How to make this Deepavali special: an Indian-style Sambal Chicken, perfect for festive occasions, with aromatic spices, sambal paste, and curry leaves.

During Deepavali, you’ll find dishes such as biryani, masala prawns, mysore mutton, and masala chicken or this: Sambal Chicken! Since Deepavali is just around the corner, and I thought to recreate this Sambal Chicken recipe. If there’s one dish that I always look forward to on Deepavali, that would be Sambal Chicken, with a Singapore-Indian twist!

This Indian fusion dish is so unique that you really can’t find this outside of Singapore or Malaysia, a reflection of the cultural melting pot that Singapore is, blending Indian and Malay flavours seamlessly.

What is Sambal Chicken?

Sambal Chicken is a deliciously rich and spicy dish of chicken stewed in an aromatic paste. While this is a festive staple for Deepavali, you can easily find this dish at Indian restaurants and eateries in Singapore as well. Most likely it’s sold as a set with biryani, and on menu, it’s simply called ‘Chicken Biryani’. Sometimes it would even be called ‘curry chicken’ Of course, this is not biryani OR curry as we know it.

If you’re thinking this seems similar to Ayam Masak Merah, indeed it is! In fact, sometimes restaurants would name this Ayam Masak Merah as well.

They are very, very similar, with a few nuances. This dish is a regular star at celebratory tables and is often seen as a cousin to the beloved Ayam Masak Merah. Both dishes share some similarities, but they also have unique characteristics that make them stand apart.

Sambal Chicken is special for its deep, rich sambal paste, aromatic spices, and the inclusion of curry leaves for an extra punch of flavour. The key ingredient and flavour in Ayam Masak Merah are tomatoes, although Sambal Chicken also includes some tomatoes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bold, spicy flavors: A delicious sambal base that packs a punch without being overwhelmingly hot.
Deep aromatic base: Spices like cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and cardamom infuse the dish with warmth.
Rich, luscious gravy: Perfect for spooning over rice, this dish creates a satisfying meal.
Perfect for special occasions: Sambal Chicken makes an impressive dish for celebrations and festive gatherings.
Easy to customize: You can adjust the spice level to suit your palate and even use ready-made sambal paste for convenience.

Key Ingredients

1. Chicken

Chicken pieces: Bone-in chicken is usually preferred as it retains moisture better during cooking – and it’s what I would recommend as well.but boneless pieces work well too.

Turmeric and Salt: Marinate with turmeric and salt to enhance flavor and add a beautiful golden hue.

2. Base Paste

Dried Chillies: Rehydrated dried chillies form the base of the sambal paste, giving the dish its vibrant color and bold heat.

Onions: The main aromatics for this dish would be onions! Not only does this provide that sweet base flavour, this also creates that delicious, creamy gravy.

Garlic, and Ginger: These aromatics provide an earthy base flavour that balances out the heat from the chillies.

Galangal & Lemongrass: Essential for that slightly citrusy and earthy flavour, these ingredients are key to making the paste truly fragrant.

Fresh Turmeric or Turmeric Powder: Adds a subtle earthy flavour and contributes to the dish’s vibrant color.

Ready-Made Paste

I purchased my aromatics base from my local Indian grocer. In fact, most Indian families these days would simply purchase ready-made aromatics pastes as well. They are aplenty in Singapore and Malaysia, usually at neighbourhood markets, rather than shopping malls.

You can either ask them for their ‘Sambal Chicken’ blend, letting them know how many kilograms of chicken you plan to cook, OR use my measurements for the blend.

This is the blend that I requested for, for this recipe:

1/2 cup (120g) dried chilli paste (adjust for spice tolerance)

1 cup (240g) onion paste

1/4 cup (60g) ginger-garlic paste

1/4 cup (60g) galangal-lemongrass paste

1 tbsp turmeric paste or 1 tsp turmeric powder

FYI, you can also make your own aromatics paste! Make a big batch so you have extra in the fridge for other recipes. See how to make them here!

