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    Home » Dinner Inspiration! » Indonesian Grilled Sambal Chicken

    Jul 3, 2015 28 Comments ★★★★★ 5 from 11 reviews

    Indonesian Grilled Sambal Chicken

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    Grilled Sambal Chicken-119

    Here is a delicious recipe for Indonesian Style, Grilled Sambal Chicken-  full of great flavor with a little bit of heat, and so juicy and tender. Fast and simple to make, it comes together in less than 30 minutes – and lately, it’s been on our plates a lot around here! It’s a little addicting! The flavorful marinade would taste great with tofu or fish too!

    I love this best served over Thai Vegetable Crunch Salad, a healthy vegan, GF salad made with shredded cabbage and summer vegetables, mint,  basil, scallions and a light peanut dressing. The combination of spicy, sweet, salty, tangy Grilled Sambal Chicken, paired with the cool crunchy Thai Peanut Salad is so delicious!   Whether it’s tossed into salad, folded into tacos, served over rice or with a bowl of grilled veggies, it’s very versatile recipe I think you will love.

    Grilled Indonesian Style Sambal Chicken, and easy flavorful recipe that can be made in 30 minutes. | www.feastingathome.com

    The Sambal chicken can be quickly be grilled in whole pieces, or if you have more time, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then skewer.

    Sambal Olek, an Indonesian style red chile paste is available at most grocery stores and it’s the secret to this great flavor.   I will often double the recipe, because the refrigerated leftover chicken keeps really well and tastes incredibly good, cold….perfect for quick lunches or to-go meals.

    Be sure to use bone-less, skin-less thigh meat, to ensure the juiciest chicken possible. I’ve also used this flavorful marinade on tofu, then grilled it with great results –just make sure to grease the grill extra well first, and use a metal spatula to flip.

     

    Grilled Indonesian Style Sambal Chicken, and easy flavorful recipe that can be made in 30 minutes. | www.feastingathome.com

    If serving the chicken on its own, without the Thai Vegetable Crunch Salad, you could garnish it with fresh mint leaves, scallions and crushed roasted peanuts.

    Grilled Indonesian Style Sambal Chicken, and easy flavorful recipe that can be made in 30 minutes. | www.feastingathome.com

    If serving with the Thai Vegetable Crunch Salad, simply slice and place over top or plate with the skewers.

    Grilled Indonesian Style Sambal Chicken, and easy flavorful recipe that can be made in 30 minutes. | www.feastingathome.com

    The left over marinade, is reduced and cooked down for a few minutes, and used to baste the chicken while its grilling.

    Grilled Indonesian Style Sambal Chicken, and easy flavorful recipe that can be made in 30 minutes. | www.feastingathome.com

    Grill over medium high heat, getting both sides deeply seared. Turn heat down to low, and cover until cooked through.

    Grilled Sambal Chicken-114Grilled Indonesian Style Sambal Chicken, and easy flavorful recipe that can be made in 30 minutes. | www.feastingathome.com

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    Grilled Sambal Chicken

    ★★★★★ 5 from 11 reviews
    • Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home Blog
    • Prep Time: 15 mins
    • Cook Time: 15 mins
    • Total Time: 30 mins
    • Yield: 4
    • Category: Main
    • Cuisine: Indonesian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    A flavorful Grilled Indonesian Style Chicken


    Ingredients

    • 2 – 2 ½ lbs Chicken ( bone-less, skin-less chicken thighs)
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 1 ½ Tablespoons sliced fresh Ginger
    • ¼ C sriracha sauce
    • ¼ C fish sauce
    • ½ C brown sugar
    • ¼ C rice wine vinegar
    • ⅛ C vegetable oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid Amino
    • ¼ C Sambal Olek ( red chili paste) plus 1 -2 T more for extra spicy.
    • 8–10 Pre-soaked Skewers ( optional)
    • Garnish Options: crushed roasted Peanuts, fresh mint leaves, sliced scallions

    Instructions

    1. Cut chicken into bite size pieces ( to skewer) or leave whole and place them in a gallon zip lock bag or bowl.
    2. Place the rest of the ingredients, except Sambal Olek ( or red chili paste) in a blender, and blend until smooth. Stir in chili paste, to combine. Pour marinade over the chicken and marinate for 15 minutes or overnight.
    3. Pre -heat the grill to med-high.
    4. Skewer chicken ( or leave whole)
    5. Pour the left over marinade into a small pot, bring to a simmer, and simmer on low for 5-10 mins, until thickened and reduced. You will use it to baste the chicken.
    6. Place chicken on a hot, preheated, greased grill. Cover. Cook 5 minutes or longer until deep grill marks appear. Turn over, baste, cover. Once you’ve got a good sear on both sides, and both sides are basted, turn heat to low, or move to upper rack and continue cooking through.
    7. Serve with Thai Crunch Salad, or garnish with fresh mint, scallions and crushes roasted peanuts.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @feastingathome on Instagram and hashtag it #feastingathome

     

    Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home Blog

    Hey, I'm Sylvia! Professional chef, former restaurant owner and caterer, here is where I share hundreds of seasonal, globally-inspired, VEGGIE-DRIVEN recipes.Let's start cooking together! Subscribe to my latest recipes and get my free, PLANT-BASED RECIPE GUIDE.

