Balinese Sambal Matah Chicken
Photo: David Tumpal on Pexels
Balinese

Balinese Sambal Matah Chicken

Balinese Sambal Chicken

Bali's most celebrated fresh chilli condiment — sambal matah (raw lemongrass, shallot, kaffir lime leaf and bird's eye chilli sambal) — piled over crispy grilled or pan-seared chicken thighs with steamed rice. The raw sambal brings explosive, bright heat without cooking.

Total
50 min
Serves
4
Level
Medium

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Ingredients

4 servings

Method

  1. Season chicken with salt. Heat coconut oil in a grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat. Cook chicken skin-side down 8 minutes; flip and cook 10 more minutes until skin is deeply golden and chicken cooked through.

    About 5 min

  2. Sambal matah: combine finely sliced shallots, lemongrass, chillies, kaffir lime leaves, garlic and toasted shrimp paste in a bowl.

    About 14 min

  3. Pour the warm coconut oil over the sambal — this semi-wilts the shallots and blooms the shrimp paste. Add lime juice and salt. Toss.

    About 14 min

  4. The sambal should be vivid, bright, fragrant and sharply spicy — it is raw, not cooked. Taste and adjust lime and salt.

    About 14 min

  5. Pile sambal matah generously over the hot grilled chicken. Serve with steamed rice and a wedge of lime.

    About 3 min

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Calories
480
Protein
36 g
Carbs
40 g
Fat
22 g
Fibre
2 g
Sugar
4 g
Sodium
620 mg

Contains: shellfish

Recipe by Boon Tools.