3. Gravy

Ghee: Ghee adds richness and buttery, nutty flavour to the dish. Unlike butter, ghee has a high smoke point. If you’re serving this with biryani or nasi minyak, the complementary combination will elevate your dining experience even further! You can replace with neutral-tasting oil if you don’t have ghee.

Aromatic Dry Spices: You just need cinnamon sticks and star anise to make this work, but I added cloves, and cardamom pods to add even more depth of flavour.

Curry Leaves: Curry leaves add a unique, aromatic flavour that sets it apart from Ayam Masak Merah.

Salt & Sugar: The main seasonings are simply salt and sugar – adjust accordingly to taste. Sugar helps to mellow out the heat if it’s too spicy.

Tamarind Paste: Provides a tangy balance to the sambal’s heat and richness.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes bring a bit of sweetness and thickness to the gravy, but you’re not suppose to taste it at all.

Onion Slices: Freshly sliced white onions are added at the end for crunch and freshness.

Key Steps to Making Sambal Chicken

1. Marinate Chicken

Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric and salt.

Set aside and let marinade while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Prepare Ingredients for the Base Paste

Give dried chillies a quick rinse, and pour hot boiling water. Let it soak for 5 minutes, or while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, until dried chillies are plump and rehydrated. Drain dried chillies, and roughly slice for easier blending. Add to a blender.

Peel onions and ginger, and roughly chop. Add to the blender.

Peel garlic, and add to the blender.

Bruise lemongrass, and slice into small pieces. Add to the blender. For more information on how to prepare lemongrass, see this post.

Add turmeric powder and pour in water. Blend to a smooth paste. Gradually add water as needed to blend paste smoothly; try not to add too much water.

3. Pan Fry Chicken

Add oil or ghee to a large wok or pot and place over medium heat.

Pan fry the marinated chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the surface turns golden.

There is no need to cook the chicken through. Remove from the pot and set to one side.

4. Cook the Rempah Paste

Lower the heat. In the same pot, add curry leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and cardamom pods. Saute for 1 minute, or until fragrant.

Add all of the blended base paste and tomatoes.

Stir to combine and saute over low heat for 10 minutes or so, until the paste emulsifies, this is when it dries slightly and appears thicker. It should also develop a deeper shade of red. The oil should also be floating above the paste, and has a red hue.

This process is known as ‘pecah minyak’, read this post for more details.

5. Cook the Sambal Chicken

Add salt, sugar, tamarind paste and water. Stir to combine. Taste test, and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Add back all of the chicken, and stir to combine.

Let the chicken stew for 5 minutes, or until it fully cooks through. Occasionally stir the pot, so as to not burn the gravy.

Feel free to top up with water, according to your gravy preference.

6. Final Touches and Enjoy!

Sambal Chicken: A Deepavali Favourite In Singapore

Add sliced white onions, and stir for just 1 minute, until coated.

Turn off the heat. Option to garnish with cilantro.

Serve immediately over rice!

How to Serve Sambal Chicken

Sambal Chicken is best served with rice. It pairs wonderfully with basmati rice, biryani, or nasi minyak (fragrant ghee rice). The rich sambal gravy is perfect for spooning over rice!

Complete the meal with any of these side dishes:

Acar Timun
Acar (simple version)
Papadum

Tips and Tricks

Adjust the Spice: If you’re worried about the heat level, reduce the amount of dried chillies or opt for a milder variety. You can also use less sambal paste if you prefer a less spicy dish.
‘Pecah Minyak’ Patience: Don’t rush this step! It might seem tedious, but allowing the sambal paste to cook until the oil separates is essential for deep, complex flavors.
Time Saver: To make things easier, you can use store-bought sambal paste and onion paste. This will cut down on prep time without sacrificing flavour.

Storing and Reheating Sambal Chicken

Storing

Sambal Chicken keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Reheating

To reheat, simply warm the chicken in a pot over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water to thin out the gravy if needed. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave, but stir halfway through to ensure even heating.

Freezing

This dish freezes well! Let cool completely before store in a freezer-friendly container. It can keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

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