Chicken Sambal (One Pot, with Coconut)
This Chicken Sambal dish is simmered in coconut and made in one pot. It can be bulked up with lots of flavorful veggies, such as bell peppers, tomatoes and carrots! Best of all, it's on the table in under 30 minutes (if you use skinless, boneless chicken. You can make it with any cut of chicken, but the cooking time will change.)
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
- 5 cloves fresh garlic (peel and smash)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (sliced)
- 3 shallot (Substitute: ½ onion, preferably red)
- 3 Tablespoons sugar (Traditionally palm sugar but brown sugar or white sugar work too.)
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce (Use light soy sauce as a substitute if you don't have it.)
- 1 Tablespoon white rice vinegar (You can use white wine vinegar )
- ½ Tablespoon light soy sauce (Don't use dark, sweet or thick soy.)
- 2 kaffir lime leaves (Crush then add, no need to slice.)
- 3-5 Tablespoons sambal oelek
- 1 lb chicken
- 1 Cup coconut milk (If using coconut milk, omit the water.)
- 4 Tablespoons water (Substitute: chicken brown)
- 1 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 3 tomatoes (Cut in wedges)
- ¼ bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 small bunch Kale
- 3 Lime (Cut in half. Do not omit.)
- Coriander (Optional)
- Green onions (Sliced, optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar.
- 2
Over medium-high heat, saute the shallots till fragrant. Then add the ginger folowed by the garlic. (Garlic burns easily.) Note: If using chicken with skin, you can brown the skin first, remove it, then saute the shallot, ginger and garlic in the delicious chicken fat. As my chicken does not have skin, I decided not to brown it, as it would take too much oil.
- 3
Reduce to medium heat, add the coconut, followed by the mix of sauces, sambal sauce, and kaffir leaves. (Crush the leaves to release their fragrance. No need to cut.)
- 4
Add the chicken followed by the turmeric powder, mix well.
- 5
Adjust the temperature so the sauce is not an a rolling boil.If at any time you feel the sauce is too thick (may happen if your fire is too big and you used coconut cream), add a cup of water or chicken broth. (You'll then either need to cook the extra liquid off, or to add more seasoning.)
- 6
The chicken will take 15 to 30 minutes to cook, depending on size and temperature of your flame. (The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature of the thickest part is 165°F (74°C.)Note: I recommend using an instant read thermometer.)
- 7
You can add the tomatoes and peppers now if you wish, or later if you want them firmer. I add the kale 5 minutes before I want to switch off the fire.
- 8
Delicious with plain white rice, brown rice, or pandan jasmine rice!