Healthy Ayam Penyet
A lighter version of the familiar favourite, baked instead of deep-fried and served with fresh sambal, vegetables and a sensible portion of white rice.
About This Recipe
Ayam Penyet is known for its bold sambal and satisfying flavours. This lighter version keeps the familiar character of the dish while reducing unnecessary added oil. The chicken is baked or air-fried instead of deep-fried, then served with fresh vegetables, homemade sambal and a moderate portion of white rice.
It is designed as a practical everyday meal rather than a strict “diet” version, so you can still enjoy familiar flavours while creating a more balanced plate.
Ingredients
- 2 skinless chicken leg quarters or large chicken thighs
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder — Baba's or equivalent
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder — Baba's or equivalent
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon less-salt soy sauce — Kikkoman Less Salt or equivalent
- 1 teaspoon canola or other neutral cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 6–8 red chillies, adjusted to taste
- 3 shallots
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 medium tomato
- ½ teaspoon toasted belacan
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon canola oil — Knife or equivalent
- 1 cup cooked white rice, divided between 2 servings
- Fresh cucumber, sliced
- Long beans or another green vegetable
- Fresh tomato, sliced
How to Make Healthy Ayam Penyet
Prepare the chicken
Mix the garlic, coriander, turmeric, cumin, salt, less-salt soy sauce, oil and lime juice. Rub the marinade evenly over the chicken and leave for at least 15 minutes.
Cook the chicken
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the chicken on a lined baking tray and bake for about 25–30 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and lightly browned. Alternatively, air-fry at around 180°C for approximately 20–22 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken.
Prepare the sambal
Blend or pound the chillies, shallots, garlic, tomato and belacan. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small pan, add the sambal mixture and cook for 5–7 minutes until fragrant and the tomato softens. Finish with lime juice.
Prepare the vegetables
Lightly blanch or boil the long beans until just tender. Slice the cucumber and tomato and keep them fresh for serving.
Assemble and serve
Gently press the cooked chicken to recreate the familiar “penyet” presentation. Divide the rice between two plates and serve with chicken, sambal and plenty of vegetables.
Baking or air-frying instead of deep-frying can considerably reduce the amount of added cooking oil while still giving the chicken a lightly browned outside.
Nutrition values are approximate and can vary according to ingredient brands, chicken size, rice portion and preparation.
- Less Added Oil — baked or air-fried rather than deep-fried.
- Balanced Plate — chicken, vegetables and a moderate serving of rice.
- Portion Conscious — familiar foods without unnecessarily oversized portions.
- Choose skinless chicken to reduce added fat.
- Reduce sambal quantity if you prefer a less spicy meal.
- Add more cucumber, long beans or leafy vegetables.
- White rice is completely fine in a balanced portion. Brown or mixed rice can also be used if preferred.
- Refrigerate cooked chicken and sambal separately in clean airtight containers.
- For best quality, consume refrigerated leftovers within about 3 days.
- Reheat the chicken thoroughly in an oven or air-fryer.
- Reheat the sambal separately until steaming hot.
This recipe and its nutrition information are provided for general educational purposes only. Individual nutritional needs can differ. If you have a medical condition, food allergy or specific dietary requirement, seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional.