Ambila Chicken
Submitted by smurphie53
Fiery Indonesian chicken braised with lemongrass, chilies, and a fragrant spice paste, then simmered with green beans until tender. Bold, aromatic, and built for heat lovers.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsGet ready for a flavor wallop that’ll wake up your taste buds and transport you straight to Southeast Asia.
This Indonesian classic starts with a knockout seasoning paste pounded from fresh jalapeños, red chilies, lemongrass, ginger, shallots, and earthy turmeric. You cook that paste low and slow until it’s deeply fragrant and almost dry, then toss in chicken pieces to soak up all those layers of heat and spice. Green beans join the party near the end, adding a crisp-tender bite that balances the rich, fiery broth.
A squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of soy sauce at the finish bring everything into sharp, savory focus. Serve this over steamed rice to soak up every drop of the intoxicating sauce.
Chef Tips
- Control the heat by removing seeds from more or fewer chilies depending on your spice tolerance
- Toast the shrimp paste briefly in a dry pan before adding to the food processor for deeper umami
- Use bone-in chicken for maximum flavor in the braising liquid
- Skim the fat partway through cooking for a cleaner, lighter finish
Ingredients
Directions
Make seasoning paste:
Wearing rubber gloves, seed and devein jalape?os and about half of red chilies for a moderately hot dish.
Trim root ends and tough tops of lemongrass, discarding dry outer leaves, and slice thin.
Cut gingerroot into 4 pieces.
To a food processor with motor running add jalape?os, red chilies, lemongrass, gingerroot, and remaining seasoning paste ingredients, 1 at a time through feed tube, and purée to a paste.
Trim beans and cut into 2-inch pieces.
Heat a 6-quart heavy kettle over moderately low heat until hot.
Add oil and heat until hot but not smoking.
Cook seasoning paste, stirring frequently, until dry and very fragrant, about 25 minutes.
Add chicken and cook over moderate heat, stirring, 10 minutes.
Add water and simmer chicken, covered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
Skim any fat from surface.
Stir in beans and simmer, covered, until beans are almost tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and simmer, covered, 5 minutes, or until beans are tender.
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