Ayam Paprik | Thai-Malaysian Chicken Stir Fry

What is Ayam Paprik?

Ayam Paprik, also written as Ayam Pad Prik or Ayam Padprik, is a Malaysian Thai-style chicken stir-fry made with chicken, vegetables and a sweet, savoury and spicy sauce.

You’ll often find Ayam Paprik on the menu at eateries and restaurants in Malaysia and Singapore, but this isn’t quite the same dish you’ll find in Thailand. It’s a dish that belongs to the Malaysian Thai food scene, with its own style of preparation and flavour profile.

The dish is built around a few key elements: fragrant aromatics like lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, crunchy vegetables, and a glossy sauce made with savoury oyster sauce, sweet kicap manis, tangy ketchup and chilli sauce – often Thai sweet chilli sauce. Chicken is a common protein used, though it can easily be replaced with seafood and beef.

If you’ve come across Pad Prik Gaeng when searching for Ayam Paprik, you might be wondering if they’re the same dish. They’re not quite — although there are similarities between the two. I’ll get into the differences between Ayam Paprik and Pad Prik Gaeng below.

Ayam Paprik vs. Pad Prik Gaeng

If you’ve come across Pad Prik Gaeng when searching for Ayam Paprik, you might be wondering if they’re the same dish. Not quite! While the two dishes share some similarities, the biggest difference is in the sauce.

Pad Prik Gaeng is the original Thai dish, and Ayam Paprik is the Thai-Malaysian interpretation that developed from it.

Ayam Paprik

• Malaysian Thai-style dish
• Sauce: Dried chilli paste or sambal as a base, combined with oyster sauce, kicap manis, tomato ketchup and Thai sweet chilli sauce
• Flavour: Sweet, savoury, spicy and slightly tangy
• Texture: Glossy and saucy
• Vegetables: Often loaded with colourful, crunchy vegetables

Pad Prik Gaeng

• Thai stir-fry made with meat and vegetables
• Sauce: Thai red curry paste (prik gaeng) is the main flavour base
• Flavour: Spicy, savoury and deeply aromatic
• Texture: More of a concentrated curry paste coating rather than a glossy sauce
• Vegetables: Varies depending on the recipe, but often long beans and tomatoes

The two dishes may share aromatics like lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, but they’re two distinct dishes with different flavour profiles and sauce bases. This recipe is for the Malaysian Thai-style Ayam Paprik you’ll find at eateries and restaurants across Malaysia, as well as Malay zichar food places in Singapore.

My Weeknight Shortcut

Traditionally, Ayam Paprik can use a dried chilli paste as part of its base. My recipe, however, takes a shortcut: I skip the dried chilli paste and use ready-made sambal instead. It adds plenty of depth and saves a little time, which is exactly what I want on a busy weeknight.

When I first developed this recipe, I used dried chilli paste. Then one of my subscribers based in Europe (hello!) told me she couldn’t stop making this Paprik… except she but she left out the sambal and dried chilli paste since they weren’t easily accessible where she lived.

And you know what? Since then, I’ve started skipping it at home too! It’s still absolutely delicious, incredibly addictive, and perfect with a big bowl of steamed rice.

So don’t worry if you don’t have sambal or dried chilli paste! You can absolutely make this recipe without either. If you do want to use dried chilli paste, I’ve included the directions in the Key Steps section below.

Key Ingredients

Chicken

• I use 300g (10.5 oz) boneless chicken breast or thigh for this recipe. Both work well, so use whichever you prefer! I usually reach for chicken thigh when I want extra juicy and tender pieces, but chicken breast keeps this dish lean and light.

• Cut the chicken into thin slices or small, bite-sized pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly in the wok.

Easy Protein Swaps

Ayam Paprik is incredibly easy to adapt with different proteins.

You can easily swap chicken for other proteins such as:

• Seafood: shrimp, squid, crabsticks and sliced fish work well here.
• Sliced beef

The method and order of cooking is the same as chicken, you just need to adjust the cooking time based on what you’re using.

You can swap the chicken for beef, pork, tofu, or seafood—just adjust the cooking time depending on what you’re using.

Vegetables

One of the things I love about Ayam Paprik is that it’s a protein-and-vegetable meal all in one pan.

