
Sambal Chicken Recipe Without Sauce | Malaysian Chilli Chicken Recipe with Video Recipe.
Sambal chicken isn’t just any ordinary recipe – it’s a MAGICAL combination of Indonesian flavors that has been winning hearts across the globe. The beautiful red sauce gets its incredible taste from a mixture of chilies, garlic, ginger, & other SECRET ingredients that create an explosion of flavor in every single bite. Whether you’re cooking for your family on a busy weeknight or trying to impress guests at a dinner party, this dish will definitely become your new FAVORITE go-to recipe.
In this blogpost, we’ll explore everything you need to know about making the most delicious sambal chicken right in your own kitchen. We’ll start by understanding what makes sambal sauce so special, then dive into the step-by-step cooking process that even beginners can follow easily. You’ll also discover helpful tips & tricks that will make your chicken turn out PERFECTLY every single time. Plus, we’ll share some creative serving suggestions that will make your meal look like it came from a fancy restaurant!
What Makes Sambal Sauce So SPECIAL?
Sambal sauce is like the superhero of all spicy sauces! This incredible condiment comes from Indonesia & Malaysia, where families have been making it for hundreds of years using recipes passed down through generations. The word “sambal” actually means “sauce” in the local language, but this isn’t just any regular sauce – it’s a POWERFUL blend of ingredients that creates magic on your tongue.
The main ingredient in sambal sauce is chilies, but not just one type. Traditional recipes use different kinds of chilies to create layers of heat & flavor that build up slowly as you eat. Some chilies add sweetness, others bring the FIRE, & some contribute a smoky taste that makes everything more interesting. When these chilies are combined with fresh garlic, ginger, shallots, & tomatoes they create a sauce, that is called as sambal sauce.
What makes sambal sauce even more AMAZING is how it changes when you cook it with chicken. The sauce doesn’t just sit on top of the meat – it actually soaks into every fiber, making each bite incredibly flavorful.
Making perfect sambal chicken might seem scary at first, but it’s actually much easier than you think! The SECRET is to break everything down into simple steps & take your time with each part of the process. Please follow my recipe for making perfect sambal chicken.
So what are you waiting for? Head to your kitchen, gather those ingredients, & start creating your own batch of INCREDIBLE sambal chicken! Your family & friends will be amazed by your cooking skills, & you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve mastered one of the most delicious & exciting recipes in the world. Don’t forget to share your results & let everyone know how this amazing dish turned out for you!
Sambal Chicken Ingredients
Dried Redchillies-10
Chicken-1 kg
Turmeric Powder-1 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Shallots-10
Garlic Cloves-8
Lemon grass pieces-2
Tomatoes-3 (Chopped)
Oil-1/2 Cup
Cardamom-6
Cloves-6
Cinnamon Sticks-3 pieces
Onion-1 (Chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste-2 tsp
Coriander Leaves-Chopped
How To Make Sambal Chicken
Sambal Paste Preparation
- Firstly, heat 1 Cup water in a pan. Add 10 dried red chillies in it. Boil it for 10 minutes and switch off the flame. Cover and soak red chillies for 30 minutes to soften and plump up.
- Next take a blender add 10 shallots, 8 garlic cloves, 2 lemon grass pieces, soaked dry red chilies and 1 tomato in it, then grind it into a smooth paste. Sambal Paste is now ready.
Chicken Marination
- Take 1 kg chicken in a bowl. Add 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp salt in it and mix well.
- Marinate it for at least 30 minutes.
Cooking Sambal Chicken
- Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan. Fry the marinated chicken pieces until it’s half cooked. Take it out.
- In the same oil, add 6 cardamom, 6 cloves, 3 pieces cinnamon sticks, 1 chopped onion, salt and ginger garlic paste.
- Saute it till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste is gone.
- Then add 2 chopped tomatoes and saute it till the tomatoes are cooked well.
- Once tomatoes are cooked well, add the sambal paste and stir well.
- Add 1 cup water and salt to taste and mix well.
- Then add 2 lemon grass pieces in it. Close it with a lid and cook it for 20 minutes on low flame.
- Further add the fried chicken pieces in it and mix it well.
- Add 1/2 cup water and salt as needed in it and mix well.
- Close it with a lid and cook it for 10 minutes.
