Indonesian Poached Chicken with Tropical Fruit Sambal
A vibrant Indonesian dish featuring tender poached chicken served with a fresh sambal made from seasonal tropical fruits, balancing sweet and spicy flavors. Accompanied by steamed jasmine rice and lightly sautéed greens, this recipe highlights traditional techniques and seasonal produce for an easy weeknight meal.
Advert
Cook mode
Keep everything you need at arm’s reach - scaled servings, tidy checklists, and timers that stay on task.
Overview
Experience the fresh and vibrant flavors of Indonesia with this poached chicken served alongside a tropical fruit sambal. The poached chicken is tender and juicy, infused with aromatics, complemented perfectly by a bright, sweet, and spicy sambal made from seasonal tropical fruits. Steamed jasmine rice and sautéed greens complete this balanced, colorful dish, perfect for a wholesome weeknight meal.
Why You’ll Love It
This recipe offers a delightful balance of flavor and texture—smooth, gently cooked chicken contrasted with the spicy, fruity sambal. Using seasonal tropical fruits brings freshness and natural sweetness, while poaching ensures tender, succulent chicken without additional fat. The sides are simple but delicious, complementing the main components. Ideal for cooks seeking an authentic and accessible Indonesian dish.
Advert
Ingredient Notes
The chicken is poached gently with aromatics such as lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime leaves for authentic flavor. The tropical fruit sambal uses fruits like mango, pineapple, and papaya, but can be adjusted to what’s fresh and available. Jasmine rice provides a fragrant, fluffy accompaniment, and baby bok choy or similar greens offer a crisp, lightly sautéed finish. Fresh bird’s eye chilies add needed heat in the sambal—adjust to taste.
Serving & Storage
Serve the chicken sliced or shredded with sambal spooned generously on top or on the side, alongside steamed rice and greens. Leftover chicken and sambal can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken gently in a pan with a little water or broth to retain moisture. Sambal may separate slightly when stored—stir before serving. For best freshness, prepare rice and greens fresh.
Advert
Chef tips
- Ensure the poaching water simmers gently to keep chicken tender and avoid toughening the meat.
- Adjust the number of bird’s eye chilies in sambal to your spice preference.
- Use ripe, fresh tropical fruits to maximize sweetness and texture in the sambal.
- Let the chicken rest after poaching to retain juices and improve tenderness.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kgwhole chicken, cleaned and rinsed
- 1 stalklemongrass, bruised
- 2 slicesfresh ginger
- 3kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- 200 gjasmine rice
- 250 mlwater (for rice)
- 200 gmixed tropical fruits (e.g., mango, pineapple, papaya), diced
- 3bird’s eye chilies, chopped (adjust to taste)
- 2 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1 smallred onion, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoonpalm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoonlime juice
- 1 tablespoonvegetable oil
- 200 gbaby bok choy or green leafy vegetable, trimmed and washed
- 1 teaspoonsalt (for greens)
- 1 tablespoonwater (for sautéing greens)
Advert
Equipment
- large pot with lid
- medium saucepan with lid
- blender or mortar and pestle
- frying pan
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- mixing bowl
- spoon
Nutrition per serving
- Calories450
- Protein38 g
- Carbs50 g
- Fat8 g
Step-by-step
Step 1
Fill a large pot with 2 liters of water. Add lemongrass, ginger slices, kaffir lime leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.Step 2
Add the whole chicken to the aromatic broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 75°C / 165°F).Step 3
Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.Step 4
While the chicken poaches, rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and 250 ml water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 10 minutes.Step 5
Prepare the tropical fruit sambal: In a blender or mortar and pestle, combine diced tropical fruits, bird’s eye chilies, garlic, red onion, palm sugar, and lime juice. Blend or pound until a chunky sauce forms but still retains texture.Step 6
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add baby bok choy and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon water, cover, and sauté until greens are tender but crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.Step 7
Carve the rested chicken into pieces or shred as desired. Serve poached chicken with tropical fruit sambal on the side or atop, accompanied by steamed jasmine rice and sautéed greens.
Advert
Tags
Advert
Related recipes
Indonesian Pressure-Cooked Chicken Rendang with Coconut Rice
A fragrant and tender pressure-cooked chicken rendang featuring seasonal Indonesian spices and slow-simmered coconut rice. This dish highlights traditional Indonesian flavors using an accessible pressure cooking technique for a weeknight-friendly meal.
Indonesian Chicken Dumplings with Coconut Rice
Tender chicken-filled dumplings seasoned with traditional Indonesian spices, paired with fragrant coconut-infused rice. Prepared using pressure cooking for a quick and flavorful weeknight meal.
Indonesian Pepes Ikan (Steamed Spiced Fish in Banana Leaves)
A vibrant, weeknight-friendly Indonesian skillet supper featuring seasonal white fish steamed in spiced banana leaves, infused with fresh herbs and traditional aromatics for a fragrant and wholesome meal.