Indonesian Kari Ayam (Rich Coconut Chicken Curry)

Kari Ayam is Indonesia’s version of chicken curry, made with tender chicken simmered in a rich coconut milk sauce flavored with fresh herbs and spices. Compared to Indian curries, Indonesian Kari Ayam is often milder and creamier, making it a comforting meal that’s perfect served with steamed rice.

Kari Ayam is just one of the many amazing dishes from Indonesia. It is Indonesian chicken curry made with coconut milk, spices, and herbs. IIt is usually eaten with steamed rice or with ketupat (rice cakes wrapped in coconut leaves), making it a popular dish served during celebrations like Idul Fitri.

Despite the wide variety of spices and herbs, making Kari Ayam is surprisingly easy. Just follow the steps I wrote down below, and you’ll have a delicious, aromatic curry in no time. If you want it even quicker, you should try fish curry.

If you love bold Indonesian flavors, don’t miss my flourless fried chicken – a crispy, flavorful dish made without any flour. And for a gluten-free twist, try my Indonesian gluten-free fried chicken, which uses tapioca flour for crispy texture.

For more Indonesian dishes, you can also have a look at sate ayam or sate maranggi or the comforting sop buntut (oxtail soup). So, if you’re ready to try Indonesian food, Kari Ayam is the perfect place to start!

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Chicken – You can use organic free-range chicken or broiler chicken. I find that using country chicken or free-range chicken taste better.

Big red chilis – This type of chilis is not so spicy. It adds color to the dish beautifully.

Curly chilis – This is spicier than the big red chilis, so use only a few if you can’t stand hot spicy food.

Bird’s eye chilis – This is the spiciest of all chilis. Do not blend the chilis. Just cook it whole with the broth. If you like your kari spicy, you can just smash it in your bowl.

Shrimp paste – Shrimp paste adds umami to the dish. Its rich, savory taste enhances the kari overall.

Substitutions & Variations

Coconut milk can be substituted with evaporated milk. Please understand that the flavor will be different than the original recipe using coconut milk.

When you can’t find fresh bay leaves, lemongrass, lime leaves, candlenuts in your area, you can always use the dried and powdered form. It will not affect the taste of the dish.

Don’t worry if you are a vegetarian or a vegan. You can also savor this flavorful dish. By substituting the chicken with alternative protein sources like tempeh or tofu. These two can absorb the curry broth, making it very flavorful and giving the meaty texture.

Another thing to add is vegetables. Chayote, carrots, potatoes, green beans and eggplants are perfect for curry dish. Not only do they add nutritional value but also enhance the overall taste and texture of the curry.

How to Make Kari Ayam

STEP 1. Cut the chicken into 8-16 pcs. Wash them clean. Pour hot water into the chicken to get rid of the stink (Image 1). Let the chicken soak in hot water for 5 minutes. Put the garlic, shallots, ginger, candlenuts, coriander powder, cumin, shrimp paste, and the chilis into a blender (Image 2). Blend finely (Image 3). Prepare a pan and pour some oil and turn on the stove medium heat (Image 4).

STEP 2. Let the spices simmer on low heat (Image 5). Put in lemongrass, bay leaves, and lime leaves (Image 6). Tear the lime leaves to make it more fragrant. Stir well until the herbs change color. Throw in the chicken pieces (Image 7). Stir well until they are all covered in spices (Image 8).

STEP 3. Pour in half of the coconut milk into the pan (Image 9). Stir well and let it simmer (Images 10, 11). If you want a smooth broth, sieve the broth (Image 12). This is optional. But I like my broth to be very smooth. Take out the chicken pieces, set them aside. Strain only the broth. You can throw away the herbs (lemongrass, bay leaves, and lime leaves).

STEP 4. Put back the chicken pieces into the broth (Image 13). Pour in the remaining coconut milk (Image 14). Throw in salt, pepper, sugar, and mushroom powder (Image 15). Add some bird’s eye chilis (Image 16). Let the broth simmer for another 10 minutes. It’s ready to serve!

Serving Suggestions

Serve Chicken Curry with steamed white rice or ketupat (rice cakes wrapped in coconut leaves) and beef rendang.

To balance the spiciness of the curry, you can add a refreshing touch with Acar Timun (Indonesian Pickled Cucumber), which provides a crunchy, tangy contrast. Other great pairings are Tempe Orek and Perkedel. And don’t forget a generous sprinkle of fried shallots, they make the curry richer, more fragrant, and irresistibly satisfying.

Pair with Indonesian Red Ginger Drink or Lemongrass Tea. Serve desserts to finish the meal like Banana Fritters or Pulut Hitam.

To finish your meal, consider Indonesian gluten-free dessert like Kuih Kosui or Ongol-ongol.

Kari Ayam FAQs

Storage and Reheating

Keep the leftover chicken curry in an airtight container. You can put it in the freezer or in the chiller. You can keep the curry up to 4 days in the chiller, 3 months in the freezer. If it is more than that, it’d be better if you discard it. Coconut milk cannot last that long.

Reheating is simple. Just put the curry in a pan and use low to medium heat. Or you can just heat it in the microwave.

More Authentic Indonesian Food

If you like authentic Indonesian food, you may want to try:

• Chicken Rendang is a spicy Indonesian dish with lots of herbs and spices. Rendang is a famous all over the world. It is usually made with beef.
• If you want to try Indonesian dish without coconut milk, just try Ayam Balado (Indonesian Spicy Chicken). It is savory and flavorful.
• Soto Betawi Beef Soup is another famous Indonesian dish with coconut milk.
• Soto Tangkar is another version of Soto Betawi with beef and innards.