Description
Nasi Goreng is a flavorful Indonesian fried rice dish that combines tender chicken, aromatic spices, and fresh vegetables. This recipe offers a quick and satisfying meal, perfect for weeknights and packed with a delightful mix of savory and spicy undertones. Experience a taste of Southeast Asia right in your kitchen with this easy-to-follow recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast (sliced or cut into small ½-inch/1cm chunks)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (plus more for frying eggs and shallots)
- 1 small onion (diced; about ⅔ cup)
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 3 thai bird's eye chilies (chopped, optional)
- 1-3 tablespoons shrimp paste (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 4 cups cooked, cooled jasmine rice
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons kecap manis
- ¼ teaspoon msg (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 chopped scallion
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional, or to taste)
- ⅓ cup shallots (thinly sliced and fried until crispy, or use pre-fried shallots; see notes)
- fried eggs
- sliced tomatoes
- sliced cucumbers
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken pieces, cornstarch, water, and soy sauce. Marinate for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Heat the wok until just smoking and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Sear the chicken until about 80% done. Remove from the wok and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the onions and garlic. For a spicier dish, add the Thai chilies here. Stir-fry for 1 minute, until onions are translucent. Add shrimp paste and ketchup, and fry for 20 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the cooked rice and stir-fry, scraping any sticking rice with your spatula. Smash down any rice lumps as you fry. Keep the wok on high heat while adding soy sauce, kecap manis, optional MSG, and white pepper. Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the rice color is uniform.
- Add the chicken and its juices to the rice, stir-frying for another minute until heated through. Stir in the scallions and chopped Thai chilies if you didn't add them earlier. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
- Plate the rice, topping with fried shallots, a fried egg, sliced tomatoes, and cucumbers. The egg can be served sunny side up or over-easy, depending on your preference. Serve immediately.
Notes
For an extra crunch, use pre-fried shallots and sprinkle them on top just before serving.
Adjust the number of Thai bird’s eye chilies according to your spice tolerance.
Leftover rice works best for this recipe as it’s less sticky.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 75mg