Indonesian Cuisine
Bubur Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Rice Porridge)
A turmeric-gold chicken porridge crowned with crispy shallots, fried garlic, sliced scallions, and a drizzle of kecap manis, served the way street vendors do across Java
Walk through any Indonesian city before sunrise and you will find the bubur ayam carts already working. A gas burner heats a wide pot of porridge to a slow, steady simmer. Beside it, a smaller pot holds kuah kuning, a turmeric-bright chicken broth fragrant with lemongrass and galangal. The vendor ladles porridge into a bowl, spoons broth over the top, and then the toppings begin: shredded chicken, crispy fried shallots, chopped celery leaves, sliced scallions, a scatter of kerupuk crackers, and a generous curl of kecap manis from the bottle. The whole assembly takes about thirty seconds. The eating takes considerably longer, because every bite is a little different depending on which toppings your spoon picks up.
What distinguishes bubur ayam from other rice porridges across Asia is the kuah kuning served alongside it. Where Vietnamese chao ga leans on ginger and fish sauce, and Thai jok relies on white pepper and fried garlic, bubur ayam builds a separate aromatic broth from a spice paste of shallots, garlic, candlenuts, and turmeric, bloomed in oil and then simmered with the chicken cooking liquid. The porridge itself stays plain, a blank canvas. The kuah kuning does the seasoning work, and you control how much goes into each spoonful.
The other defining feature is the sheer number of toppings. A proper bubur ayam bowl is not minimalist. It is layered and textured, with soft porridge underneath, silky broth pooling at the edges, tender shredded chicken in the center, and a crown of fried things on top. Cakwe (Chinese fried crullers, called youtiao elsewhere) add a chewy, oil-rich bite that soaks up the porridge beautifully. A side of sambal brings heat for those who want it.
If you have made khao tom or Chinese congee, you already understand the basic rhythm of cooking rice until it collapses into porridge. And if you enjoy chao long or pho ga, you know the pleasure of a deeply seasoned broth poured over something mild and starchy. Bubur ayam sits comfortably in that same family of restorative, warming bowls.
At a Glance
Yield
6 servings
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
50 minutes
Total
1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- 7 ozjasmine rice
- 1½ qtchicken stock or water
- 2bay leaves (daun salam preferred)
- 1/2 tspfine sea salt
- 1½ lbbone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
- 1 qtwater
- 2 stalkslemongrass, bruised with the back of a knife
- 4kaffir lime leaves
- 2bay leaves (daun salam preferred)
- 1 tspfine sea salt
- 8shallots (about 80 g), peeled and roughly chopped
- 5 clovesgarlic
- 5candlenuts, lightly toasted (or substitute raw macadamia nuts)
- 1 tbspground turmeric (or 30 g fresh turmeric, peeled)
- 1 tbspgalangal powder (or 20 g fresh galangal, sliced)
- 1 tspground coriander
- 2 tbspneutral cooking oil
- 2 stalkslemongrass, bruised
- 4kaffir lime leaves
- 2bay leaves
- —Salt to taste
- —Crispy fried shallots (bawang goreng)
- 2scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 stalksChinese celery (daun seledri), leaves and tender stems finely chopped
- —Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
- —Cakwe or youtiao (Chinese fried crullers), sliced into rounds
- —Kerupuk (tapioca crackers)
- —Fried soybeans (kacang kedelai goreng), optional
- 1to 2 red Thai chilies, thinly sliced, or sambal
Method
- 1
Poach the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a medium pot with the water, bruised lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises during the first few minutes. Cook for 25 minutes, until the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh near the bone. Remove the chicken to a plate and let it cool until you can handle it comfortably. Strain the poaching liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve it. You should have about 800 ml of fragrant stock.
- 2
Shred the chicken. Pull the meat from the bones in long, thin strips, working along the grain rather than against it. The loose fibers will absorb more broth and toppings. Discard the skin and bones, or return the bones to the reserved poaching liquid and simmer for another 15 minutes for a richer stock.
- 3
Start the porridge. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Combine the rice, chicken stock (or water), and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring the bottom of the pot every 5 minutes to prevent sticking. The porridge is ready when the grains have broken down into a smooth, creamy consistency that flows from a ladle rather than clumping. If it thickens too much before the rice is fully softened, stir in hot water or reserved poaching liquid a little at a time. Season with salt.
- 4
Make the spice paste. While the porridge simmers, blend the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, galangal, and coriander in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth, golden paste. Add a splash of water if needed to help the blades catch. Alternatively, pound everything in a mortar and pestle, starting with the hardest ingredients.
- 5
Cook the kuah kuning. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring steadily, for 4 to 5 minutes. The paste will darken slightly and the raw, sharp smell of the shallots will give way to a rounded, toasty fragrance. When you see the oil beginning to separate at the edges of the paste, add the bruised lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and bay leaves. Stir for another 30 seconds until the herbs release their scent. Pour in 500 to 600 ml of the reserved chicken poaching liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. The broth should be a vivid golden yellow, aromatic, and well seasoned. Taste and add salt as needed. Strain through a sieve if you prefer a clear broth, or leave the aromatics in for a more rustic presentation.
- 6
Assemble the bowls. Ladle a generous portion of porridge into each bowl. Arrange a mound of shredded chicken in the center. Spoon kuah kuning around the edges of the porridge, letting it pool and seep in. Top with crispy fried shallots, sliced scallions, chopped celery leaves, and a few slices of cakwe. Drizzle with kecap manis. Set kerupuk, fried soybeans, sliced chilies or sambal, and extra kecap manis on the table so each person can finish their bowl as they like.
