Nasi Lemak Ayam
Fragrant coconut rice with crispy pan-fried chicken, served with a vibrant sambal and fresh cucumber. A Malaysian comfort classic that tastes restaurant-quality but cooks in under 45 minutes.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups jasmine rice
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
- 12 oz chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 2 whole red chili peppers, fresh
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 1 whole shallot
- 1 whole lime
- ½ whole cucumber
- 1 to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the jasmine rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water, stirring gently with your fingers until the water runs mostly clear, about 1 minute; this removes excess starch so the rice will be fluffy, not sticky.
- 2
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, pressing gently to remove surface moisture so they will brown evenly and crisply when cooked.
- 3
Slice the red chilies lengthwise from tip to stem, keeping them open like a boat; remove the white seeds and pale ribs inside using the tip of a small spoon, then mince the chili flesh into pieces smaller than a grain of rice.
- 4
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots; this releases the most flavor when cooked.
- 5
Peel the shallot and mince it until the pieces are the same size as the garlic, smaller than a grain of rice.
- 6
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise (tip to root), then slice each half crosswise into thin half-moons about 1/8-inch thick; place in a small bowl and set aside.
- 7
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 60 seconds.
- 8
Add the minced shallot and garlic to the hot oil and stir constantly for 90 seconds until the mixture turns light golden and smells strong and fragrant.
- 9
Stir in the minced chili and cook, stirring constantly, for another 30 seconds until the raw chili smell fades and the mixture looks uniform in color.
- 10
Squeeze the lime juice into the saucepan and stir to combine; season with a pinch of salt and set the saucepan aside on the counter to cool.
- 11
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 12
Add the dried chicken thighs to the hot oil in a single layer; do not stir for 4 minutes so the undersides develop a golden-brown crust.
- 13
Flip each thigh over and cook for another 3–4 minutes until the other side turns golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.
- 14
Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 2 minutes, then cut it into bite-sized pieces (roughly 1.5-inch chunks).
- 15
Without washing the saucepan, pour in the rinsed rice and stir for 45 seconds, scraping up any stuck-on brown bits from the bottom, to toast the rice slightly.
- 16
Pour in the coconut milk and 1.25 cups of water; stir once to combine, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat, about 90 seconds.
- 17
Lower the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer without lifting the lid for 15 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed.
- 18
Remove the lid and let the rice rest, uncovered, for 2 minutes; the surface should look dry and grains should be separate and fluffy.
- 19
Fluff the rice gently with a fork, breaking up any clumps, then divide it between two bowls or plates in equal portions.
- 20
Top each portion of rice with half of the chicken pieces, arranged in a loose mound in the center.
- 21
Spoon half of the sambal alongside the rice, then arrange half of the cucumber slices on the opposite side of the plate to create three distinct sections.
- 22
Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed; serve immediately while the rice and chicken are still warm.
Tools you’ll need
- fine-mesh strainer
- paper towels
- small knife
- small spoon
- medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon or rubber spatula
- meat thermometer
- cutting board
- fork
- two serving bowls or plates
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