Indonesian grilled chicken marinated in citrus, garlic, and spices, basted with a sweet-savory glaze until charred.
Ayam bakar is Indonesia's grilled chicken, distinguished from simple barbecue by a two-step process: the chicken is first simmered gently in a spiced, citrus-bright broth until nearly cooked through, then finished on the grill with repeated basting until the skin chars and caramelizes. This method keeps the meat juicy while still delivering the smoky, sticky-sweet crust that makes ayam bakar so popular. The simmering stage is where the flavor actually builds -- lime or citrus juice, garlic, shallots, and coriander go into the poaching liquid, and the chicken absorbs that base flavor from the inside before it ever hits heat. Then kecap manis and the reduced poaching liquid become the basting glaze, painted on in layers during grilling so a lacquered crust develops rather than a single dry coat. Served with rice, sambal, and raw sliced cucumber or tomato, ayam bakar is a weekend staple across Indonesia -- the kind of dish families grill together, with the tangy citrus marinade cutting through the richness of the charred, glazed skin.
Serves 3
Combine chicken, lime juice, garlic, shallots, coriander, turmeric, water, and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered 20 minutes until chicken is nearly cooked through.
Remove chicken and set aside. Simmer the poaching liquid uncovered until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Stir kecap manis and palm sugar into the reduced liquid, simmer 2-3 more minutes until glossy.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
Grill the chicken, basting generously with the glaze every 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred and lacquered, about 12-15 minutes total.
Let rest 5 minutes, then serve with rice, sambal, and sliced cucumber.
Simmering the chicken first, before grilling, is what keeps it juicy despite the high grilling heat -- don't skip this step.
Reduce the poaching liquid properly before basting; a thin liquid won't build a real glaze.
Baste in at least 3-4 rounds during grilling rather than once at the start.
Use chicken drumsticks or a spatchcocked whole chicken, adjusting simmer time accordingly.
Add a spoonful of sambal to the glaze for a spicier version.
Finish over charcoal instead of a grill pan for a more authentic smoky flavor.
Refrigerate cooked chicken up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven to keep the skin from turning soggy, rather than the microwave.
Ayam bakar is found in home kitchens and warungs across Indonesia, with the simmer-then-grill technique developed to ensure tender meat despite the intense heat needed to properly char and glaze the skin.
You can, but you'll need to grill much longer over lower heat to cook through, risking a burnt glaze before the meat is done -- simmering first solves that.
Mix soy sauce with brown sugar in a roughly 2:1 ratio as a substitute.
Yes, broil the simmered chicken on a rack, basting every few minutes, until charred, about 10-12 minutes.
Per serving (336g / 11.9 oz) · 3 servings total
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