Rendang Ayam Kentang - in coconut milk braised chicken with potatoes

Ingredients

• 1whole chicken
• 250 gsmall potatoes
• 5kaffir lime leaves
• 1turmeric leaf
• 2 stalkslemongrass
• 2asam kandis (dried Garcinia fruit)
• 2,000 mlcoconut milk
• 100 ggrated coconut
• 5red chillies
• 7red bird’s eye chillies
• 9shallots
• 7 clovesgarlic
• 5candlenuts
• 2 cmginger
• 3 cmgalangal
• 2 cmfresh turmeric
• 2 tspsalt
• 1/2 tsppalm sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the chicken

   Cut the chicken into 16 pieces.

2. 2

   Wash the potatoes

   Wash the potatoes. Finely slice the turmeric leaf.

3. 3

   Toast the coconut

   Dry-roast the grated coconut in a frying pan, then pound or mash it.

4. 4

   Make the spice paste

   Pound or grind the chillies, shallots, garlic, candlenuts, ginger, galangal, turmeric, salt and palm sugar into a fine paste.

5. 5

   Start the sauce

   Heat the coconut milk in a pan with the spice paste, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric leaf, lemongrass and asam kandis. Bring it to the boil.

6. 6

   Simmer the chicken

   Add the chicken and simmer gently until the sauce has reduced by half.

7. 7

   Cook the potatoes

   Add the potatoes and continue simmering gently until they are fully cooked and the sauce has thickened.

8. 8

   Finish with coconut

   Stir in the toasted grated coconut and cook until the liquid has evaporated.

What is rendang ayam kentang?

Rendang ayam kentang is an Indonesian-style chicken and potato dish cooked in coconut milk with a concentrated spice paste. Rendang is associated especially with Indonesian cooking, and its defining approach is to simmer meat with coconut and aromatics until the liquid reduces.

This version combines chicken with potatoes and finishes with toasted grated coconut. The leaves, lemongrass and asam kandis bring aromatic and tart notes to the rich sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The potatoes and coconut milk contribute most of the carbohydrates and fat, while chicken provides most of the protein; the grated coconut adds further fat. Serve it with a modest portion of rice and a generous helping of greens or cucumber for a more balanced plate.

Build the spice base

Spice paste: grind the chillies, shallots, garlic, candlenuts, ginger, galangal and turmeric thoroughly so they cook evenly in the coconut milk.

Whole aromatics: add the kaffir lime leaves, turmeric leaf, lemongrass and asam kandis to perfume the sauce as it simmers. Bruise the lemongrass lightly to help release its aroma.

Reduce the sauce gently

Steady heat: bring the coconut milk mixture to the boil, then keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. Stir from time to time, especially as the sauce begins to thicken, so the bottom does not catch.

Chicken stage: cook the chicken until the sauce has reduced by half before adding the potatoes. This gives the chicken time to absorb the spiced coconut flavour.

Check the potatoes and sauce

Potato doneness: the potatoes are ready when a knife slides into them easily. The recipe does not specify cutting them, so leave small potatoes whole unless they are unusually large.

Final texture: add the toasted coconut at the end and keep cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce clings to the chicken and potatoes.

Why toast the coconut?

Dry-roasting the grated coconut before pounding it gives it a toasted flavour and helps it blend into the finished dish. Keep it moving in the pan and take it off the heat once it is evenly golden and fragrant.

Serving ideas

Serve the rendang hot with steamed rice to soak up the thick sauce. A simple side of lightly cooked greens or fresh cucumber can add a crisp contrast to the rich coconut and spice.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a wide, heavy-based pan to give the sauce room to reduce.
• Keep the heat gentle after the coconut milk comes to the boil.
• Stir more often as the sauce thickens to prevent it sticking.
• Pound or grind the spice paste finely for a smoother sauce.
• Toast the grated coconut over moderate heat and stir it frequently.
• Check the potatoes with a knife before finishing the sauce.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: reduce the bird’s eye chillies for a milder dish.
• Use chicken pieces: substitute a whole chicken with pieces of similar size and keep the cooking method the same.
• Add more potatoes: increase the potatoes if you want them to make up a larger share of the dish.
• Use fresh coconut: freshly grated coconut can stand in for prepared grated coconut.
• Serve with rice: pair the rendang with steamed rice to catch the reduced sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling too vigorously: a hard boil can make the coconut sauce difficult to manage; lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Leaving the sauce unstirred: thickening sauce can catch on the pan; stir it regularly, particularly towards the end.
• Adding potatoes too early: they may overcook while the sauce reduces; add them after the chicken stage.
• Using coarse spice paste: large pieces can leave uneven flavour; grind the paste finely before cooking.
• Burning the coconut: it can turn bitter if left unattended; toast it over moderate heat and keep it moving.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot, adding a small splash of water if the sauce has become too thick.

Frequently asked questions