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Opor Ayam is a dish that will always remind me of my late mom. To me, her opor ayam was the best of all. And I’m so glad that I managed to get her recipe, tried to recreate it, and share it here. In her loving memory, I sincerely hope this recipe will bring a smile to whoever tries it.

Opor Ayam

This popular dish in Indonesian cuisine is often enjoyed as a daily home meal or a part of a celebration menu, such as weddings, birthdays, Eid, Christmas, etc. This chicken stew is cooked in coconut milk with spices and fragrant herbs, giving it a delicately savory flavor.

Unlike many Indonesian dishes, this dish doesn’t use chilies or hot spices. Therefore, it is often served with Sambal on the side for those who love chilies and heat.

Popular Dish for Comfort and Celebration

Originally from Central Java, this chicken stewed in spiced coconut milk has become very popular in Indonesia.

The dish is traditionally served at special occasions or celebratory events, such as religious festivities. Eid and Christmas are a few examples. When it appears in these special celebrations, it is usually served with lontong or ketupat, the hard-boiled rice cakes.

But this delicious chicken dish is a very common daily home food menu with plain white rice.

Numerous Versions

You might have encountered many other recipes for opor ayam. While I can say that all of them offer a good taste, I feel confident that the recipe I’m sharing here is the one you want to try.

Because it uses few ingredients, this recipe lets each spice and herb come through with a more delicate flavor. It simply offers plain deliciousness.

Plus, I learned this recipe from my mom. So, it has been tested, tried, and enjoyed for many decades. And it has never failed to put a smile on anyone’s face who has had it.

As you might already know, there are two kinds of Opor Ayam: the one without turmeric and the one with turmeric. Hence, the latter is called Opor Kuning, which means yellow opor.

In this recipe, I use turmeric, so you’ll know how much to add. Feel free to opt in or opt out. Whichever choice you make, you’ll have a tasty chicken dish for your next meal.

Easy Recipe With Simple Ingredients

To cook this Opor Ayam, you will need chicken, salam leaves, lemongrass, coconut milk, water, a little cooking oil, and a spice paste.

To make the spice paste, you will need onion, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, galangal, turmeric, and salt.

You can swap the seeds into the ground form if you’re like me, who often uses ground cumin and coriander. As for galangal, you can use either fresh galangal (available at Asian/Chinese shops), dried galangal, or galangal paste. However, I’d like to avoid using the galangal powder because its fragrance is totally different and can make your dish smell weird.

You don’t have to use turmeric. The only difference is that it gives the dish a nice golden-yellow color. You can use fresh turmeric root or dried turmeric powder.

Another note I must mention is that my mom’s original recipe uses red shallots. Unfortunately, this type of shallot is not easy for me to get. So, I replaced it with a brown/ yellow onion. And I can assure you that the result of this recipe is equally yummy, whether you use red shallots. Feel free to use the shallots instead if you prefer. For this recipe, you will only need about 6 shallots.

Straightforward Method

I promise it’s so easy to make this Indonesian chicken cooked in spiced coconut milk.

In essence, you only need to make and cook the spice paste, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the poultry is fully cooked and tender.

You can make the spice paste using a pestle and mortar, a food chopper, or a food processor. Whichever you use, grind the spices into a smooth paste.

Next, heat a little oil in your cooking pan and fry the paste with Salam leaves and lemongrass. Cook it until it releases an intoxicatingly delicious aroma.

Then add the chicken pieces to the bubbling spice paste and cook until the chicken is firm and opaque. Toss around now and again to ensure every piece of chicken is covered with spices.

Lastly, pour the water and coconut milk into the chicken. Stir it, then cook at a moderate-low heat with the pan lid on until the chicken is fully cooked and tender to your liking. It takes me around 30 minutes.

Enjoy your opor ayam with hot plain white rice, garnished with fried shallots.

Opor Ayam in a round bowl with some parsley around it. — Photo Credit: So Yummy Recipes.

Storage Matter

You can make this chicken dish in bulk and keep it in the refrigerator/ fridge.

Opor Ayam freezes well for about 2 months. Leave the dish completely cool before storing it in a freezer-friendly food container.

When you need to serve it, take it out of the freezer the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight to thaw. Reheat the dish on the stove or cooker until it’s reboiled and piping hot. Never refreeze it once it has thawed.

Dishes to Enjoy With

For a daily meal, people often have Opor Ayam with plain white rice and no side dishes. However, when it is served as a part of a food spread at parties or celebrations, you can often find this chicken stew alongside other dishes such as:

Thank you and all the best.