Here’s a simple Indonesian chicken dish, Ayam Kecap, that pairs perfectly with white rice and can be made with seasonings you probably already have at home in Japan.
Ayam means chicken, and Kecap refers to Indonesia’s sweet soy sauce, kecap manis. The combination of savory soy sauce, sweet brown sugar, and a touch of heat from red chili tastes like an Indonesian-style teriyaki sauce.
My husband said it even reminded him of Filipino adobo—and he loved it!
Ingredients
| Chicken thighs | 360g |
| Salt & pepper | about 10 shakes (to season the chicken) |
| Onion | 1/2 |
| Garlic | 2 cloves |
| Red chili | 1 (add more if you like it spicy) |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp |
| 【For the sauce】 | |
| Soy sauce | 3 tbsp |
| Vinegar | 1 tsp |
| Brown sugar (or white sugar) | 2 tsp |
| Honey | 1 tbsp |
| Water | 100ml |
How to Make
1⃣ Prep the ingredients
Thinly slice the onion, mince the garlic, and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2⃣ Cook the chicken
Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the chicken for about 3 minutes.
3⃣ Add vegetables
Add the onion, garlic, and torn red chili. Cook for another 3 minutes.
4⃣ Simmer
Pour in all the sauce ingredients and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally with a spatula so it doesn’t burn. Stop cooking when there’s still a little sauce left.
Serve it on a plate with white rice so the sauce can soak into the rice—absolutely delicious! Adding sliced cucumber or tomato on the side makes it look even nicer.
If this looks tasty, share it on Twitter/X!
And if you try making it, don’t forget to tag me—I’d be so happy to see your post!
