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Indonesian

Opor ayam

Non-vegetarian

Chicken gently simmered in a pale, fragrant coconut sauce with coriander, galangal, lemongrass and candlenut — mild, rich and a fixture of Eid (Lebaran) tables in Indonesia.

Opor ayam is an Indonesian curry, ready in about 1 hour 10 minutes and made with chicken pieces, skin-on and coconut milk. It serves 5 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1 h 10 min
Serves
5
Level
Easy
Calories
799

Ingredients

5 servings

For the spice paste

To serve

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Blend the shallots (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, candlenuts (opens in a new tab), coriander, cumin (opens in a new tab) and white pepper (opens in a new tab) with a splash of water to a smooth paste.

  2. Step 2

    Fry the paste in the oil with the galangal (opens in a new tab), lemongrass (opens in a new tab), bay and lime leaves until fragrant and lightly golden.

  3. Step 3

    Add the chicken and turn to coat in the paste for a few minutes.

    • 4 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Pour in the coconut milk (opens in a new tab) and water, add the salt and palm sugar (opens in a new tab) and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.

    • 40 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Cook chicken until no pink remains and the juices run clear (74 °C in the thickest part).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Remove the aromatics and serve scattered with crisp fried shallots (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Java, Indonesia · Well documentedMore food from Indonesia
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered, Braised
Taste
creamy, mild, aromatic / warmly spiced, rich
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead · One-pot
Cook more with
Chicken pieces, skin-on · Coconut milk · Shallot · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Candlenut
Techniques
Simmering · Braising

Allergens

  • May contain: Tree nutsfrom candlenut

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

799 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 465 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 21%
  • Carbohydrate 8%
  • Fat 71%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy799 kcal172 kcal
Protein41.9 g9 g
Carbohydrate17.3 g3.7 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars2.6 g0.6 g
Fibre——
Fat64.2 g13.8 g
Saturated fat31.6 g6.8 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol150 mg32 mg
Sodium1097 mg236 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
883 mg
Calcium
94 mg
Iron
7.4 mg
Magnesium
122 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
83 µg
Vitamin C
9 mg
Vitamin D
0.4 µg
Vitamin B12
0.6 µg
Folate (DFE)
52 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: shallot.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): makrut lime leaves.
  • Candlenut: English walnuts (FDC 170187) used as a stand-in: candlenuts are similarly oil-rich (about 60–65 % fat); no candlenut entry exists in FDC SR Legacy.
  • Galangal: Fresh ginger used as a stand-in: no galangal entry in FDC SR Legacy, and galangal is a closely related rhizome used in similar small amounts.
  • Jaggery / palm sugar: Brown sugar (FDC 168833) used as a stand-in for unrefined cane jaggery and palm sugar.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Opor is even better the day after it is made.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the sauce hard can split the coconut milk.

Serve with

  • At Lebaran it is served with ketupat rice cakes, sayur lodeh and sambal goreng.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently until piping hot.

Variations

  • Opor kuning: A yellow version with turmeric added to the paste.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 3

Reviews & corrections

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