Shredded Chicken Balado (No Oil Ayam Suwir Balado)

When I shared my no-oil sambal balado recipe, I mentioned that it’s not just a sauce. You can use it as a stir-fry base too, and this ayam suwir balado is exactly that!

In my ongoing bid to stay in a calorie deficit while building muscle, I’ve been making this A LOT. I love batch-making shredded chicken breast to keep in the fridge as my emergency protein, but let’s be real, plain chicken breast gets boring very quickly. Toss it in a fiery, flavour-packed sambal balado, though, and suddenly it’s a completely different story.

This is spicy, savoury and so good with a bowl of rice. The shredded chicken soaks up all that sambal, giving it loads more flavour and a much more interesting texture than eating chicken on its own. And the best part? It’s completely oil-free. You genuinely wouldn’t think it!

It’s also brilliant for meal prep. Make a batch ahead of time and you’ve got an easy protein option ready to go whenever you need a quick lunch or dinner.

What Is Ayam Suwir Balado?

Ayam suwir balado is an Indonesian dish made with shredded chicken tossed in sambal balado, a spicy chilli-based sauce commonly made with red chillies, tomatoes, onion and garlic.

Ayam = chicken

Suwir = refers to shredded or pulled-apart meat.

Balado is a popular Indonesian style of cooking that uses a punchy, spicy chilli mixture to bring plenty of flavour to a dish.

For this version, I’m using my no-oil sambal balado as the base. Instead of frying the sambal ingredients in oil, I boil them until softened, blend them into a slightly coarse paste, before tossing it with poached shredded chicken breast.

The result is a fiery, flavour-packed chicken dish that’s lighter on added fat but absolutely not lacking in flavour.

Key Ingredients

• Chicken breast: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast to keep this recipe lean and high in protein. Poaching the chicken in water with ginger and optional bay leaves keeps the cooking method simple without needing oil.

Once cooked, shred the chicken into thin strands. The smaller pieces make it easier for the sambal to coat every bit of chicken.

• Red chillies: Red chillies form the base of the sambal balado, giving it its signature red colour and chilli flavour. I use medium red chillies for a good balance of flavour and heat.

• Bird’s eye chillies: These are optional, but I like adding them when I want a spicier sambal. Start with fewer if you’re sensitive to heat. You can always leave them out altogether.

• Tomatoes: Tomatoes add moisture, a little natural sweetness and tanginess to the sambal. They also help give the chilli paste its consistency.

• Red onion or shallots: Both work well here. Red onion is convenient and gives the sambal a slightly sweeter flavour, while shallots offer a more traditional aromatic base.

• Garlic: A couple of cloves add savoury depth and round out the chilli and tomato flavours.

• Makrut lime leaves: Don’t skip these if you can help it! Makrut lime leaves add a fragrant citrus aroma that makes the sambal taste brighter and more complex. Tear the leaves before adding them to help release their fragrance.

• Lime juice: A squeeze of lime at the end is optional, but I love how it brightens everything up. Add it to taste after cooking.

High-Protein Upgrade

The good news is that this recipe already has a high-protein base: chicken breast! You don’t need to add protein powders or special ingredients to turn it into a protein-packed meal.

Using 500g (1.1 lb) of raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast provides approximately 110–120g of protein in the entire batch, depending on the chicken you use. Ideally this recipe is for 4 servings or portions.

Here’s how that works out based on how you portion it:

• 2 portions: Approximately 55–60g protein per serve.
• 3 portions: Approximately 37–40g protein per serve.
• 4 portions: Approximately 28–30g protein per serve.

These are estimates based on the chicken alone, with a small additional amount from the sambal ingredients.

Personally I do just one portion at a time for my meal. To turn it into a balanced, filling meal, I serve shredded chicken balado with rice and a side of vegetables.

1. Poach the chicken breast

• Place the chicken breast in a saucepan with ginger, optional bay leaves, salt and just enough water to cover the chicken.

• Bring the water to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and let the chicken simmer until cooked through. Avoid boiling the chicken vigorously, as this can make the meat tougher.

• Chicken is cooked through when the thickest part should reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). You can also poke a fork through the thickest part to check doneness.

• Let it cool enough to handle, then shred using two forks or your fingers.

2. Boil the sambal ingredients

• While the chicken is poaching, prepare the sambal for efficiency!

• Boil the red chillies, bird’s eye chillies, tomatoes, onion and garlic until softened.

• Drain the ingredients, reserving a little cooking water in case you need it for blending.

3. Blend the sambal

• Pulse the softened ingredients in a food processor until you have a slightly coarse paste. You can also use a mortar and pestle.

• I wouldn’t blend it completely smooth. A little texture gives the finished dish more character and helps the sambal cling to the shredded chicken.

• If you are making this ahead of time, or making a big batch to use as your daily sambal, you can season it at this stage with salt and sugar.

4. Heat the sambal (without oil)

• Transfer the blended sambal to a non-stick pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly.

• Tear in makrut lime leaves to the pan, and season sambal with salt and sugar, if you haven’t already.

• Let it cook until gently bubbling, or heated through.

5. Toss in the shredded chicken

• Add the shredded chicken to the pan.

• Toss everything together until the chicken is evenly coated in sambal and heated through.

• Finish with lime juice if desired, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

• Your ayam suwir balado / shredded chicken balado is ready to serve!

How to Serve Shredded Chicken Balado

My favourite way to eat this is with a bowl of steaming white rice, and a side of veggies! The rice and veggies balances out the fiery sambal, and the chicken makes it a satisfying meal.

Here are a few other ways to serve it:

• With noodles: Toss it through noodles or serve it alongside a simple noodle dish for a spicy, protein-packed meal. This is also another reason why I LOVE using shredded chicken, it picks up easily with the noodles!

• In wraps or sandwiches: Use the shredded chicken as a spicy filling with cucumbers and shredded lettuce (helps with the heat!) when you want something different from your usual lunch.

Storing and Reheating

How to store

• Allow the ayam suwir balado to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3–4 days when stored properly.

• This makes it a great option for meal prep. Portion it into individual containers so you can quickly put together a meal whenever you need one.

How to reheat

• Reheat the chicken in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add a small splash of water if the sambal has thickened too much in the fridge, then stir until the chicken is heated through.

• You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe container, loosely covered, stirring halfway through for even heating.

Can you freeze ayam suwir balado?

• Yes! Transfer the cooled chicken to a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 2–3 months for best quality. For easier meal prep, freeze it in individual portions.

• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, and add a splash of water if needed to loosen the sambal.