oil until it's light golden in colour. Add in the sliced garlic and chillies. Continue to fry for about 3 minutes before you put the sweet soy sauce, black pepper and salt in.
- Cook further about 3-5 minutes until you see the sauce bubbling. Lastly, add in the fried chicken. Stir until all the meat coated with soy sauce. Let it cook and simmer for about 3 minutes before you turn the heat off.
Notes
- Prepare the chicken first and start frying it before making the sauce to save time, allowing both to finish simultaneously.
- If Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce) is unavailable, mix ¼ cup dark soy sauce with 3 tablespoons honey or dark brown sugar to replicate its flavor.
- Cooking times vary: boneless chicken takes about 12-15 minutes frying, bone-in takes 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 272 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 272kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 686mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 280mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
| Vitamin A | 270IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 27mg | 30% |
| Calcium | 24mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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