Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (2024)

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Total: 85 mins

Servings: 3to 4 servings

70 ratings

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Originating hundreds of years ago in the Minangkabau Highlands of Indonesia, bold and deep rendang preparations are thick stews filled with spices and packed with flavor.

Can I Use a Different Meat?

Traditionally made with beef, rendang chicken, and even lamb or goat can be used instead. It is one of Indonesia's most beloved dishes that has traveled to surrounding areas and has been integrated into other cuisines.

How is the Thai Version of Rendang Different?

The equally delicious Thai version honors the original Indonesian cooking methods but adds its own classic curry ingredients. Not considered a curry in Indonesia but rather thought of more as a stew, the Thai version is also very thick. Rendang is considered a "dry" curry, which means the sauce is reduced to a minimum. Because it is so condensed, the sauce sticks to the meat, making this dish incredibly flavorful. Not typically a very hot dish, its level of spice can be adjusted to your own taste using more or fewer red chiles.

How is the Chicken Cooked?

The chicken cooks in a mixture of aromatics, coconut milk, spices, and sweet and savory ingredients that infuse the chicken with the perfect balance of savory, sour, sweet, and spicy. Serve it with jasmine rice, coconut rice, or flatbread to scoop out the sauce.

Although not included here, this recipe is often made with additional vegetables to add bulk and texture. If you're doubling the ingredients to make more servings, we definitely recommend adding vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower florets, bean sprouts, snap peas, carrots, corn, eggplant, or bok choy.

Can I Use a Slow Cooker?

It's very easy to make this recipe in the slow cooker. Simply blend the sauce ingredients and place them in the slow cooker. Add the chicken pieces and the star anise, if using. Set the slow cooker for 3 to 3 1/2 hours on high, stirring occasionally. Place the lid askew for the final 40 minutes of cooking time so the moisture has enough time to evaporate and thicken.

Tips

  • Cut the chicken into equal-sized pieces so it cooks through simultaneously.
  • If adding vegetables, cut the harder vegetables (like carrots) into smaller pieces than the softer vegetables (like eggplant). Add to the wok with the chicken.
  • Add salt to taste, if needed, just before serving.

Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (1)

"This is a fantastic curry—deeply flavorful and easy to whip up. The ingredients list looks long, but it all gets dumped in the food processor so there's very little prep work. The curry is excellent with coconut rice (I used the rest of the can of coconut milk) and a side of sautéed greens." —Danielle Centoni

Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (2)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • 1 medium onion, quartered

  • 1 thumb-size piece galangal, or ginger

  • 1 to 3 small fresh red chile peppers, to taste

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 1/2 can unsweetened coconut milk (about 7 ounces)

  • 1/4 cup fish sauce

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemongrass

  • 1 heaping tablespoon ground coriander

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 3/4 tablespoon tamarind paste

  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste, or an additional tablespoon fish sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For the Chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, or thighs; cut into pieces

  • 2 pods star anise, optional

For Serving:

  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (3)

  2. To a food processor or blender, add 1 medium onion, quartered, 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, 1 to 3 small fresh red chile peppers, to taste, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 can unsweetened coconut milk, (about 7 ounces), 1/4 cup fish sauce, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemongrass, 1 heaping tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 3/4 tablespoon tamarind paste, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (or an additional tablespoon fish sauce), 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Process until a thick paste forms. Alternatively, if you don't have a food processor, finely chop the vegetables, add the coconut milk and spices, and whisk until combined.

    Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (4)

  3. Place the sauce in a large wok or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into pieces, and 2 pods star anise, if using. Mix well to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer. Do not cover, as you want the sauce to reduce and become thicker.

    Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (5)

  4. Reduce the heat to low and let the curry simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked and tender, about 30 minutes. The sauce will mostly reduce and coat the meat, but a little sauce will remain in the pan.

    Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (6)

  5. Bring to the table and serve directly from the wok, if desired. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, if using.

    Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (7)

How to Store

  • Store any remaining curry in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Thai Curry Paste Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
350Calories
16g Fat
15g Carbs
39g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3to 4
Amount per serving
Calories350
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g20%
Saturated Fat 11g53%
Cholesterol 99mg33%
Sodium 1783mg78%
Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
Dietary Fiber 3g9%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 20mg98%
Calcium 96mg7%
Iron 5mg29%
Potassium 674mg14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Curry
  • dinner
  • asian
  • winter

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Divinely Spiced Indonesian Rendang Chicken Curry (2024)

FAQs

How is rendang different from curry? ›

Not considered a curry in Indonesia but rather thought of more as a stew, the Thai version is also very thick. Rendang is considered a "dry" curry, which means the sauce is reduced to a minimum. Because it is so condensed, the sauce sticks to the meat, making this dish incredibly flavorful.

