Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Malaysian Ayam Percik Grilled Chicken

Name: Malaysian Ayam Percik Grilled Chicken
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 700 g Boneless chicken thighs, no thicker than 2 cm; 80 g Shallots; 15 g Garlic; 15 g Ginger; 20 g Tender lemongrass core; 20 g Deseeded red chilli; 3 g Salt; 2 g Ground turmeric; 10 ml Oil; 300 ml Coconut milk; 50 ml Water; 10 g Tamarind paste; 15 g Palm sugar; 2 g Salt

馬來西亞椰香香料烤雞

Malaysian Ayam Percik Grilled Chicken — finished dish

Total time: 50 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

This oven version of ayam percik uses boneless chicken thighs and lemongrass coconut sauce. Cook the sauce first, then separate glazing and serving portions; cook the chicken fully.

Ingredients

Main ingredients

700 g Boneless chicken thighs, no thicker than 2 cm
80 g Shallots
15 g Garlic
15 g Ginger
20 g Tender lemongrass core
20 g Deseeded red chilli

Chicken marinade

3 g Salt
2 g Ground turmeric
10 ml Oil

Sauce seasoning

300 ml Coconut milk
50 ml Water
10 g Tamarind paste
15 g Palm sugar
2 g Salt

Malaysian Ayam Percik Grilled Chicken — ingredients

Tools

Oven and tray with rack
Saucepan and blender
Two sauce bowls and brush
Food thermometer

Steps

Step 1

Preheat oven

Preheat a conventional oven to 220°C; place a rack over a foil-lined tray.

Step 2

Prepare thighs

Pat chicken dry and open out thick areas to no more than 2 cm; do not rinse raw chicken.

Step 3

Season chicken

Coat chicken with marinade salt, turmeric and oil; refrigerate for 15 minutes while preparing sauce.

Step 4

Blend aromatics

Chop shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and chilli; blend with 50 ml water into a fine paste.

Step 5

Cook coconut sauce

Simmer paste, coconut milk, tamarind, palm sugar and sauce salt over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring until slightly thick.

Step 6

Separate sauce

Put half the cooked sauce in a glazing bowl and half in a clean serving bowl; use separate utensils.

Step 7

Start roasting

Arrange thighs on the rack with space between them and roast on the middle shelf for 12 minutes.

Step 8

Glaze and turn

Carefully remove the hot tray, brush a thin layer of glazing sauce on both sides and roast for 8 minutes more.

Step 9

Build colour

Brush lightly again and roast 2–4 minutes until lightly browned; do not let the sugary glaze burn.

Step 10

Check doneness

Check the thickest part reaches at least 75°C; continue roasting and recheck if needed, regardless of colour.

Step 11

Rest briefly

Rest cooked chicken on a clean plate for 3 minutes; discard leftover used glazing sauce and wash the brush.

Step 12

Serve with clean sauce

Divide into four portions, spoon over reserved serving sauce and serve hot.

Common mistakes

Uneven thickness cooks unevenly; open thighs to within 2 cm.
Raw aromatic sauce tastes harsh; simmer it for 10 minutes first.
Thick glaze burns easily; apply thin layers.
Used glazing sauce must not be served directly; separate sauce beforehand.

Tips

Boneless thighs fit the roasting schedule more reliably; bone-in pieces need extra time. Reduce the sauce only until it coats a spoon; loosen an over-reduced sauce with a little hot water. Watch browning closely near the end, but use the thermometer to decide doneness.