Name: Easy Ayam Masak Merah | Spicy Tomato Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 300 grams Boneless Chicken Thighs; 1 tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 tsp Salt; 1 can 400 grams Canned Tomatoes; 1 tbsp Tomato Puree (optional); 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup (optional); 2 tsps Sugar; 2 tsps Salt; 1/4 cup Cooking Oil; 3 tbsps Dried Chilli Paste or 10 Dried chilies, soaked in boiling water; 1 onion; 3 garlic; 2 stalks lemongrass, inner white core; 2-3 tbsps Water for easier blending

How to make an easy, foolproof version of this classic Malay dish, Ayam Masak Merah, or Chicken stewed in tomatoes.

Today we’re making Ayam Masak Merah, translated literally to umm ‘Chicken cooked red’ lol what but more accurately: Chicken cooked in Spicy Tomato Stew.

This is my interpretation of this traditional Malay dish, which just means it’s an easier version. A hearty dish best served with rice, and really quick to make.

What Type of Chicken to Use?

Ayam Masak Merah is traditionally made with bone-in chicken parts. Ayam Masak Merah requires a relatively long cook time, since it requires the tomatoes to reduce to form a nice gravy.

Since this is a short-cut, easier version, I used boneless chicken. This is also funnily enough, a favourite for my guests (especially kids!) since they don’t have to grapple with bones.

Use boneless chicken thighs! This chicken part is a lot more forgiving when stewed for a longer time. If you want to use chicken breasts, you can, but stop the cooking process once it’s cooked through. Otherwise, not only will it be dry, it will not have much flavour either.

Pan-Frying the Chicken First

I like to coat the chicken pieces with turmeric and salt and pan fry them first, before making the Ayam Masak Merah. It helps to add flavour, AND retain the juiciness of the chicken by sealing the surface first.

This is optional though. You can get a good dish even if you do not pan fry it first. This takes little extra time for me, and uses the same pan, so I rarely skip.

How Spicy is This?

Unlike most Malay dishes, this is actually not that spicy thanks to the bulk of the ingredients being the tomatoes. But I mean, if you’re all about that spicy lifestyle, just add more dried chili paste.

This is a savoury, slightly spicy, slightly sweet, slightly tangy chicken dish that’s a general crowd pleaser. If you want a more authentic version of this, see my Mom’s recipe here, which is a little more complex because it uses various spices.

Why is my dish so sour?

Not all tomatoes are made the same. Often, you’ll get a tart can of tomatoes. The easiest way to combat this is to add sugar. The sugar helps especially to combat the tartness of tomatoes.

Even though I mentioned that tomato ketchup and tomato puree are optional ingredients, they help to deepen the taste of the dish. I prefer using tomato puree since it is a lot more rich in flavour. Tomato ketchup is a good alternative as well, although tomato ketchup tend to have more sugar in it.