Ayam Bakar (Indonesian Citrus-Marinated Grilled Chicken)

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 3

• 6bone-in chicken thighs
• 2limes(juiced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(crushed)
• 3shallots(sliced)
• 1 tbspground coriander
• 1 tspturmeric
• 2 cupswater or chicken stock
• 3 tbspkecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tbsppalm sugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 1cucumber(sliced, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Simmer the chicken

   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.

2. 2

   Remove and reduce

   Remove chicken and set aside. Simmer the poaching liquid uncovered until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Make the glaze

   Stir kecap manis and palm sugar into the reduced liquid, simmer 2-3 more minutes until glossy.

4. 4

   Heat the grill

   Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.

5. 5

   Grill and baste

   Grill the chicken, basting generously with the glaze every 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred and lacquered, about 12-15 minutes total.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let rest 5 minutes, then serve with rice, sambal, and sliced cucumber.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

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.

Frequently Asked Questions