Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Servings: 4
Key Takeaways:
- Master authentic Indonesian Chicken Pounded With Green Sambal at home
- Learn the secret technique for perfectly tender chicken every time
- Create restaurant-quality green sambal with customizable heat levels
- Perfect make-ahead dish that actually tastes better the next day
Ever found yourself craving something beyond the usual chicken dinner? Indonesian Chicken Pounded With Green Sambal might be exactly what you need. This street food classic brings together tender chicken with a vibrant, aromatic green chili sauce that elevates your typical chicken dish to extraordinary heights. The combination of fragrant herbs, spicy chilies, and perfectly cooked chicken creates a memorable meal that will transport your taste buds straight to Indonesia.
I’ll show you how to make this Indonesian Chicken Pounded With Green Sambal step by step, breaking down what might seem complex into manageable steps that even beginners can follow. Once you master this recipe, you’ll have a go-to dish that impresses guests and satisfies your spice cravings.
Nutrition Information
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 420 |
| Protein | 28g |
| Carbohydrates | 15g |
| Fat | 24g |
| Fiber | 3g |
| Sodium | 890mg |
Note: Nutrition values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
Equipment Needed
| Essential Tools | Optional but Helpful |
|---|---|
| Heavy meat mallet or rolling pin | Food processor |
| Large frying pan | Mortar and pestle |
| Kitchen thermometer | Splatter guard |
| Paper towels | Kitchen gloves |
| Cutting board | |
| Sharp knife | |
| Tongs | |
| Mixing bowls |
Ingredients
| Chicken Ingredients | Amount | Sambal Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boneless chicken thighs | 4 (about 1.5 lbs) | Green chilies | 15 medium |
| Chicken bouillon | 2 tsp | Green onions | 6 stalks |
| Salt | 1 tsp | Garlic | 8 cloves |
| White pepper | 1/2 tsp | Shallots | 4 medium |
| Vegetable oil | 2 cups | Ginger | 2-inch piece |
| Kaffir lime leaves | 2 leaves | ||
| Salt | 1 tsp | ||
| Sugar | 1/2 tsp |
For Serving:
- 4 cups steamed rice
- Fresh cucumber slices
- Fried shallots
Optional Substitutions:
- Chicken breast instead of thighs (will be less juicy)
- Jalapeños instead of traditional green chilies (milder)
- Lime zest if kaffir lime leaves unavailable
- Regular onion instead of shallots
If you enjoy this dish, you might also like my Crack Chicken Penne for another flavorful chicken option.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Initial Setup (10 minutes)
- Gather all ingredients and equipment:
- Sort ingredients into “chicken,” “sambal,” and “serving” groups
- Check that all tools are clean and ready
- Measure all ingredients before starting
- Set up your workspace:
- Clear and clean your countertop
- Place cutting board in center
- Keep trash bin nearby for scraps
- Have paper towels ready
- Fill a small bowl with water to clean fingers as needed
Preparing the Chicken (20 minutes)
- Ready the chicken for pounding:
- Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your cutting board
- Place one chicken thigh in the center
- Cover with another piece of plastic wrap
- Make sure plastic wrap is smooth with no wrinkles
- Pound the chicken (repeat for each thigh):
- Hold meat mallet or rolling pin firmly
- Start from the center of the thigh
- Use gentle, even strokes moving outward
- Target thickness is 1/4 inch (about as thick as a pencil)
- Avoid hitting too hard – this can tear the meat
- Take about 2-3 minutes per piece
- If meat tears slightly, that’s okay
- Season the chicken:
- In a small bowl, mix together:
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- Remove top plastic wrap
- Sprinkle 1/4 of mixture on each piece
- Use your fingers to gently rub seasoning into meat
- Flip and repeat on other side
- Let rest on a plate for 15 minutes at room temperature
- In a small bowl, mix together:
Making Green Sambal (25 minutes)
- Prepare your ingredients:
- Put on disposable gloves for handling chilies
- Rinse all produce under cool water
- Pat dry with paper towels
- Process green chilies:
- Cut off stems
- Cut chilies in half lengthwise
- Remove seeds if you want less heat (similar to how I prepare chilies for my Chicken Momos)
- Rough chop into 1-inch pieces
- Place in food processor bowl
- Prepare aromatics:
- Peel garlic cloves (crush slightly with knife to make easier)