Key Ingredient Benefits
Turmeric: The golden color of the kuah kuning comes from turmeric, which contains curcumin. In Indonesian jamu tradition, turmeric is considered a powerful anti-inflammatory and digestive aid. Its bioavailability increases when consumed with fat, which this recipe provides through the fried spice paste. See the Turmeric ingredient guide.
Galangal: A rhizome in the ginger family with a sharper, more piney flavor. In traditional Indonesian medicine, galangal is associated with warming the body and easing stomach discomfort. It contains compounds called galangin and alpinin, which have been studied for anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
Ginger and lemongrass: Both are staples of the jamu (traditional herbal medicine) tradition across Java and Bali. Lemongrass contains citral, which gives it a bright, lemony fragrance and is traditionally associated with calming effects and digestive support. See the Ginger ingredient guide.
Candlenuts (kemiri): These waxy, oil-rich nuts are native to Southeast Asia and used throughout Indonesian cooking as a thickener for spice pastes. They are mildly toxic when raw, so they should always be lightly toasted or cooked before eating.
Kecap manis: Indonesia's signature sweet soy sauce, made by brewing soy sauce with palm sugar. It adds a malty sweetness and glossy color to the finished bowl. A little goes a long way.
Why This Works
The two-pot approach, a plain porridge and a separately built aromatic broth, is what gives bubur ayam its character. Cooking the rice in plain stock or water keeps the porridge neutral, a starchy base that does not compete with the toppings. The kuah kuning, built from a fried spice paste and chicken poaching liquid, concentrates the aromatics into a broth that can be added in controlled amounts. This separation means each person controls the intensity of their bowl.
Candlenuts serve as a thickener and emulsifier in the spice paste. When ground and fried, they release oils that bind with the water-based broth, giving the kuah kuning a slight body and a subtle creaminess that you would not get from spices alone. This is the same principle at work in many Indonesian curry bases (bumbu), where candlenuts or macadamia nuts quietly hold the sauce together.
Toasting the spice paste until the oil separates is a step you will see in nearly every Indonesian recipe that begins with a bumbu. This process, called menumis, drives off moisture and allows the Maillard reaction to develop roasted, complex flavors from the shallots and garlic. Stopping too early leaves a raw, sharp taste. The visual cue of oil pooling at the edges tells you the paste has cooked through.
Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs rather than breast gives a richer poaching liquid. The connective tissue in dark meat releases gelatin during simmering, which adds a silky mouthfeel to the kuah kuning. The thigh meat also stays moist and tender when shredded, while breast meat tends to turn dry and fibrous.
Substitutions & Variations
Chicken: A whole chicken (about 1.5 kg) can replace the thighs. Simmer it whole for 30 minutes, then shred all the meat and use the full poaching liquid for both the porridge and the kuah kuning.
Candlenuts: Raw macadamia nuts are the closest substitute, with a similar fat content and mild flavor. Cashews will work in a pinch but produce a slightly sweeter paste.
Galangal: If fresh or powdered galangal is unavailable, use fresh ginger in the same amount. The flavor will shift toward a warmer, less piney profile, but the broth will still be good.
Daun salam: Indonesian bay leaves have a subtly different flavor from European bay leaves, with more of a cassia-like warmth. Regular bay leaves are an acceptable substitute, though the aroma will be slightly different.
Pressure cooker: Cook the chicken with aromatics and water on high pressure for 15 minutes, then quick-release. Cook the porridge on high pressure for 12 minutes with natural release. Total active time drops to about 35 minutes.
Richer porridge (Betawi style): Some Jakarta-style versions add a tablespoon of coconut cream directly to the porridge in the last few minutes of cooking, creating a richer, slightly sweet base.
Without kecap manis: Mix 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of palm sugar or brown sugar and a teaspoon of molasses. Warm gently until the sugar dissolves.
Serving Suggestions
Bubur ayam is traditionally a breakfast dish in Indonesia, eaten early in the morning from street carts, but it works equally well as a comforting lunch or light dinner. A proper spread includes all the toppings set out in small dishes so each person can build their bowl to their preference.
For a more substantial meal, serve alongside gorengan (Indonesian fried snacks) such as bakwan (vegetable fritters) or tahu goreng (fried tofu). A simple plate of sliced cucumber and fresh tomato wedges with sambal on the side provides a cool, crisp contrast to the warm porridge.
If you are cooking for someone who is recovering from illness or simply needs something gentle, serve the porridge with just the kuah kuning and shredded chicken, omitting the fried toppings. The broth and porridge alone are nourishing and easy to eat.
For a congee-focused table, pair with chao ga or jok to offer a side-by-side comparison of how different cultures approach the same comforting idea of rice cooked until it surrenders.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store the porridge, shredded chicken, and kuah kuning in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. The porridge will thicken considerably as it cools. This is normal and expected.
Reheating: Warm the porridge over low heat on the stovetop, stirring frequently and adding hot water or stock a little at a time until it returns to a pourable consistency. Reheat the kuah kuning separately in a small saucepan. The chicken can be warmed briefly in the microwave or placed on top of the hot porridge to heat through.
Freezing: The porridge freezes well in individual portions for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop with added liquid. The kuah kuning freezes well for up to 2 months. The shredded chicken can be frozen separately for up to 2 months.
Toppings: Crispy fried shallots, kerupuk, and cakwe should be stored at room temperature in sealed containers and added fresh at serving time. They lose their crunch quickly once they touch the hot porridge.
Make-ahead tip: Cook the porridge slightly thicker than your ideal consistency if you plan to eat it over several days. It will thin out perfectly when reheated with a splash of stock.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 354kcal (18%)|Total Carbohydrates: 29g (11%)|Protein: 17g (34%)|Total Fat: 15g (19%)|Saturated Fat: 4g (20%)|Cholesterol: 95mg (32%)|Sodium: 720mg (31%)|Dietary Fiber: 1g (4%)|Total Sugars: 1g
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