Recently, there was a huge rendang controversy caused by Master Chef UK judges who said that chicken rendang should have crispy skin, which enraged the entire country of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia and the incident turned into a social media warfare.
As a Malaysia food blogger, I wanted to tell you that chicken rendang, or any rendang, for example: beef rendang, lamb rendang should never have crispy skin. And the rendang sauce should be on the skin!
Here I have just the perfect chicken rendang recipe for you. Rendang originated from Indonesia but they are very popular and well loved by many in Malaysia.
Chicken rendang is slow cooked and stewed in the rendang sauce and my chicken rendang recipe yields flavorful and tender chicken, with complex structure of flavors, with the intense aroma of the exotic spices.
I love making chicken rendang at home. While it takes some time to prep and make the dish, the end result is so rewarding.
When I sink my teeth into the chicken, the taste immediately transports me back to Malaysia, my home country. Enjoy!
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 383 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Chicken Rendang
Chicken Rendang – amazing Malaysian-Indonesian chicken stew with spices and coconut milk. Deeply flavorful. The best rendang recipe ever!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. 0.6 kg boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes
- 1/3 cup cooking oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 star anise
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 lemongrass white part only, pounded and cut into strips
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 5 kaffir lime leaves bruised
- 5 tablespoons toasted grated coconut kerisik
- 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
- salt to taste
Spice Paste:
- 6 shallots
- 1 inch 2 cm galangal
- 3 stalks lemongrass white part only
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1- inch piece ginger peeled
- 10 dried chilies chili arbol, seeded
Directions
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1All all the ingredients of the Spice Paste in a food processor. Blend well.
-
2
Heat the oil in a skillet, add the Spice Paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom pods and stir-fry them until aromatic. Add the chicken and lemongrass, stir to combine well with the spices.
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3
Add the coconut milk, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the chicken is almost cooked.
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4Add the kaffir lime leaves, toasted coconut, stir to blend well with the chicken. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and slowly simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the liquid has dried up. Add more sugar and salt to taste to taste. Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
To make beef rendang, check out my recipe here.
Gavi
My chicken rendang was yellow. Why?
Any suggestions
Rasa Malaysia
Your dried chilies – are they red in color?
Justus
Texture a bit off for me. Wonderful flavor. Maybe I didn’t cook the lemongrass properly? What do you mean when you say the white part, like the heart or…?
Rasa Malaysia
The bottom part of the lemongrass.
Dave
If I want to make double amount will it work doubling everything
Rasa Malaysia
Should be OK.
Grace
This was sooo good thank you
Mine turned out watery but didn’t mind at all
So good thank you!!!
Tee
I used chicken breast to make my rendang and it tasted amazing! It did take about an hour to reduce the curry paste before adding the chicken to make the curry dry however.
Björn Wiklund
When you say three star anise. Do you mean three whole or three of the eight parts in a seed pod? I think 3 whole will be a bit heavy to balance even for the rest of spicing but I might be wrong and so I ask the author.
Gordon Ramsey
Dear god, three whole star anise.
Kelly
Hi if i use coconut cream, what’s the ratio btwn the cream and water or same?
Rasa Malaysia
Same.
Azrul
Nice… I’ll do it tomorrow.. Tq Chef Kelly 😊
Pamela Chan
You may opt to use a mixture of fresh chillies and dry chillies, perhaps in the ratio of 7 fresh and 3 dried chillies Or 5:5. This will give a reddish color after cooking. Using fresh tumeric will also enhance the flavour
I also suggest that you do not substitute or omit any ingredients for this receipe to maintain its original taste.
Hope this helps and happy cooking!
Xingqiu
By 10 dried chillies, arbol chilli
Do you mean that it needs 10 dried chillies AND 10 arbol chillies? Or does it mean 10 dried arbol chillies?
I saw some comments saying their dishes color ends up pale, and it happens to me too. I assume this could be the reason
Rasa Malaysia
Just 10 dried chilies, I used arbol.
Kelley Cook
What do you serve with this?