- Peel and quarter shallots
- Slice green onions into 1-inch pieces
- Peel ginger and slice thinly
- Remove stems from kaffir lime leaves
- Add all to food processor
- Process sambal:
- Add salt and sugar to processor
- Pulse 5-6 times to start breaking down
- Scrape sides with rubber spatula
- Process 30 seconds until finely chopped
- Texture should be like coarse sand
- If too coarse, process in 10-second bursts
Cooking the Chicken (20 minutes)
- Heat the oil:
- Choose a pan large enough that chicken won’t overlap
- Add 2 cups vegetable oil
- Turn heat to medium-high
- Wait 5-7 minutes for oil to heat
- Test temperature (350°F) by:
- Using thermometer if you have one
- Or dropping a small piece of bread – should brown in 60 seconds
- Or dipping wooden spoon handle – tiny bubbles should form
- Fry the chicken:
- Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels
- Carefully slide first piece into oil
- Oil should bubble gently around chicken
- Cook 4-5 minutes until golden brown
- Flip using tongs (not fork)
- Cook 4-5 minutes on second side
- Check temperature with meat thermometer
- Should read 165°F at thickest part
- Remove to paper-towel lined plate
- Repeat with remaining pieces
- This crispy technique is similar to my Chicken Tenders and Fries recipe, but with different seasonings
Cooking the Sambal (15 minutes)
- Prepare pan:
- Carefully pour hot oil into heat-safe container
- Leave 3 tablespoons oil in pan
- Return pan to medium heat
- Cook sambal:
- Add processed sambal mixture
- Stand back – it may splatter
- Stir constantly with wooden spoon
- Cook 5-7 minutes until:
- Color darkens slightly
- Raw garlic smell disappears
- Oil begins to separate
- Lower heat if browning too quickly
Final Assembly (10 minutes)
- Prepare serving items:
- Slice cucumbers thinly
- Check rice is hot
- Have fried shallots ready
- Slice chicken:
- Let rest 5 minutes after cooking
- Use sharp knife
- Cut against the grain
- Make slices 1/2 inch thick
- Plate the dish:
- Place 1 cup hot rice on each plate
- Arrange sliced chicken beside rice
- Top chicken with 2-3 tablespoons hot sambal
- Add cucumber slices
- Sprinkle with fried shallots
- Serve immediately while hot
Clean-up Tips:
- Let oil cool completely before discarding
- Wash spicy tools separately
- Clean cutting board with hot soapy water
- Wipe down all surfaces thoroughly
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken too tough | Overcooked or not pounded enough | Pound more evenly; reduce cooking time |
| Sambal too spicy | Too many chilies or seeds left in | Remove seeds; reduce chili amount by half |
| Oil not hot enough | Didn’t preheat long enough | Wait for visual cues – slight shimmer |
| Sambal too watery | Chilies too wet or undercooked | Pat chilies dry; cook sambal longer |
| Sauce too thick | Overcooked or not enough oil | Add 1-2 tbsp water or oil |
Variations & Substitutions
- Protein Options:
- Chicken breast (cook 1-2 minutes less per side)
- Firm tofu (press, then pound gently)
- Shrimp (no pounding needed)
- Sambal Variations:
- Red sambal: Use red chilies instead of green
- Sambal matah: Skip cooking and add lime juice
- Creamy version: Add 1/4 cup coconut milk
- Serving Ideas:
- With green beans
- Over rice noodles
- In lettuce wraps
- On a sandwich
Storage & Reheating
- Storage:
- Store chicken and sambal separately in airtight containers
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Freeze chicken (without sambal) up to 2 months
- Sambal freezes well in ice cube trays
- Reheating:
- Chicken in pan: 2-3 minutes per side over medium heat
- Chicken in oven: 350°F for 10 minutes
- Chicken in microwave: 1 minute, then 30-second increments
- Sambal: Microwave 30 seconds or warm in small pan
Safety Notes & Tips
- Safety First:
- Always check chicken temperature reaches 165°F
- Keep oil below smoking point
- Handle chilies with gloves to avoid burning eyes
- Never leave hot oil unattended
- Cool sambal completely before storing
- Pro Tips:
- Toast spices before grinding for deeper flavor
- Pat chicken dry before seasoning for better browning
- Rest meat 5 minutes before slicing for juicier results
- Make extra sambal for other dishes during the week
- Adjust chili amount based on your heat preference
Dietary Notes
- Gluten-Free: Naturally gluten-free, but check bouillon ingredients
- Dairy-Free: Contains no dairy
- Low-Carb Option: Skip rice, serve with cauliflower rice instead
- Nut-Free: Contains no nuts
