Ayam Goreng Berempah (Malaysian Spiced Fried Chicken)

Key Ingredients for Ayam Goreng Berempah

Chicken

Traditionally, ayam goreng berempah is made with bone-in chicken for maximum juiciness.

Tips for cooking bone-in chicken:

• Cook pieces that are similar in size at the same time.

• Shake off any excess marinade too, since the spices brown quickly and we don’t want too much burning in the oil in between batches.

• If your chicken tends to stick to the bottom of the pot, place a small round stainless steel oven rack or steaming rack at the bottom to elevate it.

However, I love using boneless chicken thighs—one of my favourite nasi lemak stalls serves it this way, and I thought it was genius.

Why use boneless chicken?

• It cooks faster, meaning I can fry the chicken along with the marinade without worrying about burning the aromatics.

• Use thighs for extra juiciness.

• The crispy rempah bits stick better to the smaller pieces of chicken.

• It’s easier to eat (perfect for nasi lemak!).

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is essential for getting those crispy ‘flossy’ bits that make this dish so special. Once fried, these golden bits turn into crispy, aromatic shreds—and yes, you can eat them! Just make sure to blend the lemongrass finely—if the fibers are too thick, they’ll turn stringy and chewy instead of crispy.

Aromatic Paste

For the base aromatics, we’re keeping it simple with:

• onion or shallots

• garlic

• ginger

If you’d like, you can also throw in galangal or blue ginger.

Spices

This spice blend is what makes ayam goreng berempah so flavorful:

• Curry powder & Chilli Powder – So much aroma and flavour!

• Turmeric powder – Essential for that beautiful golden color and earthy flavour.

• Coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds – Using freshly ground seeds will give AMAZING texture and aroma. However, ground versions will work as well. Cumin and fennel seeds can be interchangeable.

Curry Leaves

These add a deep, herbaceous aroma when fried—don’t skip them!

Rice Flour

A secret weapon for light crispiness without making the coating heavy. Just a spoonful is enough!

Key Steps to Making Ayam Goreng Berempah

1. Prepare the Ingredients

• Shallots, Garlic, & Ginger: Peel and roughly chop before blending.

• Lemongrass: Trim off the root, remove the tough outer layer and top woody parts. Cut into 1-inch lengths.

• Whole Spices: If using whole fennel, coriander, and cumin seeds, coarsely grind them using a spice mill or pestle and mortar. Alternatively, use pre-ground spices.

2. Prepare the Spice Paste

• Add whole coriander, fennel and cumin seeds to a blender or spice grinder or pestle and mortar. Coarsely grind. Remove from the jar.

• Next, add lemongrass stalks to the same jar. No need to clean it out first. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water. Blend the lemongrass to retain its fibrous texture (this is what creates the crispy rempah bits). Remove from the blender jar.

• Blend the shallots, garlic, and ginger into a smooth paste next, adding a small splash of water if needed.

3. Marinate the Chicken

• Add chicken to a large marinating bowl.

• Add the blended spice paste with curry powder, chili powder, turmeric, crushed fennel, coriander, cumin, rice flour and salt. Mix well to combine.

TIP! I like my marinade to be beautifully golden in colour. Stir in more turmeric powder until you get a golden marinade!

• Add the lemongrass, curry leaves and rice flour next. Mix well to combine. We mix the blended spice paste first to make sure the spices can coat the chicken well.

• Let it marinate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight for deeper flavour. Store in the fridge.

4. Fry the Chicken

Deep Frying Method:

• When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up to room temperature for about 20 minutes.

• Heat oil in a deep pan or wok and place over medium heat.

• With a pair of tongs, pick up the marinated chicken, making sure to remove any excess marinade or curry leaves.

• Fry the marinated bone-in chicken in batches for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Scoop up as much floating marinade in the oil after each batch.

NOTE: 12 minutes is the preferable timing for me – Malaysian or Malay-style fried chicken are cooked slightly longer than usual – we love it extra brown!

• Drain the chicken on paper towels or a wire rack.

Fry the Rempah Crispies:

• There should be marinade leftover in the bowl. If the marinade looks too watery, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more rice flour.

• Scoop up the remaining marinade and fry in the same oil.

• With tongs or your spatula, gently and carefully ‘agitate’ and separate the marinade as they cook to create pieces of crispy rempah bits. This separation is essential, otherwise you might end up with clumps of rempah bits with gluey insides instead of crispy bites.

• Once golden brown, remove from the oil. Drain on paper towels

Air Frying Method:

• When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up to room temperature for about 20 minutes.

• Preheat air fryer to 180°C (350°F).

• Lightly grease the air fryer basket or line it with parchment paper.

• Arrange the chicken along with the marinade and curry leaves in a single layer, skin-side up (if using skin-on). Spray on oil.

• Air fry for:

a. Bone-in chicken: 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway.

b. Boneless chicken thighs: 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway.

• If needed, spray or brush a little more oil halfway through for extra crispiness.

NOTE: For weekdays, this is my preferred step! It’s mess-free, no watching required, and yes, you can get crispy rempah bits all at one go!

Tips & Tricks for the Crispiest Ayam Goreng Berempah

• Use Bone-in Chicken for More Juiciness – But if using boneless, enjoy the faster cook time and crispier bits!

• Blend the Lemongrass Separately – Pulse the lemongrass to ensure you get long, crispy fibers instead of a mushy paste.

• Don’t Skip the Rice Flour – It adds light crispiness without making the coating heavy.

• Fry in Batches – Overcrowding the pan lowers the oil temperature, making the chicken greasy.

• Fry the Rempah Bits Separately – Scoop up the extra marinade and fry it last to get the best crispy crumbs!

Final Thoughts

This ayam goreng berempah has been months in the making, and I can confidently say—it’s the BEST version I’ve ever had.

The combination of whole spices, crispy rempah bits, and juicy, well-marinated chicken makes it unbeatable. If you’ve struggled to get that signature crispy flossy texture, this method guarantees success!