65-Minute Indonesian-Inspired Sweet Soy Chicken and Potatoes with Rice
An adapted Indonesian sweet soy chicken and potato braise with shallots, ginger, nutmeg and lemongrass, accompanied by plain steamed rice. The timings allow a relaxed 65-minute dinner using ordinary stovetop equipment.
A glossy, gently spiced chicken stew can make an ordinary evening feel rather well dressed. Inspired by Indonesian semur ayam, this home-kitchen adaptation uses boneless thighs and a little lemongrass, with tender potatoes catching the sweet soy sauce. Marvellina's semur at What To Cook Today informed the aromatic base and simmering technique; this is an adaptation, not a claim to one definitive regional version.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Ingredients
Method
Prepare the aromatics
Finely mince the shallots and garlic together with the ginger, using a knife or a small food processor. Prepare the lemongrass and potato chunks. Cut the chicken on a separate board; do not rinse raw chicken. Wash hands and clean the knife, board and work surface before handling cooked food. For two servings use a lidded 24 cm shallow casserole; use a smaller pan for one serving and a wider casserole for three or four.
Soften the spice base
Warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the minced shallot, garlic and ginger mixture and the bruised lemongrass. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until softened, fragrant and pale gold. Keep the garlic from turning dark.
AI-generated illustration. Coat the chicken
Add the chicken chunks. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, turning until their surfaces are mostly opaque; they will not yet be cooked through. Stir in the nutmeg and white pepper for the final 30 seconds. Do not add the sweet soy sauce to a dry, fiercely hot pan.
Braise until tender
Add the potatoes, sweet soy sauce and the braising water: 180 ml for one serving, 360 ml for two, 540 ml for three or 720 ml for four. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook over low heat for about 25 minutes, turning the pieces once halfway through, until the potatoes are easily pierced and the chicken reaches at least 74°C in the centre of the thickest pieces on a food thermometer. Keep a quiet simmer rather than a rolling boil; continue a few minutes if either chicken or potatoes need longer.
AI-generated illustration. Steam the rice alongside
While the stew simmers, rinse the rice and drain well. Put it in a small lidded saucepan with the rice water: 120 ml for one serving, 240 ml for two, 360 ml for three or 480 ml for four. Add half the measured salt. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for about 15 minutes, or follow the rice packet's absorption timing. Remove from the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff gently.
Make the sauce glossy
Uncover the tender stew and simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, stirring carefully around the potatoes, until the sauce is darker and glossy but still pools around the pieces. It should be spoonable, not a sticky glaze. Taste and add the remaining measured salt only as needed; the sauce may already be sufficiently seasoned.
AI-generated illustration. Finish the bowls
Remove and discard every piece of lemongrass. Divide the steamed rice between shallow bowls, spoon the chicken, potatoes and sauce alongside, and serve hot. Keep the finish simple: this version needs no garnish.
Good to know
- Choose waxy potatoes and cut the chunks evenly. They hold their shape during the braise; stir around them rather than crushing them with the spoon.
- Sweet soy sauce can catch as its sugars concentrate. Keep the final reduction gentle and stop while a little flowing sauce remains around the chicken.
- Bruise the lemongrass before adding it, but keep it in large, countable pieces. This releases its aroma and makes it easy to remove all the fibrous stalk before serving.
- For a small batch, use a snug pan and keep the lid on during braising. An oversized pan evaporates the sauce before the potatoes soften.
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