20-Min Spicy Grilled Chicken with Sambal & Rice
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs glazed with fiery sambal and served over steamed rice with cooling cucumber, tomato, and lettuce. Ready in 20 minutes—the weeknight version of Lombok's legendary ayam taliwang.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 4 pieces boneless chicken thighs, skin-on
- 3 tbsp sambal oelek (chili paste)
- 1 whole lime
- 1.5 cups steamed rice
- ½ whole cucumber, sliced
- 1 whole tomato, sliced
- 4 leaves lettuce leaves
Instructions
- 1
Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering, about 90 seconds.
- 3
Place chicken skin-side down in the skillet. Sear 7-8 minutes without moving until skin is deep golden and crispy.
- 4
Flip chicken. Sear the other side 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Spoon sambal over the top.
- 5
Squeeze lime juice over the chicken. Toss gently to coat in sambal.
- 6
Divide rice among plates, top with chicken, and arrange cucumber, tomato, and lettuce on the side.
Tools you’ll need
- large skillet (12-inch or larger)
- paper towels
- knife and cutting board
- tongs
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
