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Malaysian-Style Grilled Lemon Grass Chicken (Ayam Percik)

Malaysian-Style Grilled Lemon Grass Chicken (Ayam Percik)

By Rose HattabaughJune 27, 2024

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1¾ hours
  • Rating

In her kitchen in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, home cook Annie Zainal Abidin taught us her method for making ayam percik, or chicken seasoned with turmeric and lemon grass and finished with a subtly tangy-sweet but rich coconut sauce. We learned there are regional versions of the dish and, to boot, many ways to approach the cooking, including two-step methods such as sear-then-roast or simmer-then-fry. We were fans of Abidin’s simple, straightforward, one-step oven-only technique, so we adapted it for an outdoor grill. Cooking over flames imparts delicious charred, smoky notes to the bone-in chicken parts, which have been smeared with an aromatic paste. We reserve some of that paste for use as the foundation of the sauce that is served with the chicken. For convenience or if you’re not ready to grill after the chicken is seasoned and the sauce is made, the parts can be covered and refrigerated for a few hours, and the sauce can be cooled and refrigerated. Let the chicken stand at room temperature while you prepare the grill so it isn’t cold when it goes onto the grill, and give the sauce a couple extra minutes to rewarm while the chicken rests after cooking. Steamed jasmine rice is an excellent accompaniment.

Tip

Don’t use coconut milk, as it is too lean for this recipe. Make sure to purchase coconut cream, which contains more fat, but don’t mistakenly choose cream of coconut, which is sweetened and used mainly in cocktails.

Ingredients
  • 2

    guajillo chilies, stemmed, seeded and torn into pieces

  • Boiling water, for soaking the chilies

  • 2

    medium shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

  • 6

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 2

    inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

  • 2

    stalks lemon grass, trimmed to the lower 6 inches, dry outer leaves discarded, roughly chopped

  • 2

    teaspoons ground turmeric

  • Kosher salt and ground white pepper

  • 1

    13½ to 15½ ounce can coconut cream

  • 3

    pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, trimmed and patted dry

  • 1

    tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 2

    tablespoons packed brown sugar

  • 2

    tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

Step 1

Place the chilies in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let stand until the chilies soften, 15 to 20 minutes, then drain. In a blender, combine the chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon white pepper and 1 cup of the coconut cream. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure 1 cup of the paste into a large bowl and add the chicken. Rub the paste into the pieces; set aside at room temperature while you make the sauce and prepare the grill.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the remaining paste and cook, stirring, until thickened and a silicone spatula drawn through the mixture leaves a trail, about 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining coconut cream and the sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and white pepper; cover and set aside.

Step 3

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high. Heat the grill, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, then clean and oil the grate. If using gas, turn off one burner, leaving the remaining burner(s) on high.

Step 4

Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook until the thickest parts of the pieces (not touching the bone) reach 165°F to 170°F, 30 to 35 minutes. Using tongs, move the chicken, still skin side up, to the hot side of the grill. Cook, uncovered, until nicely charred on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken skin side down and cook until the skin is crisped and nicely charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer skin side up to a platter and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a simmer, uncovered, over medium, stirring occasionally. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and serve the remaining sauce, along with lime wedges, on the side.

Step 6

Oven Version: Follow the recipe to make the paste, season the chicken and prepare the sauce. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the upper-middle position. While the oven heats, set a wire rack in a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet. Place the seasoned chicken, skin side up, on the rack. Roast until the thickest part of the thighs reaches 175°F, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the oven to broil. When the broiler comes up to temperature, return the chicken to the oven and cook until the skin is browned and charred in spots, another 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken skin side up to a platter; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a simmer, uncovered, over medium, stirring occasionally. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and serve the remaining sauce, along with lime wedges, on the side.