Ayam Pop Padang (Pressure Cooker)

Chicken pieces are cooked in aromatic spices, seasonings, and coconut water and then briefly pan-fried (or air-fried) are popular chicken dish originated in Padang, West Sumatra. Both pressure cooker and stove-top method included.

Ayam Pop Padang (Pressure Cooker)

PADANG TWICE-COOKED CHICKEN

Many of the Indonesian chicken recipes are actually twice-cooked. They are usually either boiled or stewed (or pressure cooked in my case) and then fried. The first cooking is usually to infuse the aroma of spices and seasonings and the frying part, well, just so that they taste even better 😉

HOW AYAM POP PADANG IS MADE

Traditionally, whole chicken is used. The whole chicken is then cut into pieces and then boiled in spices, seasonings, and coconut water (NOT coconut milk). Coconut water is used a lot in Indonesian cooking too. Pretty much every part of coconut is being utilized to its max. For simplicity and convenience, I prefer to use chicken pieces like all drumsticks, or all chicken thighs, or all chicken wings. Not everyone wants to deal with a whole chicken.
After the chicken is cooked, the next step is to briefly fry the chicken.
Ayam pop usually has this white pale appearance, some calls it ayam (chicken) putih (white). After a brief pan frying, the chicken pieces pick up some light golden brown color. So, ayam pop is not meant to be fried until crispy golden brown. The frying part is just to lightly color the chicken and to enhance the taste.

WHAT’S WITH THE NAME “POP”

Ayam pop is originated in Padang, West Sumatra, and named as such because of the “pop..pop..pop” sounds it makes when you fried the chicken, you know….when liquid and oil comes into contact! Yup, that’s how it was named 🙂

MY VERSION OF AYAM POP: PRESSURE COOKED AND AIR FRIED

I like authentic and traditional Indonesian recipes, but in this modern day, I feel like it’s nice to simplify the process whenever possible without losing the original taste. I love using Instant Pot pressure cooker any chance I have too. Pressure cooking the chicken also saves times and more flavor than just boiling the chicken. The chicken pieces are perfectly tender without being overcooked. I like to use an air fryer to lightly brown the chicken pieces too. It’s so much more convenient and yes, while you may argue that I won’t have the “pop” sounds, but all that matter is the end result right? 😉

Ayam Pop being marinated

Ayam Pop right after being pressure cooked

Ayam Pop before pan frying (or air frying in my case)

And of course, you can’t eat ayam pop Padang without the sambal! I know I looked a bit barbaric by using my hands to eat rice, but this is a pretty common scene in Indonesia, not when you eat Indonesian Chinese food, but more often than not with the native Indonesians.

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Pressure Cooker Ayam Pop Padang

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

marinade chicken 1 hour hr

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

5 from 3 reviews

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Ingredients

  

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• 3 lbs Bone-in chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 800 ml coconut water original flavor and unsweetened
• 4 Tbsp cooking oil for pan frying

Aromatics:

• 5 Lime leaves
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1 Lemongrass
• 1 inch galangal
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 Tbsp tamarind paste

Marinade ingredients:

• 6 candlenuts or use macadamia nuts
• 10 cloves garlic
• 5 shallots
• 1 tbsp salt

Sambal chili:

• 7 cayenne pepper
• 3 bird's eye chili
• 4 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 large tomato
• 1 ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 50 ml chicken broth or water
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil

Instructions

 

Marinade the chicken:

• Rub lemon juice all over the chicken pieces. Let stand for 5 minutes when you prepare other things
• Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor and process into a paste. Add a bit water to get it going if needed. Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces and rub into them. Cover and let it marinade for at least 1 hour or overnight

Prepare the chili sauce (can be prepared the day before):

• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add cayenne pepper, bird's eye chili, shallots, garlic, and tomato. Cook for about 5 minutes. Discard water
• Place this in a food processor and process until fine along with sugar, salt, chicken broth/water
• Preheat a small saucepan with 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Add the chili mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat into a small bowl or glass container. Let it cool down and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week

Cooking the chicken with Instant Pot pressure cooker:

• Place the chicken pieces in the inner pot of Instant Pot. Pour in the coconut water. Add the aromatics. Close the lid. Turn steam release valve to seal. Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on high pressure. Set timer to 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, release pressure immediately
• Unlock the lid and carefully transfer the chicken pieces out and let them cool down before pan frying them. You can save the stock for other use if you want to (I save it to make chicken noodle soup). Proceed to pan frying

Cooking the chicken on the stove:

• Place the chicken pieces in a large pot. Pour in the coconut water. Add the aromatics. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let it gently simmer until the chicken pieces are cooked through and the meat is tender. Add a bit of coconut water if the liquid evaporates before the chicken pieces are cooked through, about 25-30 minutes, depending on how big the chicken pieces are. Proceed to pan frying

Pan frying the chicken pieces:

• Heat about 4 Tbsp of cooking oil on a pan. When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken pieces to briefly pan fry them. We won't be frying them until golden brown, but just to give them some light brown color
• Remove and serve with sambal chili sauce

Air frying the chicken pieces: (if you choose not to pan fry)

• Lightly brush the chicken pieces with some cooking oil. Place in the air fryer basket, preferably in one layer, so you may need to do this in batches. Set temperature to 375 F and air fry for 8-10 minutes or until you are happy with the color. Remember that they are only supposed to be light golden brown in color

Recommended products:

Instant Pot

Dutch Oven

air fryer

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