Indonesia • Regional Dish • Main Course

Ayam Penyet (Indonesian Smashed Fried Chicken)

Ayam penyet is fried chicken with an attitude problem. The chicken is simmered with aromatics, fried until crisp, then lightly smashed so the crust cracks and the sambal can get into every nook worth finding.

Servings4

Prep Time20 min

Cook Time45 min

DifficultyModerate

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Ingredients

US Metric

8 bone-in chicken thighs skin on

3 cups water

2 Indonesian bay leaves or 2 bay leaves

2 makrut lime leaves

1 lemongrass stalk , bruised

1 tsp fine salt

2 cups neutral oil, for frying

For the spice paste

6 shallots , roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves

1-inch piece fresh ginger sliced

1-inch piece fresh galangal sliced, or extra ginger if unavailable

3/4-inch piece fresh turmeric sliced, or 1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar

For the sambal

6 red chilies , roughly chopped

4 bird’s eye chilies , or to taste

2 shallots , roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 medium tomato chopped

1/2 tsp shrimp paste, optional

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar

1/2 tsp fine salt

2 tbsp neutral oil

For serving

2 cups steamed jasmine rice

1/2 cucumber , sliced

2 small tomatoes , cut into wedges

7 oz fried tofu or tempeh, optional

Lime wedges, optional

8 bone-in chicken thighs skin on

750 ml water

2 Indonesian bay leaves or 2 bay leaves

2 makrut lime leaves

1 lemongrass stalk , bruised

1 tsp fine salt

500 ml neutral oil, for frying

For the spice paste

6 shallots , roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves

3 cm fresh ginger, sliced

3 cm fresh galangal, sliced, or extra ginger if unavailable

2 cm fresh turmeric, sliced, or 1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar

For the sambal

6 red chilies , roughly chopped

4 bird’s eye chilies , or to taste

2 shallots , roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 medium tomato chopped

1/2 tsp shrimp paste, optional

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar

1/2 tsp fine salt

2 tbsp neutral oil

For serving

300 g steamed jasmine rice

1/2 cucumber , sliced

2 small tomatoes , cut into wedges

200 g fried tofu or tempeh, optional

Lime wedges, optional

Instructions

Blend the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, coriander, cumin and palm sugar into a coarse paste. Add a splash of water only if needed to get it moving.
Put the chicken in a wide saucepan or pot. Add the spice paste, water, bay leaves, lime leaves, lemongrass and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid has reduced.
Lift the chicken onto a tray and let it air-dry for 10 minutes. This helps the skin fry up better instead of sulking in the oil.
While the chicken rests, make the sambal. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the red chilies, bird’s eye chilies, shallots, garlic, tomato and shrimp paste if using. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
Transfer the sambal mixture to a mortar and pestle or small food processor. Add the lime juice, palm sugar and salt, then pound or pulse into a coarse paste. Set aside.
Heat the frying oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan to about 170°C. Fry the chicken in batches for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a rack or paper towel.
Place each piece of chicken on a board and gently press or tap it once or twice with a pestle, mallet or the back of a heavy spoon to crack the crust and flatten it slightly. Do not go wild. This is dinner, not demolition.
Serve the ayam penyet hot with rice, sambal, cucumber, tomato and fried tofu or tempeh if using.

Cultural Context

Ayam penyet (Indonesian smashed fried chicken) is closely associated with East Java, especially Surabaya, and is built around fried chicken that is pressed or lightly smashed before serving with sambal. That pressing is not just for show. It softens the chicken slightly, cracks the crust and helps the sambal cling better. The plate is usually served with rice and simple fresh vegetables such as cucumber and tomato, with tofu or tempeh often joining the party.

Fun Fact

The word penyet comes from Javanese and refers to pressing or squeezing. So the name is wonderfully literal: this is smashed chicken, not chicken with a mysterious branding consultant behind it.

Cook’s Tip

Bone-in thighs stay juicy and are easier to manage than a whole cut-up chicken.
Simmering the chicken in the spice paste before frying gives it a deeper flavor and is closer to the traditional method than plain marinating alone.
If you do not have galangal, use extra ginger. The flavor shifts a bit, but dinner does not collapse.
The sambal should stay coarse, not smooth like bottled hot sauce. Texture matters here.
You can make the sambal a day ahead and rewarm it lightly before serving.

Trivia

Ayam penyet is often compared with ayam geprek, but they are not quite the same thing. Ayam penyet is based on traditional Indonesian spiced fried chicken, while ayam geprek usually starts with a battered, crisp-fried chicken before being crushed with sambal.

About This Recipe

A fresh serving of global recipes, food stories, quizzes and delicious discoveries.

Ayam Penyet (Indonesian Smashed Fried Chicken)

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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