My version uses:

• red bell pepper
• baby corn
• and long beans for a colourful mix of textures and crunch.

The vegetables can be easily adapted depending on what you have in your fridge. Just keep in mind that the key is to choose vegetables that can handle a quick stir-fry while still keeping some bite.

Aromatics

Lemongrass and makrut lime leaves are essential to the flavour of Ayam Paprik. The lemongrass adds a bright, citrusy fragrance, while the makrut lime leaves bring an unmistakable floral, zesty aroma.

Don’t skip these if you can help it! They might seem like small additions, but they make a huge difference to the final dish.

The Sauce

The sauce is what brings everything together. It’s a simple combination of:

• Oyster sauce – adds savoury umami and saltiness.

• Kicap manis (dark sweet soy sauce) – brings sweetness, depth and colour.

• Tomato ketchup – adds a little tang and balances the savoury flavours.

• Chilli sauce – brings sweetness and heat. I use a Thai-style sweet chilli sauce, adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like your Paprik. Regular chilli sauces will work too. Tangy chili sauces such as sriracha, hot sauces, or tabasco will not quite work to achieve the flavours we’re after.

Together, these ingredients create that signature sweet, savoury, spicy and slightly tangy sauce that makes Ayam Paprik so irresistible with rice.

Sambal or Dried Chilli Paste (Optional)

Traditionally, Ayam Paprik can be made with a dried chilli paste as part of its flavour base.

In my everyday version, I use ready-made sambal as a shortcut when I have it on hand. It adds extra depth and a richer chilli flavour.

But honestly? You don’t need either to make a delicious Paprik. I now usually skip both when making this at home, and the dish is still incredibly flavourful.

If you want to use dried chilli paste, I’ve included instructions for adding it in the Key Steps section below.

1. Start with the Aromatics

• Begin by stir-frying the onion, garlic and bruised lemongrass in oil until fragrant. This creates the aromatic base for the entire dish.

2. Don’t Overcook the Chicken

• Add your sliced chicken (or protein of choice) straight into the pan and stir-fry until lightly browned and nearly cooked through, about 3–4 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.

• There’s no need to cook the chicken completely at this stage, it will continue cooking when you add the vegetables and sauce. We’re just looking for a sear on the chicken surface. This keeps the chicken tender and juicy, especially if you’re using chicken breast.

3. Keep the Vegetables Crisp

• Add the vegetables once the chicken is nearly cooked and stir-fry briefly. You want the vegetables to be just tender but still slightly crisp.

• The vegetables will continue cooking as the sauce simmers, so don’t worry if they seem a little underdone at this stage. That little bit of crunch is part of what makes Ayam Paprik so good!

4. Let the Sauce Coat Everything

• Once the vegetables are ready, pour in the sauce and add the torn makrut lime leaves. Toss everything together and let it simmer for a few minutes.

• The goal isn’t to reduce the sauce into a thick gravy. You want just enough sauce to glossily coat the chicken and vegetables, with a little extra left to spoon over your rice.

5. Serve It Hot with Rice

• Ayam Paprik is best served immediately while the sauce is glossy and the vegetables still have some bite.

• Spoon it generously over hot steamed rice and make sure you get plenty of that sauce!

How to Serve Ayam Paprik

Ayam Paprik is a complete meal all on its own when served with a bowl of steamed rice.

You’ve got your protein, colourful vegetables and a flavour-packed sauce all in one pan, so there’s really no need to make a bunch of separate dishes.

That said, if I have a little bit more energy, I love serving Ayam Paprik with a simple omelette too. There’s something about fluffy eggs alongside the spicy, savoury sauce that just works so well. Serve it family-style: my favourite comforting combination is Ayam Paprik, steamed rice and a Thai-style onion omelette!

How to Store and Reheat Ayam Paprik

• To store: Allow the Ayam Paprik to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.

• To reheat: Reheat gently in a frying pan over medium heat or in the microwave until heated through. If the sauce has thickened in the fridge, add a small splash of water before reheating to loosen it back up.

The vegetables will naturally soften a little after refrigeration, so for the best texture, Ayam Paprik is best enjoyed fresh. But leftovers are still delicious!

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