Ayam Balado

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Ayam Balado or Indonesian fried chicken with spicy sambal balado is very easy and quick to make at home without a fuss. The sambal recipe itself is a versatile condiment to many other Indonesian recipes.

Balado is a hot and spicy seasoning that comes from Minang, West Sumatra. It’s become popular all over Indonesia and even in places like Malaysia and Singapore.

The sauce is a mix of fried red chili peppers, garlic, shallots, tomatoes, and kaffir lime leaves, kind of like sambal, which is a common dipping sauce.

Chicken balado, or ayam balado, is basically fried chicken stir-fried with this spicy sauce, making the chicken super fragrant and full of flavor from the chilies and spices.

You can also pour balado sauce over fried eggs to make Telur Balado (Balado Egg) or use it with other dishes like Terong Balado (Balado Eggplant) and many others.

Indonesian dish has a lot of spices in the recipes. Even though they all look complicated and fussy, they turn out super easy to make. For those who can’t stand hot spicy food, you can always reduce the chilis or substitute with big red chilis which are less spicy.

If you like spicy food, you must also try Indonesian Chicken Curry, Jakarta Beef Soup (Soto Betawi), Spiced Beef Soup (Soto Tangkar). They are loaded with wonderful spices and herbs from Asia.

For less spicy versions, you might also enjoy my crispy Flourless Fried Chicken – seasoned without any flour. And for those seeking a gluten-free option, try my Indonesian Gluten-Free Fried Chicken, made with tapioca flour for an irresistible crunch.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Well marinated – The chicken will be well-marinated using the method in this recipe. The meat also becomes very tender.
Simple to make – Even though Southeast Asian food looks challenging, the method is simple. Just follow the guide in this recipe.
Adjustable – The chili is adjustable according to your preference and tolerance to spicy food.
Inexpensive – The ingredients are all inexpensive and easy to get in any grocery stores.

Recipe Ingredients

A photo of Chicken Balado ingredients with labels.

Ingredient Notes

Chilis – Use large, red chilis—they’re the mildest. Traditionally, chili sauce was ground in a stone mortar and pestle called ulekan in Indonesia, giving it a coarse texture that some say tastes better. However, I use a food processor. For a coarse texture, just pulse a few times. Personally, I think it tastes great this way!

Coconut sugar – Coconut sugar will add fragrance to the dish. If you don’t have this, you can substitute it with palm sugar or brown sugar.

Turmeric, Ginger – It is ideal to get the fresh ones, however you can get the ground form of these spices. The ground form will not affect the flavor of the dish.

Substitutions & Variations

Some people in Indonesia like to boil the chicken with coconut water to make the chicken more fragrant and soft. If you can’t have coconut water, it’s fine, you can use regular water to boil the chicken.

Sambal balado or chili sauce from this recipe is very versatile. Mixed with fried eggplants, it is Terong Balado. Mixed with fried boiled eggs, it is Telur Balado.

How to Make

A step by step process photos of processing the spices and herbs and handling the chicken.

STEP 1. Pour lime juice all over chicken pieces and massage for a while to let the lime juice get into the chicken (Image 1). Put shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger in a food processor (Image 2). Add coriander seeds and salt (Image 3). Process until fine. Pour the processed sauce into the chicken (Image 4).

A step by step process photo of marinating the chicken and cooking it.

STEP 2. Marinate the chicken for at least 10 minutes (Image 5). Put the marinated chicken in a pot. Pour water to soak the chicken (Images 6, 7). Cook over medium heat. When it simmers, lower the het. Cook the chicken for one hour with low het, put on the lid (Image 8).

A step by step process photos of deep-frying the chicken.

STEP 3. Let the chicken simmer in the pot until they are thoroughly cooked (Image 9). Take out the chicken from the pot and drain the water. Heat oil for deep-frying (Image 10). Deep-fry the chicken pieces for a few minutes (Images 11, 12).

A step by step process photos of preparing the chili sauce.

STEP 4. Take the chicken out, set aside (Image 13). Heat some oil. Sautee the shallots and garlic until fragrant (Image 14). Grind the chilis coarsely. If you don’t like the seeds, you may take them out first before grinding them. Put in the chilis into the pan (Image 15). Stir-fry until the oil becomes red. Add seasonings (Image 16).

A step by step photo of cooking the chili sauce and mixing it with the chicken.

STEP 5. Add coconut sugar (Image 17). Tear the lime leaves and put them in (Image 18). Put in the fried chicken (Image 19). Stir-fry so the chicken pieces are all coated (Image 20). Turn off the stove. Serve on a plate. Enjoy your ayam balado!

Expert Tips

Take out the seeds of the chilis to make it less spicy. Use plastic hand gloves to cover your hands, otherwise your hands will feel hot the whole day.
If you can’t stand spicy food, do not use the small curly chili or just use the big chilis.
Tear the lime leaves to make the dish more fragrant.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil into the food processor to blend the spices more thoroughly.

How to Serve

Ayam Balado, is best served hot alongside steamed rice to balance its bold spiciness. For a complete Indonesian meal, pair it with cooling sides like Lalapan (fresh vegetable salad) with Sambal Bajak or Acar Timun (Pickled Cucumber) to refresh the palate.

Complement the dish with traditional accompaniments such as Perkedel Kentang (potato fritters) or Tempe Orek (sweet-spicy fried tempeh) for added texture.

To drink, opt for Lemongrass Pandan Tea or Lemon Ginger Tea to tame the heat. End the meal on a sweet note with Candil Ubi, Bubur Pulut Hitam, or Kuih Seri Muka to tone down the spicy kick from the chili.