Ayam Goreng Kalasan — Print Recipe

Whole chicken pieces braised in coconut water with coriander and galangal until infused with flavor, then deep-fried to a shattering golden crust — Central Java's legendary fried chicken.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg), cut into pieces
500ml coconut water
3 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
5 cm galangal, sliced
8 shallots, sliced
5 cloves garlic, smashed
3 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Kremes (crispy bits): reserved braising liquid
2 tbsp rice flour

Instructions

1 Place chicken pieces in a deep pot with coconut water, coriander, galangal, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and white pepper.
2 Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and braise for 40 minutes, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and liquid is reduced by half.
3 Remove chicken pieces and pat completely dry. Reserve the braising liquid.
4 Heat oil to 180°C (350°F). Deep-fry the chicken pieces for 6-8 minutes until deeply golden and very crispy.
5 For the kremes: mix remaining braising liquid with rice flour. Drizzle this mixture into hot oil to create crispy golden flakes. Drain.
6 Serve the fried chicken topped with kremes (crispy bits) alongside steamed rice and sambal.

Did You Know?

The village of Kalasan on the Yogyakarta-Solo highway is lined with dozens of ayam goreng restaurants, each claiming to be the original — a delicious rivalry that has lasted over 60 years.