Pan Fried Ayam Goreng

How to make pan fried Ayam Goreng or ‘fried chicken’, a healthier, easier version of the spiced chicken.

Ayam Goreng is a popular Singaporean/Malaysian/Indonesian dish that translates to “fried chicken” in English. It is made by marinating chicken in a mixture of spices and then deep-frying it until it is crispy and golden brown. The marinade typically includes ingredients such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, and cumin, to give the chicken its rich and flavourful taste.

It’s not a dish that you’d make all the time though, or at least I don’t. This is why I developed this easy, spice-rub recipe for Ayam Goreng! This Pan Fried Ayam Goreng is a healthier, easier version that promises to hit all the right flavour notes.

Why you will LOVE this Pan Fried ‘Ayam Goreng’:

• FLAVOUR BOMB – Flavour bomb of deliciousness, with all of the familiar spices used in Ayam Goreng.
• HEALTHIER – Very little oil used versus traditional deep frying.
• LESS MESS – No deep frying means no grease to fight with after.
• QUICK AND EASY – All you do is marinade the chicken the night before, and simply pan fry once you’re ready!
• AFFORDABLE – The ingredients used are pantry staples and cheap.

How to make Pan Fried Ayam Goreng?

1. Prep

I used chicken breasts here, but on some days where I’m feeling a bit more naughty, I use boneless chicken thighs.

With chicken breasts, you want to give it a good hit with a mallet or pestle to even out the thickness. This will get you an even cook, while allowing for a deeper marinade of the spices. Alternatively you can butterfly the chicken meat.

Combine the ingredients for the marinade and massage chicken well with it. Marinade for 2 hours minimum, or overnight for best results.

Before frying, remove chicken from the fridge so that it can warm slightly before cooking.

2. Pan Frying

Add oil to a pan, and heat over medium heat. Once hot, gently lower chicken and allow to cook for about 7 minutes before flipping to the other side for an even cook.

Once cooked, remove chicken from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes to seal in the juices before serving.

3. Serving

I like to serve this with rice, and as a sharing platter. Before serving, cut it into slices for easier sharing. To level up your meal even more, serve with a side of Sambal!

You can also serve this as a dish by itself, paired with stir fried vegetables.

What spices to use for Pan Fried Ayam Goreng?

The spices are key for good, flavourful Ayam Goreng. The key spices are these:

• Cumin powder
• Fennel powder
• Coriander powder
• Turmeric Powder

I used powdered versions of the spices, to get a nice spice rub on the chicken.

TIP: Make a big batch of the spice rub by multiplying the amounts of dried spices. Keep in an airtight container, for a blend that’s ready-to-go for next time!

But you can also give the fresh ingredients a good blitz in the blender. You have the option of dry toasting the cumin, fennel, coriander seeds in a pan before blending to release more of the aroma even more.

If using fresh ingredients, use the equivalent of 1 garlic clove, 1/4 of a medium onion, and 5 cm of ginger. Give everything a rough chop for easier blending.

Can I Air Fry this Ayam Goreng?

I pan fried my chicken today, but you can also air fry this!

To air fry:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 200°C for 5 minutes.
2. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
3. Place the marinated chicken breasts in the basket and air fry for 10 minutes on one side, before flipping and air frying for another 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74°C.

More Recipes Like This

• One Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta
• Crispy Ayam Goreng Berempah
• Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Chicken

Pan Fried Ayam Goreng

Recipe by Sha

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Recipes

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp fennel powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp chilli powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp white pepper powder

• 1/4 tsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp ginger, grated

• 2-3 tbsps canola oil

Directions

• Prepare chicken breasts by either butterflying it, or pound chicken breasts to get even thickness.
• Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl until you get a paste consistency. Coat chicken with the spice rub and marinade for minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, heat non stick pan and add a couple of tablespoons of oil. Gently add the marinated chicken. Allow to cook on one side (no touching!) for about 5 minutes, before flipping to the other side to finish cooking for another 5 minutes.
• Remove from pan, and let rest on paper towels for about 10 minutes or so.
• Ready to serve! Serve whole, or cut into strips to share.

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