Ayam Goreng (Malaysian Fried Chicken) Recipe
Ayam Goreng is a flavorful Malaysian fried chicken dish featuring a fragrant blend of spices and herbs, marinated overnight, then coated and deep-fried to golden perfection. This recipe highlights traditional Southeast Asian ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, and turmeric, resulting in crispy, aromatic chicken perfect as a main dish or part of a larger meal like Nasi Lemak.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes (plus optional overnight marination)
- Yield: 8 pieces of fried chicken, serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Mix
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
Marinade Paste
- 3 red shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 4cm piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 4cm piece galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
Main Ingredients
- 8 pieces chicken (bone-in thighs and drumsticks preferred)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup cornflour (corn starch)
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Instructions
- Toast and grind spices: Place the fennel, coriander, and cumin seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat. Shake the pan occasionally and toast for about 3 minutes until aromatic. Transfer the toasted seeds to a mortar and pestle and pound into a rough powder. Place the ground spices into a large mixing bowl.
- Create marinade paste: Using the same mortar and pestle, pound the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, and 2 teaspoons of sea salt into a rough paste. Transfer this paste to the mixing bowl containing the ground spices. Add the ground turmeric and mix.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the bowl with the spice paste and mix until well coated. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the chicken mixture overnight. If short on time, proceed immediately to the next step.
- Coat the chicken: Crack the egg into the marinated chicken and add the cornflour. Mix thoroughly to combine, ensuring each piece is coated with the egg and cornflour mixture.
- Heat oil and fry chicken: Fill a saucepan or wok to about one-third full with vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to 325°F (165°C), checking readiness by dipping a wooden spoon into the oil—small bubbles should form around it. Fry the chicken pieces in batches, cooking for about 15 minutes each until golden brown and cooked through.
- Drain and serve: Remove chicken pieces from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined baking tray to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with extra sea salt while hot and serve immediately. This chicken pairs wonderfully with traditional Malaysian dishes such as Nasi Lemak.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight enhances flavor but is optional if short on time.
- Maintain oil temperature around 325°F (165°C) to ensure crispy and evenly cooked chicken.
- Use bone-in chicken pieces for juicier meat and authentic texture.
- Adjust salt to taste during the final sprinkling.
- Serve with steamed rice or as part of a Nasi Lemak meal for a complete Malaysian culinary experience.
Keywords: Malaysian fried chicken, Ayam Goreng, deep-fried chicken, traditional Malaysian recipe, spicy fried chicken, Southeast Asian chicken
