Asia
Indonesian Bubur Ayam
Chef-tested recipe
Creamy rice porridge topped with turmeric chicken, aromatic broth, cakwe, shallots, herbs, and sambal
Bubur ayam is Indonesia’s generously garnished chicken rice porridge, eaten in the morning and as a late-night comfort meal. Plain rice porridge forms the base, while a fragrant yellow broth scented with turmeric, candlenut, lemongrass, galangal, salam leaf, and makrut lime flavours the chicken. Fried shallots, cakwe, herbs, sweet soy, sambal, and crackers supply the contrasting textures that distinguish it from a plain congee.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 8 servings
- Prep Time
- 45 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 30 mins
- Total Time
- 2 hours 15 mins
- Cuisine
- Indonesian
- Course
- Rice bowls
- Cooking Method
- Rice simmering, spice-paste frying, chicken poaching, and bowl assembly
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Best Served With
- Best served with cakwe, fried shallots, sambal, kecap manis, crackers, fried soybeans, spring onion, and celery leaves.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Two large heavy pots with lidspaid link
- High-speed blenderpaid link
- Fine-mesh strainerpaid link
- Instant-read thermometerpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Wooden spoonpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the rice porridge
- Jasmine rice, rinsedpaid link: 400 g
- Cold water: 3000 ml
- Indonesian salam leaves: 4 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 10 g
For the yellow chicken and broth
- Bone-in skinless chicken thighs: 1600 g
- Cold water: 2200 ml
- Shallots, roughly chopped: 250 g
- Garlic cloves, roughly chopped: 40 g
- Candlenutspaid link: 60 g
- Fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped: 30 g
- Ground coriander: 8 g
- Ground white pepper: 4 g
- Neutral vegetable oilpaid link: 60 ml
- Lemongrass, bruised: 80 g
- Galangal, sliced and bruised: 40 g
- Makrut lime leaves: 4 g
- Indonesian salam leaves: 4 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 20 g
- Granulated sugarpaid link: 15 g
For serving
- Cakwe fried dough, sliced: 300 g
- Fried shallots: 100 g
- Spring onions, thinly sliced: 100 g
- Celery leaves, finely sliced: 60 g
- Fried soybeanspaid link: 200 g
- Kecap manispaid link: 150 ml
- Sambal: 120 g
- Plain rice crackerspaid link: 160 g
Preparation Overview
Rinse the rice and prepare the aromatic spice paste before heating the oil. Crack and toast the candlenuts only through the cooked paste; raw candlenuts should not be eaten. Organise every garnish separately so each bowl can be assembled while hot.
Method
Place the rice, 3000 ml water, salam leaves, and salt in a large heavy pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce to low heat and simmer partly covered for 55 to 65 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains break down into a creamy porridge.
Blend the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, coriander, and white pepper with a small splash of water into a fine paste.
Heat the oil in a second heavy pot over medium heat and fry the paste for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant and the oil begins separating.
Add the lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, and salam leaves and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken, 2200 ml water, salt, and sugar and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover partly and cook for 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken reaches at least 74°C and is tender.
Remove the chicken, cool briefly, discard the bones, and shred the meat.
Strain the yellow broth if a cleaner presentation is desired, then return it to a simmer and adjust the seasoning.
Loosen the rice porridge with hot water if it has become too thick.
Divide porridge among bowls and spoon over a little yellow broth and shredded chicken.
Finish with cakwe, fried shallots, spring onion, celery leaves, fried soybeans, kecap manis, sambal, and rice crackers.
Beginner Technique Notes
Stir the porridge from the base frequently because thick rice catches easily.
Cook the spice paste until its raw smell disappears before adding water.
Candlenuts must be cooked and should never be eaten raw.
Serve crisp garnishes at the last moment so they do not become soft before reaching the table.
Tips and Variations
Prepare the porridge and chicken one day ahead, storing them separately from all garnishes.
Use boneless chicken only when necessary; bone-in thighs create a fuller yellow broth.
Add kecap manis and sambal at the table because diners prefer different levels of sweetness and heat.
For a thinner street-style bowl, loosen the porridge with more yellow broth.
Serving Ideas
- Build each bowl in visible layers, beginning with white porridge, then yellow broth and chicken, followed by crisp and fresh garnishes.
Storage
Refrigerate porridge, chicken, broth, and garnishes separately for up to 3 days. Reheat porridge and chicken broth to at least 74°C, loosening with water. Freeze the plain porridge and chicken broth for up to 2 months.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains soy and candlenut. Cakwe and kecap manis commonly contain wheat, and commercial crackers or sambal may contain shellfish. Check every packaged garnish for cross-contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is bubur ayam different from plain congee?
It combines rice porridge with aromatic yellow chicken broth and a wide range of Indonesian garnishes.
Can I omit candlenuts?
Yes. The broth will be lighter, but the dish remains workable; do not substitute raw nuts without checking allergens.
Why is the porridge served with broth?
The seasoned yellow broth adds aroma and savoury depth while allowing each diner to adjust consistency.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Store porridge, broth, chicken, and crisp garnishes separately and assemble only after reheating.
