Chicken Thigh

Chicken Nasi Goreng

by:
May 24, 2021
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Louise Hagger
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

I’ve been eating chicken fried rice for as long as I can recall and it’s a dish of which I never tire. This version of nasi goreng is my absolute favourite. The galangal and white pepper give it a good amount of heat, which is balanced by the sweetness of the kecap manis and the saltiness of the soy and fish sauce. The fried duck egg with a runny yolk on top is sheer luxury. With the added crunch of green beans, fried shallots and kerupuk or prawn crackers, this dish hits all the right spots and is my favourite choice for a Friday night in.

Reprinted from Coconut & Sambal by arrangement with Bloomsbury Publishing. Copyright © 2020, Lara Lee.

This recipe was featured on our new cook-along podcast Play Me a Recipe. Listen as Lara steams, chops, and stir-fires her way through this recipe, offering insider tips and backstory along the way.Lara Lee

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Ingredients
  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into small, bite-sized cubes 

  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

  • 1 8-centimeter piece of galangal or ginger (about 40 grams), peeled and woody stem removed, finely chopped

  • 1 small banana shallot or 2 Thai shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

  • Handful of green beans, chopped into small chunks
  • 2 spring onions, chopped into large chunks
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 95 grams jasmine or basmati rice, cooked and cooled (240 grams cooked weight)
  • 2 tablespoons kecap manis
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • Sea salt and white pepper, to taste
  • Coconut oil or sunflower oil, for frying
  • 2 duck or hen's eggs
  • 1 tablespoon fried shallots
  • 1/2 long red chili, thinly sliced
  • Kerupuk or prawn crackers
Directions
  1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and white pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok over a high heat and fry the chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  2. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, add the garlic, galangal or ginger and shallots and cook over a medium-high heat until fragrant. Add the green beans, spring onions and turmeric and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the rice to the pan, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon. Ensure all the ingredients are well combined and the rice is warmed through. Return the chicken to the pan. Season with the kecap manis, fish sauce, light soy sauce and a large pinch of white pepper, and extra salt if needed.
  4. Meanwhile, fry the eggs. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and add
1 tablespoon of oil. Once shimmering, crack the eggs directly into the oil. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the whites are partially cooked. Tilt the pan and spoon the hot oil over the egg whites until they are fully cooked (I like my yolk runny, but cook yours to your liking). Season with salt.
  5. Divide the fried rice between two serving plates and garnish with the fried shallots, sliced chilli and fried eggs on top. Serve with crackers.

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Recipe by: Lara Lee

Lara Lee is a Chinese-Indonesian and Australian chef and food writer. She is the author of Indonesian cookbook Coconut & Sambal, and a contributor for Food52, Bon Appetit, the Guardian and New York Times. Her book was named one of the best cookbooks of 2020 by the NYT, Guardian, Eater, National Geographic and more. When she's not cooking, you'll find her teaching Indonesian words to her toddler Jonah.

1 Review

Corals May 24, 2021
This Nasi Goreng is so delicious and takes me back to my holiday in Bali. What a brilliant but easy recipe. It has become a family favourite!