A baked chicken casserole simmered in a spiced coconut rendang paste with tomato, low and slow until tender.
Rendang is one of Southeast Asia's most celebrated dishes, a slow-cooked meat curry, traditionally beef, built on a paste of lemongrass, galangal, chile and toasted coconut, simmered in coconut milk for hours until the liquid reduces almost entirely and the meat turns deeply tender and dark. This casserole adapts that same rich spice paste to chicken and moves the long simmer into the oven, making it more hands-off for a weeknight, with a bit of tomato added for brightness against the richness. The rendang paste, blended from lemongrass, shallot, garlic, ginger and dried chiles, needs to fry in oil until fragrant and the color deepens before any liquid goes in, the same foundational technique used across Malay and Indonesian cooking. Toasted grated coconut (kerisik), pounded into a paste, is stirred in partway through cooking and is what gives real rendang its distinctive nutty, slightly caramelized depth that coconut milk alone can't achieve. Baked low and slow, covered, then uncovered to let the sauce reduce, this casserole aims for that same dark, glossy, intensely flavored result associated with a proper rendang, achieved in an oven rather than tended over a stovetop for hours.
Serves 5
Blend lemongrass, shallots, garlic, galangal and soaked chiles into a smooth paste.
Preheat oven to 150C (300F). Heat oil in an ovenproof pot over medium heat. Fry the paste, stirring often, until deeply fragrant and darkened, about 10 minutes.
Add chicken pieces, browning on all sides in the paste, about 8 minutes.
Pour in coconut milk, add diced tomatoes, kaffir lime leaves and salt. Bring to a simmer.
Cover and bake 60 minutes. Stir in the toasted coconut paste, uncover, and bake 20-30 more minutes until the sauce reduces to a thick, dark, glossy coating.
Fry the spice paste thoroughly, at least 10 minutes, until it darkens and smells deeply fragrant; a raw-tasting paste ruins the whole dish's flavor.
Toast the grated coconut low and slow, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown before pounding it into kerisik.
Let the sauce reduce uncovered near the end until it's thick and clings to the chicken; a proper rendang isn't a soupy curry.
Use beef chuck instead of chicken and extend the cooking time to 2.5-3 hours for a more traditional beef rendang.
Adjust the chile quantity in the paste for a milder or spicier finished dish.
Add a splash of tamarind water for extra tang if you prefer a sourer rendang.
Refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container; rendang is famous for tasting even better the next day. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Rendang originates from the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia, and has spread throughout Malaysia and the wider Malay world, traditionally cooked for hours until nearly dry, a technique historically valued for its long shelf life without refrigeration during festive periods and long journeys.
It needs more time uncovered to reduce; a proper rendang is dry and clinging, not soupy, so don't rush this final reduction stage.
Fresh ginger is the most common substitute, though the flavor is milder and less citrusy than true galangal; use a bit more if substituting to compensate.
Yes, the paste can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for months, making this a good dish to prep in stages.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 5 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
