Chicken Rendang

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Chicken Rendang is a flavorful Malaysian stew with tender chicken thighs, warming spices and coconut milk. It’s ready in just an hour and best served with coconut jasmine rice, nasi kunyit, or flatbread!

There are so many reasons why I love this chicken rendang! It’s spicy, thanks to the homemade spice paste, but not too spicy.

It’s warming, thanks to the cloves, cardamom and star anise, but it’s not overpowering. And it’s a little tangy, thanks to the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and tamarind.

There’s a lot going on in this rendang, but I promise, it comes together to create an unforgettable flavor! It's one of our favs along with the Nyonya chicken curry.

Rendang is a favorite meal in our house. This beef rendang has been in our dinner rotation for years, so I thought it was time I made a chicken version!

Check out the chicken rendang story!

What is chicken rendang?

Chicken rendang is a spicy malaysian stew, often called a dry curry, that originated in Indonesia. The chicken cooks slowly with a mix of aromatic seasonings and spices, so it turns out extremely tender and flavorful. 

It’s called a dry curry as it’s not as saucy as other curries. That’s because the sauce cooks down as the chicken cooks, so it ends up coating the chicken in a thick and delicious layer. 

Why this recipe works

1. The creamy coconut milk balances out the heat from the spice paste.
2. The lemongrass, tamarind and kaffir limes leaves add a tangy and citrusy flavor to offset the richness of the coconut milk.
3. You don’t have to cook this rendang for hours. It’s ready in just an hour and the chicken is perfectly tender and flavorful.
4. The chicken is seared and then cooked in the sauce as it simmers down. This creates amazing flavor as the sauce just clings to the chicken pieces!

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and quantities, check out the recipe card at the end of this post. 

You’ll need 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, cut into bite sized chunks. I prefer to use boneless, skinless instead of bone-in as it’s easier to cut into pieces. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but it won’t be quite as juicy and flavorful as chicken thighs.

For the warming spices, the recipe calls for 3 cloves, 3 star anise and 5 cardamom seeds. They’re toasted over medium heat until fragrant and ground together. 

To add a tangy, citrusy flavor, the recipe calls for 6 kaffir lime leaves, 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste and 1 tablespoon of tamarind concentrate.

Kaffir lime leaves are the leaves from a kaffir lime tree and can usually be found at most Asian markets. If you can’t find any, try using bay leaves and lime zest as a substitute.

Lemongrass paste will add a lemony flavor and pairs well with the kaffir lime leaves. If you can’t find the paste, you can use 1 stalk of lemongrass cut into pieces with the woody ends and outer layer removed.

Tamarind concentrate comes from the fruit that grows on tamarind trees. The concentrate has an intense flavor and syrup-like texture. It’s used in cooking to provide a slightly sweet and tangy flavor. If you can’t find any, in a pinch, you can try using pomegranate molasses as a substitute. 

To balance out some of the tangy flavor, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar. You can also use palm or brown sugar. 

The base of the sauce includes 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 can of coconut milk.

I recommend using low sodium chicken stock so you can control the amount of salt in the rendang. This homemade crockpot chicken broth is one we use often.

The coconut milk tames the heat from the sauce and adds a thick and creamy texture. For the best texture, I recommend full fat coconut milk instead of lite.

The spice paste blends together lemongrass paste, garlic, ginger paste, Thai chilies and shallots.

The paste includes 10 dried Thai chilies. You can adjust the spice level by using more or less chilis.

Step by step instructions

Combine all the spice paste ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time as needed to make a paste.

Heat the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat and brown the chicken in 2 separate batches (to avoid overcrowding).

Remove the chicken and set aside.

Toast the cloves, star anise and cardamom seeds over medium heat until fragrant. Grind in a spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the spice paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until the paste has darkened.

Add the cinnamon, toasted spice mixture, lemongrass paste, tamarind, kaffir lime leaves, coconut sugar, salt and chicken back in and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock and coconut milk and bring to a simmer.

Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over rice with fresh squeezed lime slices.

Experts tips

1. While you can use pre-ground spices, for the best flavor, I highly recommend toasting your own spices and grinding them into a powder with a mortar and pestle.
2. For even cooking, make sure you cut your chicken into roughly the same size pieces.
3. When browning the chicken, do so in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. You want the chicken to brown, not steam.
4. You can adjust the spice level by adding more or less dried chilies to the spice paste. 
5. You can substitute brown or palm sugar for coconut sugar.
6. If you prefer your rendang a little saucier, just add more coconut milk or broth. Just keep in mind that this will dilute the other flavors slightly.
7. Feel free to add veggies to the rendang. Veggies like spinach, carrots, mushrooms or broccoli work well.

Common questions

Storage, freezing and reheating

Leftover chicken rendang can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavor is even better after it sits in the fridge overnight.

To freeze, let it cool in the fridge then place in a freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to a month.

To reheat leftover rendang, just heat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. If it’s frozen, just let it defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.

More Southeast Asian inspired recipes

• Coconut Lime Chicken Skewers
• Mee Siam
• Mee Rebus
• Sambal Belacan
• Malaysian Butter Prawns
• Prawn Laksa
• Singapore Laksa
• Instant Pot Bak Kut Teh
• Indonesian Beef Satay Skewers

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it turned out!