- Finally add the chopped coriander leaves for garnishing and mix
- Sambal Chicken is now ready to serve.
Pro Tips for PERFECT Results Every Time
The difference between good sambal chicken & absolutely AMAZING sambal chicken often comes down to small details that many people overlook. One of the most important secrets is choosing the right type of chicken pieces. While you can use any part of the chicken, thighs & drumsticks work much better than breast meat because they have more fat & stay juicy even after cooking for a longer time. The extra fat also helps the sambal sauce stick better & creates that beautiful glossy finish you see in restaurants.
Temperature control is another CRUCIAL factor that can make or break your dish. Many home cooks make the mistake of using heat that’s either too high or too low. When the heat is too high, the outside of the chicken burns while the inside stays raw, & the sambal sauce becomes bitter instead of sweet & spicy. When the heat is too low, everything takes forever to cook & you lose that important caramelization that makes the dish so DELICIOUS.
Here’s a SECRET trick that professional chefs use: marinate your chicken pieces in a little bit of salt & cornstarch for at least 30 minutes before cooking. The salt helps the meat absorb flavors better, while the cornstarch creates a light coating that helps the sambal sauce stick perfectly to every piece. This simple step makes such a huge difference that you’ll wonder why you never did it before!
Another important tip is to taste your sambal paste before adding it to the chicken. Every batch of chilies is different – some are spicier, others are milder, & some have more natural sweetness. By tasting the paste first, you can adjust the flavors by adding more sugar for sweetness, a pinch of salt for balance, or even a squeeze of lime juice for extra ZING. Remember, it’s much easier to fix the flavors in the paste than trying to adjust them later when everything is mixed together.
Serving Suggestions
Once your sambal chicken is ready, the fun part begins – deciding how to serve this MASTERPIECE! The traditional way is to serve it over steamed white rice, which helps balance out the spicy & sweet flavors while soaking up all that delicious sauce.
One FANTASTIC serving idea is to use your sambal chicken as a filling for soft tacos or wraps. Add some fresh lettuce, sliced cucumbers, & a dollop of cooling yogurt or sour cream to balance out the heat. The contrast between the cool, crisp vegetables & the warm, spicy chicken creates an incredible eating experience that’s both satisfying & refreshing. You can also add some pickled vegetables like carrots or radishes for extra crunch & tanginess.
Sambal Chicken Video Recipe
Recipe Card
Sambal Chicken Recipe Without Sauce | Malaysian Chilli Chicken Recipe
Course: Chicken recipes4
servings10
minutes30
minutesIngredients
Dried Redchillies-10
Chicken-1 kg
Turmeric Powder-1 tsp
Salt-1 tsp
Shallots-10
Garlic Cloves-8
Lemon grass pieces-2
Tomatoes-3 (Chopped)
Oil-1/2 Cup
Cardamom-6
Cloves-6
Cinnamon Sticks-3 pieces
Onion-1 (Chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste-2 tsp
Coriander Leaves-Chopped
Directions
- Firstly, heat 1 Cup water in a pan. Add 10 dried red chillies in it. Boil it for 10 minutes and switch off the flame. Cover and soak red chillies for 30 minutes to soften and plump up.
- Next take a blender add 10 shallots, 8 garlic cloves, 2 lemon grass pieces, soaked dry red chilies and 1 tomato in it, then grind it into a smooth paste. Sambal Paste is now ready.
- Take 1 kg chicken in a bowl. Add 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp salt in it and mix well.
- Marinate it for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan. Fry the marinated chicken pieces until it’s half cooked. Take it out.
- In the same oil, add 6 cardamom, 6 cloves, 3 pieces cinnamon sticks, 1 chopped onion, salt and ginger garlic paste.
- Saute it till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste is gone.
- Then add 2 chopped tomatoes and saute it till the tomatoes are cooked well.
- Once tomatoes are cooked well, add the sambal paste and stir well.
- Add 1 cup water and salt to taste and mix well.
- Then add 2 lemon grass pieces in it. Close it with a lid and cook it for 20 minutes on low flame.
- Further add the fried chicken pieces in it and mix it well.
- Add 1/2 cup water and salt as needed in it and mix well.
- Close it with a lid and cook it for 10 minutes.
- Finally add the chopped coriander leaves for garnishing and mix
- Sambal Chicken is now ready to serve.
Recipe Video
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