Recipes

Yellow Spice Fried Chicken Recipe

Name: Yellow Spice Fried Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 50 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces; 500 ml Nabati Cermelang cooking oil (for frying); 2 bay leaves; 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised; 2 cm galangal, bruised; 300 ml water; Salt and bouillon powder to taste; 8 shallots; 5 cloves garlic; 4 candlenuts, toasted; 2 cm ginger; 3 cm turmeric, toasted; 1 tbsp coriander powder

Yellow Spice Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng Bumbu Kuning) is one of the most fundamental and essential side dishes in Indonesian culinary tradition. Nearly every region has its own version, but the core remains the same: chicken that is simmered in a rich yellow spice paste before being fried.

Published November 14, 2025

Quick 50 Minutes

Serves 4 Servings

Difficulty Easy

Scroll for full method, ingredients, and chef’s notes.

Ingredients

What you need

Gather everything first for a smoother cooking flow.

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
500 ml Nabati Cermelang cooking oil (for frying)
2 bay leaves
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
2 cm galangal, bruised
300 ml water
Salt and bouillon powder to taste
8 shallots
5 cloves garlic
4 candlenuts, toasted
2 cm ginger
3 cm turmeric, toasted
1 tbsp coriander powder

Method

Step-by-step

1
Place the chicken, spice paste, bay leaves, lemongrass, and galangal in a wok.
2
Pour in the water, add salt and bouillon powder. Stir well.
3
Cook (simmer or 'ungkep') the chicken on medium-low heat, covered.
4
Cook until the chicken is fully cooked, tender, and the water has completely reduced. This process allows the spices to infuse deep into the bone.
5
Remove the chicken and let it cool and dry slightly on the surface.
6
Heat a generous amount of Nabati Cermelang cooking oil over medium-high heat.
7
Fry the chicken in the hot oil. Important: The chicken is already cooked, so this frying process is very fast, only 1-2 minutes per side.
8
The purpose of frying is to get a crispy skin texture and a beautiful golden-yellow color from the caramelized spices.
9
Immediately remove the chicken once the skin looks crisp and golden. Do not over-fry, or the chicken will become tough and dry.
10
Drain the oil and serve warm with sambal and fresh vegetables.

Chef’s Notes

Tips & extra guidance

Yellow Spice Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng Bumbu Kuning) is one of the most fundamental and essential side dishes in Indonesian culinary tradition. Nearly every region has its own version, but the core remains the same: chicken that is simmered in a rich yellow spice paste before being fried. Its primary strength lies in the "ungkep" process, where a spice paste of turmeric, candlenut, coriander, and garlic is perfectly absorbed into the meat. The bright yellow color from the turmeric not only provides a beautiful appearance but also a distinctive aroma.

Although the simmering process already cooks the chicken, the frying stage is the finishing touch that perfects this dish. This is where high-quality cooking oil plays a key role. This well-spiced chicken doesn't need to be cooked in the oil, but rather just needs a "heat shock" to create texture. Nabati Cermelang cooking oil, which has a high smoke point, is ideal for this task. The hot oil will instantly "seize" the chicken's surface, creating a crisp, crunchy skin in an instant.

This rapid frying process also serves to caramelize the remnants of the spice paste clinging to the chicken's surface. The garlic, candlenut, and coriander that hit the hot oil will release a much more fragrant and intense aroma. Using a quality oil like Nabati Cermelang ensures that the pure flavor of the yellow spices is what stands out, not a heavy taste from the oil. A heat-stable oil also prevents the chicken from absorbing excess grease, so the result is not greasy.

The final result is a perfect textural paradox: an outer skin that is crispy and savory, thanks to the spices caramelized by the hot oil, yet the meat inside remains incredibly tender, moist, and laden with the flavor of the yellow spices. This Yellow Spice Fried Chicken recipe is the foundation for many other dishes and is proof that the right frying technique is an art that elevates a simple home-cooked meal into a restaurant-class dish.