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    Categories: Adaptable Recipes

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    Comments

    1. Laura says

      December 09, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      I have cooked this chicken on the grill many, many times – I LOVE IT!!!! Today it is cold and I wanted to try baking it in the oven. Have you ever baked rather than grilled? Any tips? Thank you so much!!

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        December 10, 2020 at 9:57 am

        Hi Laura, I haven’t baked this, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work?

        Reply
    2. Caitlin says

      August 20, 2020 at 5:52 am

      This is a phenomenal recipe! The sauce is absolutely ridiculously good, the only change I made was to half the sugar. I left the chicken thighs whole and put them over the thai crunch salad, edamame, white rice, and a bit of pickled ginger on the side. This is definitely going to become a staple in our house.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        August 20, 2020 at 7:23 am

        Glad you liked this Caitin!

        Reply
    3. Laura says

      August 02, 2020 at 7:45 pm

      Soooooo good!! I be just discovered your blog and can’t wait to make everything! This chicken is delicious!! Thank you for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Stephanie says

      August 01, 2020 at 12:08 pm

      This chicken recipe was definitely my family’s favorites!!! Everyone loved it. Another quick question- I made a lot of extra marinade. What’s the best way to store it – fridge? Freezer? And for how long?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        August 01, 2020 at 3:04 pm

        You know this marinade should keep for a couple weeks in the fridge, in a sealed jar. Or feel free to freeze.

        Reply
    5. Diane P. says

      July 30, 2020 at 6:01 pm

      So delicious! Turned out so moist and flavorful!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        July 31, 2020 at 8:25 am

        Yay Diane! Glad this worked for you! 🙌

        Reply
    6. EllieB says

      May 25, 2020 at 3:49 pm

      We had it with the salad and rice (flavored with lime, cilantro and green onion)and it was one of the best meals we have ever had!! thank you sooo much!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        May 26, 2020 at 9:02 am

        Oh awesome!

        Reply
    7. Roman says

      April 21, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      Hi Sylvia. Cooked your sambal oelek chicken with Thai salad. Oh ! Sooo delicious!!! My wife fell in love with me once again. Will be cooking it for friends after lockdown ends. Thank you.!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        April 21, 2020 at 3:24 pm

        Thanks Roman!!!

        Reply
    8. Johnny T says

      December 16, 2019 at 3:18 pm

      I tripled the sauce ingredients and substituted chicken wings and drums for the thighs. Also added lemongrass + Cilantro and substituted palm sugar instead of brown sugar. Turned out phenomenal!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        December 17, 2019 at 8:03 am

        Great to hear!

        Reply
    9. Theresa says

      July 21, 2019 at 10:39 am

      Very flavorful, even though I cut the sambal olek to 1 T total to accomodate our toddler grandson. I left the chicken thighs whole, turned out beautifully.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Em says

      April 28, 2019 at 1:48 am

      So delicious! I subbed stevia instead of sugar and it worked just as well. Beautiful recipe

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Anonymous says

      April 12, 2019 at 1:06 pm

      This was phenomenal!! SO easy and full of delicious flavor.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        April 13, 2019 at 3:10 pm

        Great to hear!

        Reply
    12. Katy says

      October 27, 2018 at 11:11 am

      This is the perfect summer dish. I have made the chicken a couple of times– always with the amazing thai crunch salad, and it’s always a hit. I love that the sweetness balances out the heat. And that the heat level is fairly adaptable to taste both in the initial ingredient list but also when basting– I add extra sauce to mine and leave it off of those who don’t love heat.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        October 27, 2018 at 3:34 pm

        Im so glad you liked it and thanks for the comment and rating! xoxo

        Reply
    13. Amy says

      June 04, 2016 at 4:50 pm

      This recipe was awesome! Just the right amount of spiciness without being too spicy. i forgot to buy ginger so I made the recipe without it – still had tons of flavor. I would put this recipe in my top 10 chicken recipes. Thanks much for sharing.

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        June 08, 2016 at 1:18 pm

        Oh awesome! thanks Amy! glad you enjoyed.

        Reply
    14. Cooks and Kid says

      April 28, 2016 at 1:13 pm

      Making this as I write. Can’t wait to eat!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Martha says

      January 11, 2016 at 4:15 pm

      This is THE BEST chicken recipe!! My family cannot get enough of this recipe. No changes needed. Thank you so much! I wish you would post more chicken recipes like this–easy to make but with *tons* of flavor.

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        January 12, 2016 at 4:50 am

        I appreciate the feedback ….and I will make a point of doing that! Thanks Martha!

        Reply
    16. Atty says

      August 06, 2015 at 10:08 am

      This looks yummy..! Must try this! Thank you for the recipe. 🙂

      Reply
      • Sylvia Fountaine says

        August 06, 2015 at 2:01 pm

        Thanks Atty, yes, it’s an easy one, tasty too….let me know what you think!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sylvia! PNW Chef & 2018 Saveur Blog Awards Finalist!
    Welcome to FEASTING AT HOME where you'll find delicious, healthy, VEGGIE-DRIVEN recipes with tips and tricks from a chef's home kitchen. A globally-inspired, seasonal, whole foods recipe blog to nurture body, mind and spirit. Join us! >> More

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