Opor Ayam
This Indonesian chicken builds chicken thighs and drumsticks, shallots and candlenuts into a hearty meal you can have ready in about 70 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Blend the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, ginger, galangal, coriander and turmeric with a splash of water into a smooth spice paste.
- Heat the oil in a wide pot and fry the paste with the bruised lemongrass, lime leaves and bay leaves over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until fragrant and no longer raw-smelling.
- Add the chicken pieces and turn them in the paste for 4 to 5 minutes until they are coated and lightly sealed all over.
- Pour in the coconut milk, season with salt and a little palm sugar, and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring now and then so the sauce stays smooth and does not split.
- Partly cover and simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through with no pink at the bone and the juices run clear (74C / 165F).
- Uncover for the last 10 minutes to let the pale golden sauce reduce and thicken slightly.
- Taste and adjust the salt and sugar, then serve over rice or nasi uduk, finished with a scattering of fried shallots.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Large pot · Saucepan · Blender
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
- Shallots
- ½ small onion + a little garlic
- Lime
- lemon
What to serve with Opor Ayam
- Bakso Beef
- Bubur Ayam Breakfast
- Dadar Gulung Dessert
- Gado-Gado Side
Tips & common questions
How long does Opor Ayam take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Opor Ayam is an original Indonesian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Opor ayam.JPG by Midori, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.