Ayam Kecap + Nasi Goreng
Indonesian sweet soy chicken + fried rice — 4 portions, dinner tonight + lunch tomorrow
Ayam kecap based on Wandercooks; nasi goreng based on RecipeTin Eats — both adapted for your fridge and equipment
Macros per portion (est.) — chicken + rice combined
Carbs
~55g
rice + kecap manis
Macros shift meaningfully depending on how much kecap manis glaze is applied and whether skin is eaten.
Shopping list
Sam's Club
Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs4 thighs (~850g)
Eggsalready have
H Mart
Shallots3 (~80g)
Garlic6 cloves (~20g)
Fresh ginger30g
Bird's eye chilies4–6 (~10g)
Shrimp paste (belacan/terasi)10g
Already in your pantry
Kecap manis90g total
Soy sauce (regular)30g
Oyster sauce20g
Fish sauce15g
Sesame oil10g
Neutral oil30g
Galangal (sliced)20g — already have
Lime1 — already have
Green onionalready have
Cilantroalready have
Cherry tomatoesalready have
Cooked ricealready have
Shrimp paste (terasi/belacan) is the one ingredient that really shouldn't be skipped for nasi goreng — it's what separates it from generic fried rice. H Mart will carry it. If you genuinely can't find it, fish sauce is the best substitute but the depth won't be the same.
Ingredient batches
Bowl A — marinade (combine, rub all over chicken, rest 20–30 min)
Kecap manis50g
Soy sauce20g
Oyster sauce20g
Fish sauce15g
Galangal, grated or finely minced20g
Garlic, minced10g (3 cloves)
Ginger, grated15g
Lime juice15g
Black pepper2g
Bowl B — basting glaze (brush on at the end)
Kecap manis20g
Sesame oil10g
Method
1
Marinate
Pierce chicken all over with a fork — this helps the marinade penetrate. Rub Bowl A all over the thighs. Rest at room temp for 20–30 min (or up to overnight in the fridge).
2
Air fryer — 200°C / 390°F
Place thighs skin-side up. Cook for 22–25 minutes until skin is deep brown and lacquered. Internal temp should reach 75°C / 165°F. No flipping needed.
3
Last 3 min
Brush Bowl B (kecap + sesame oil) over the skin and cook a final 3 minutes. The kecap will caramelize and go sticky — watch closely, it can burn fast.
4
Rest 5 min
Rest before serving. The glaze firms up as it cools slightly.
Ingredient batches
Bowl C — aromatics (cook first)
Shallots, finely minced80g
Garlic, minced10g (3 cloves)
Bird's eye chilies, minced10g
Shrimp paste (terasi)10g
Bowl D — sauce (add with rice)
Cooked rice (day-old, clumps broken up)750g
Kecap manis30g
Soy sauce15g
Fish sauce10g
Bowl E — finish + garnish
Green onion, sliced30g
Cilantro, rough chop15g
Cherry tomatoes, halved100g
Lime wedgesto serve
Eggs (1 per portion, fried)4 eggs
Method
1
Wok — high heat
Heat 20g neutral oil until smoking. Add Bowl C (shallots, garlic, chili, shrimp paste). Stir fry for 2–3 minutes until deeply fragrant and golden. The shrimp paste should smell toasty, not raw.
2
High heat
Add cooked rice (break up any clumps first) and pour over Bowl D (sauces). Toss and press the rice against the wok — you want it to caramelize and go dark brown, not steam. 3–4 minutes.
3
2 min
Push rice to the side. Add 10g oil to the centre, crack in eggs and scramble loosely, then fold into the rice before they fully set. Alternatively, fry eggs separately and place on top of each serving.
4
Off heat
Fold through green onion and cilantro from Bowl E. Serve topped with a fried egg (if doing separately), cherry tomatoes on the side, lime wedge to squeeze over.
Timing: start the chicken marinade first, then prep nasi goreng ingredients while it marinates. The nasi goreng takes about 10 minutes of active cooking — time it to finish while the chicken rests. Dishes used: air fryer basket, wok, 5 prep bowls.
Reheating tomorrow: nasi goreng reheats perfectly in the wok with a splash of water. Chicken is best reheated in the air fryer at 180°C for 5 minutes to re-crisp the skin.