Malay-Style Chicken Rice for Lazy Days at Home

Malay-style chicken rice? Yes, you are reading it right!

Chicken rice is one of those Asian comfort foods that is close to our hearts especially during lazy days or cold, rainy weekends. Most of us know all about the Hainanese chicken rice, however, there is another variety of chicken rice that is not as well-known but is equally well-loved among the Malay community in Malaysia.

In terms of presentation and looks, the Malay-style chicken rice is not much different from what you expect, except the fact that the main star of the dish, the chicken is marinated with honey and fried till golden and crispy. Flavour-wise, the Malay version is sweeter, less ginger-y and garlicky compared to the Hainanese version.

If you are asking me which one is much tastier, honestly, I cannot give you a definite answer because at the end of the day, it all depends on your mood. Never make the mistake of comparing between the two unless you are ready for an all-out war from the Malay-style stans and the Hainanese supporters! To help you understand the differences in flavour, I am sharing with you my most trusted, fool-proof Malay-style chicken rice that has graced many a table in the hotels I have worked at. Trust me, you’ll be keeping this one for a long time!

Ingredients:

a) Chicken-flavoured Rice

• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 coriander roots
• 6 slices of ginger
• 6 pandan leaves, knotted
• 3 cups of Basmathi rice, soaked for 30 minutes and washed till water is clear
• 3 tablespoons of chicken bouillon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups of chicken stock

b) Chili Sambal

• 1 Onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 6 red chillies
• 10 birds’ eye chilies
• 3 kaffir limes
• 2 tablespoons of Sambal Asli ABC
• 2 tablespoons of chicken bouillon
• 1 teaspoon of sugar

c) Honey Fried Chicken

• 1/2 a chicken, cut to 8 pieces and cleaned
• 5 tablespoons of honey
• 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce
• 4 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil

d) Chicken Soup

• 1/2 a chicken, cut to 8 pieces and cleaned
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 onion, cut into half
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt to taste

e) Sides

• Coriander leaves
• Slices of tomatoes
• Slices of cucumber
• Fried onions
• Fried garlic

Method:

a) Soup

1. Pour water in a large pot till 3/4 of the pot is filled. Heat on a medium flame.
2. Add in the chicken, onions, ginger and garlic.
3. Boil the chicken till it is half-cooked. Since we will be frying the chicken, we need the chicken to still be firmed yet juicy and moist. This process will take about 30 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken. Taste the soup and add salt to taste. Set aside 4 cups of the soup for the chicken rice.

b) Honey Fried Chicken

1. In the chicken-filled bowl, add all the marinate ingredients and mix well. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.
2. In a wok, fry the chicken till the skin turns a beautiful shade of honeyed caramel colour. You can air fry it as well at 198 degrees Celsius or 390 Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

c) Chicken Rice

1. In a wok, add three tablespoons of garlic oil and add in all the ingredients over a medium flame. Saute till fragrant.
2. Add in the rice and mix it well.
3. In a rice cooker, pour the 4 cups of chicken broth and add in the rice as well as the other sauteed ingredients. Add salt and sugar to taste, if needed. Give it a quick stir and let the rice cook.

d) Chili Sambal

1. Blend all the sambal ingredients together except the sambal asli ABC with some hot water. Make sure you don’t pour to much water.
2. In a non-stick pan, pour the blended ingredients and saute it over a medium high flame. Stir until the sambal is slightly dry.
3. Add in the Sambal Asli ABC and mix well. Saute until the sambal is looking shiny and has an oily sheen at the surface.
   
   

Your New Favourite Dish

Make sure your plate is complete before starting to eat because a perfect plate of Malay-style chicken rice needs to have the slices of cucumber, tomatoes, fresh salad and most importantly, the chili sambal as well as the soy sauce. Some like to make it from scratch, but I prefer the rich umami taste of the Kicap Manis ABC.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe and it has helped you unleash the chef in you. If you like more authentic, well-loved Malaysian favourites such as this Malay-style chicken rice recipe, do follow Butterkicap via Facebook and Instagram in order to stay updated with the latest recipes shared by professional chefs like and other homecooks as well. Let us know what you want to learn next by leaving us a message. Can’t wait to hear and celebrate your success in making a new Malaysian dish!