Malaysia-Style ‘Nasi Ayam’
Nasi Ayam is a favourite among the locals in Malaysia and Singapore. The meat is juicy while the crispy golden-brown skin is smooth and tender with a light hint of sweetness. A delicious dish to have at any time of the day.
Roasted chicken rice may be widely found at food stalls and restaurants alike as it is a favourite dish among the locals. The scrumptious roasted chicken is served with fragrant rice cooked with chicken oil and lots of aromatics like ginger and shallots.
What is Nasi Ayam
This chicken rice, known as nasi ayam in Malay, has a few main components to the dish: flavorful rice, baked chicken, aromatic soup and side sauces. Please don’t be intimidated by the amount of ingredients that are needed. You’ll notice that a lot of the same ingredients are used for the different components. So once you’ve got them all prepped before cooking, you’re ready to go. (You’ve got this!)
How To Baked CRISPY Chicken
TIP #1: Keep the skin as dry as possible
Basically the less liquid your chicken has, the better. In this recipe I used quite a lot of liquid seasonings – because I want my chicken to absorb all those delicious flavours – but the key is to keep the skin as dry as possible.
Blot off excess moisture on the surface
After marinating, use paper towels to blot the skin off any excess moisture. To reintroduce some seasoning, simply sprinkle salt and pepper.
Air-Drying when marinating
While you would usually cover the marinade container with a lid, this time round keep the lid off so the top of the skin can dry off. I used boneless chicken thighs here, and made sure the bottom of the chicken (without the skin) fully submerges in the marinade.
TIP#2: Set the oven to “Broil” at the final 10 minutes
Bake the chicken as usual, and at the final 10 minutes, crank the heat up to a maximum and set the oven to broil! This is going to force some top grilling action, to not only get a good color on the chicken, but dry it out even more for crispier results.
If you are really after the crispy skin, then the solution is even simpler. Omit all of the liquid seasonings! Make do with just salt and pepper.
Seasoning For Roasted Chicken
- Light Soy Sauce: This is the main salting agent to the chicken.
- Dark Soy Sauce: I love adding this to add colour.
- Honey: This adds sweetness and a lovely sticky glaze to the roasted chicken.
- Chinese Five Spice Powder: Optional, but I enjoy the boost of flavour. Do not add too much so it’s not too overwhelming.
- Ginger and Garlic: Ginger and garlic are classic flavours in Chicken Rice! Grate or mince the two. If you are making this from scratch, combine chopped ginger and garlic in a blender and blend to a thick paste!
Nasi Ayam, or Chicken Rice, is a beloved dish across Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia and Singapore. This dish combines aromatic rice cooked in chicken broth, tender poached or roasted chicken, and a medley of dipping sauces. Balanced with fresh cucumbers and a flavorful soup on the side, it’s a complete meal that's perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
- 8 chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Sriracha
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 handful cilantro (roughly minced)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 cups uncooked rice
- 4 slices ginger
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 4 cardamom
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tbsp butter
- 2 shallots (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 inch ginger (sliced)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 4 cardamom
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1.5 cups water
- 4 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup soup
- 1 Cucumber (sliced)
- 1 Tomato (sliced)
- Marinate chicken with seasonings listed for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven at 400 F.
- Bake chicken covered for at least 30 minutes and then another 25 minutes uncovered.
- Pour/brush on the chicken drippings all over the chicken.
- Prepare uncooked rice like how you would normally to cook it (rinse, add water to 1:1 ratio of rice).
- Add all the other ingredients listed, stir and let it cook.
- Sauté aromatics and seasonings in a bit of oil over medium heat until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken stock, water, add seasoning and stir.
- Bring to a boil then turn off heat and add cilantro.
- Add all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve with everything else.
- Add all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve with everything else.
- Serve with sliced cucumber and tomato. Enjoy!
Hi, I’m Aisyah! A curious soul with a love for exploring new places, whipping up delicious recipes, and sharing practical tips to make life a little easier. Join me on this adventure of creativity and discovery!