Is Indonesian curry spicy? ›

The country's food is often spicy but the heat is offset with sweetness from the coconuts and often a sour note too. We're attempting this balancing act in today's curry. The sauce bathing the veggies should be hot, sharp and sweet. Top it all off with golden toasted cashews and the herbal note of coriander and enjoy!

What is rendang sauce made of? ›

Originally from Indonesia though now more well known as a Malaysia curry, the sauce is made with aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom and star anise as well as fresh aromatics including lemongrass, garlic, ginger and galangal. Unlike many curries, Beef Rendang is a dry curry which means there is not loads of sauce.

What is the difference between Kari Ayam and rendang? ›

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KARI AND RENDANG

Don't be mistaken kari with the famous Indonesian Rendang Padang. Rendang is thick and not soupy like kari. Rendang also made with much more complex ingredients compared to kari.

Is rendang really spicy? ›

Rendang is a dry, spicy but not hot curry that is a traditional Indonesian beef curry. Alternatively you can buy the prepackaged spice concoctions to prepare this dish, but I promise that the extra love that goes in is worth it, regardless of whether you grow sentimental through how delicious it tastes.

Is rendang Malaysian or Indonesian? ›

Rendang is a popular dish made with meat stewed in coconut milk and spices. Believed to originate in West Sumatra, Indonesia, by the Minangkabau people, the dish is commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

What is the spiciest curry in the world? ›

1 x Carolina Reaper Curry Kit – the scariest of them all – made with the World Hottest Chilli - Carolina Reaper Chilli measures a staggering 1.5 million scoville units. 1 x Phaal Curry Kit – our second on the list – made with the Naga Ghost Chilli which also deals a spicy blow as they measure 750,000 scoville untis.

What is the difference between Indonesian and Thai curry? ›

So are they the same dish? No, they are not. Rendang curry contains beef, while massaman curry uses chicken. Massaman curry is easy to find anywhere in Thailand's traditional markets.

Why is rendang so good? ›

Rendang is made with beef that is slow-cooked in a spice paste and coconut milk for at least 3 hours which creates a flavorful taste. This dish is very famous in every part of the country even in outside of the country.

What is the signature dish of rendang? ›

Rendang, a spicy Malaysian meat dish, is slowly stewed for hours in coconut milk and aromatic spices that has been carried on and perfected over hundreds of years. Rendang or more specifically Rendang Daging is the most famous beef recipe in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

What does rendang taste like? ›

Hours of bubbling turns the protein soft and spoon-tender, taking on all the intense tropical aromatics of the coconut, chiles, and spice. And along the way, the coconut milk deepens into a nutty, buttery sweetness. Rendang slows the world down.

How healthy is rendang? ›

Comment: Although this dish is a good source of fibre and protein, it is very high in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Eating this dish provides 50% or more of the daily total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium allowance for an adult!

Is rendang a dry curry? ›

Rendang originates from Indonesia, and is now a popular dish all over the world, due to it's amazing and complex flavours. There are many different recipes out there, but most (including me!) agree that it's a slow-cooked dry curry, made with coconut milk, spices and sugar.

Why is it called Devil Curry? ›

The similarity of the words debal and devil, probably paired with spiciness of the dish, lead to it being adopted into the English language as "Devil curry". The term "deviled", in reference to food is often used with spicy or zesty food, including foods prepared with mustard as an ingredient.

What is special about rendang? ›

The long cooking process of rendang has its own philosophy about patience, wisdom, and sincerity. Proper choice of beef, spice mix, control of heat, cooking duration, and stirring technique affect the taste of rendang. Traditionally, rendang is served during special occasions and to special people.

How does rendang taste like? ›

Rendang, an Indonesian flavour-bomb that explodes in your mouth. Rendang is a spicy meat dish that has its origins in the Sumatra region in Indonesia. The incredible aroma of the fried curry leaves and the coconut shards add the perfect flavour and texture to the dish.

What is the difference between a rendang and a massaman curry? ›

Rendang curry contains beef, while massaman curry uses chicken. Massaman curry is easy to find anywhere in Thailand's traditional markets. The vendors scoop the curry from large cast iron pots and serve it to customers in plastic bags.

Is rendang curry paste the same as red curry paste? ›

If you tasted Thai / Malaysian / Indonesian food, the taste of Rendang is very similar to Red Curry. The Rendang gravy is thicker. The flavours are quite complex, as in all SE Asian gravy dishes. It is spicy, with recognizable flavours of lemon grass, galangal, turmeric, fish paste, palm jaggery etc.

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