Ayam Bulu - spicy grilled chicken with herbs in banana leaf

Ingredients

• 1chicken
• 3 cmfresh ginger
• 4red bird’s eye chillies
• 1kaffir lime leaf
• 1green chilli
• juice of 1lime
• 1lemongrass stalk, crushed
• to tastesalt
• 2spring onions
• 1 bunchlemon basil
• as neededbanana leaf

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the chicken

   Cut the chicken into pieces. Finely chop the bird’s eye chillies, green chilli, lemon basil and spring onions. Grate the ginger.

2. 2

   Mix the ingredients

   Mix the chicken with the chopped ingredients, grated ginger, kaffir lime leaf, lime juice, crushed lemongrass and salt.

3. 3

   Wrap the parcel

   Place the mixture on a banana leaf and fold the leaf around it like a parcel.

4. 4

   Grill the chicken

   Grill the parcel slowly over a charcoal fire for 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through.

What is Ayam Bulu?

Ayam means chicken in Indonesian, and this dish takes its character from cooking chicken with herbs and chillies inside a banana-leaf parcel. It belongs to a broader Indonesian tradition of wrapping food in leaves for cooking.

Here, ginger, lemongrass, lime and lemon basil bring fresh, fragrant flavours, while slow grilling over charcoal cooks the chicken inside its wrapper.

Nutrition and macros by portion

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

Chicken is the main source of protein and also contributes much of the dish’s fat; the chillies, herbs and spring onions contribute relatively little energy. Serve a moderate portion with rice and vegetables to make a more balanced plate.

The herbs and aromatics

Chillies: The recipe combines red bird’s eye chillies with a green chilli. Chop them finely so they mix evenly through the chicken.

Fresh herbs: Lemon basil, spring onions, ginger, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf build the aromatic base. Lime juice and salt round out the mixture.

Making the banana-leaf parcel

Even pieces: Cut the chicken into pieces before mixing, so the herbs and seasonings can coat it throughout.

Fold: Keep the filling together in the leaf and fold it into a parcel. The method does not specify a particular folding pattern.

Slow charcoal grilling

Gentle heat: Grill the parcel slowly over charcoal for the full 1 hour stated in the method. Avoid rushing the cooking, as the chicken needs time to cook inside the leaf.

Doneness: The recipe gives no separate temperature or visual cue, so check that the chicken is cooked through before serving.

What to serve with it

Rice: Serve the chicken with plain rice to make a simple meal and take up the aromatic juices from the parcel.

Fresh sides: A crisp salad or lightly cooked vegetables can balance the warm, herby chicken without competing with its flavours.

Managing the chilli heat

The four red bird’s eye chillies and green chilli give the mixture a spicy profile. For a milder result, remove the seeds and membranes before chopping, or use less chilli.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the herbs and chillies finely so they distribute well through the chicken.
• Grate the ginger as directed so it blends easily into the mixture.
• Crush the lemongrass before mixing it with the other ingredients.
• Fold the banana leaf securely around the filling to make a parcel.
• Keep the charcoal heat gentle and grill the parcel slowly for 1 hour.
• Check that the chicken is cooked through before serving.

Variations

• Milder chilli: Use fewer chillies or remove their seeds and membranes before chopping.
• Extra lime: Add more lime juice for a sharper citrus note.
• More herbs: Increase the lemon basil for a greener, more herb-forward flavour.
• Rice plate: Serve with plain rice to make the chicken part of a more substantial meal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Large chicken pieces: They may cook unevenly; cut the chicken into pieces before mixing.
• Coarse chopping: Large pieces of chilli or herbs can be unevenly distributed; chop them finely.
• Loose wrapping: The filling may spill from the parcel; fold the banana leaf securely around it.
• Rushing the grill: The chicken needs the stated slow cooking time; grill the parcel for 1 hour.
• Serving too soon: Chicken must be cooked through; check it before bringing the parcel to the table.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; remove it from the banana leaf if that makes reheating easier.

Frequently asked questions