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Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

written by Marvellina Updated: December 3, 2021
10.8K
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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Learn how to make a perfect semur ayam kentang kecap on the stove or with Instant Pot pressure cooker. This one-pot recipe is easy and tasty.

Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

DUTCH-INDONESIAN BRAISED CHICKEN (SMOOR AJAM)

Making semur ayam reminds me of my grandma. I’ve mentioned before in my other post that my grandma cooked lots of Dutch-Indonesian food. Semur ayam kecap was one of the dishes she made so often. It’s easy, it’s tasty, and it’s pretty economical. Semur or known as smoor in Dutch is basically a cooking technique of braising/simmering meats (semur daging – usually beef) with onions, spices, tomatoes over a long period of time. Smoor has then been adapted and blended with local Indonesian spices and seasoning like kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) and developed into the semur the way it is now. Semur is not limited to only beef and has been used with chicken, mutton, tongue, eggs, eggplants, tofu, tempeh, vegetables, etc. Semur is definitely a popular dish among the home cooks in Indonesia.
Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

SIMPLIFIED SEMUR RECIPE

There are many slight variations in terms of spices and herbs used in making semur. My grandma semur recipe has bay leaves, ginger, nutmeg, candlenuts (kemiri), coriander seeds (ketumbar), cloves, cinnamon. Kecap manis is always used in semur kecap.
In my simplified semur recipe I use bay leaves, nutmeg powder, coriander powder (ketumbar), ginger, purple onion (shallots), garlic, and kecap manis. I use powder spices for convenience and that’s what I had in stock and the semur still turns out really tasty.
The family loves this semur ayam kecap and I love to make it too because I can make it in big batch and feed the family for 2 days!

CUT OF CHICKEN TO USE

I use drumsticks in this recipe. You can use chicken thighs or drumettes. I don’t recommend using chicken breast, but it’s just a personal preference you can certainly use it if you want.

HOW TO MAKE SEMUR AYAM FROM SCRATCH (STOVE TOP OR PRESSURE COOKER)

GRIND AROMATICS

1. Place purple onions (or shallots), ginger, and garlic in food processor

2. Grind into fine pieces

COOKING (ON THE STOVE OR INSTANT POT)

1. Preheat cooking oil in a pot (or inner pot of Instant Pot)

2. Add the ground aromatics and stir fry until really fragrant, about 3 minutes

3. Add the chicken pieces

4. Add spices and herb (coriander powder, nutmeg powder, bay leaves)

5. Add seasonings (kecap manis, coconut sugar, salt)

6. Add liquid
For pressure cooker, I only add 1/4 cup of water. The chicken will let out lots of liquid too later. If you are cooking on the stove add about 4 cups of water

7. Pressure cook on high for 18 minutes (for large drumsticks) and then release pressure immediately after. For stove-top, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let chicken simmer until cooked through, 20-30 minutes (depending on what cut of chicken you use)

8. 10 minutes before the end of cooking time on the stove, add in potato pieces. For pressure cooker, once you have release pressure, remove the chicken pieces to a serving platter, but keep the juices in the pot. Turn on saute mode and add potato pieces in and cook for another 10 minutes until potatoes are soft but not mushy

Semur ayam kentang kecap is ready to be served!
Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

HOW LONG TO PRESSURE COOK CHICKEN

Pressure cooking time is for fresh chicken. If you are using frozen, add 5 minutes to the cooking time
BONE-IN SKIN ON OR SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS: 10 minutes
BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS: 6 minutes
BONE-IN DRUMSTICKS: 18 minutes
DRUMETTES: 6 minutes
BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN BREAST: 8 minutes

Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

Semur Ayam Kentang Kecap (Chicken Potatoes Smoor)

Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Servings 4 servings
5 from 10 reviews
REVIEW & RATE PRINT

Ingredients

  • 1 kg bone-in drumsticks You can use other cut of chicken
  • 600 gr potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil
  • Water see instruction below for the amount

Grind ingredients:

  • 1 small purple onion or 8 shallots
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch fresh ginger

Spices:

  • ½ tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder

Herb:

  • 3 bay leaves (daun salam)

Seasonings:

  • 4 Tbsp kecap manis
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ tsp ground white pepper
  • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar or use brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Salt to taste

Garnish:

  • Fried crispy shallots (bawang goreng)

Instructions
 

Grind aromatics:

  • Place purple onions (or shallots), ginger, and garlic in food processor
  • Grind into fine pieces

Cooking (on stove-top of pressure cooker):

  • Preheat cooking oil in a pot or inner pot of instant pot. Press saute on instant pot to preheat oil
  • Add the ground aromatics and stir fry until really fragrant, about 3 minutes
  • Add the chicken pieces
  • Add spices and herb (coriander powder, nutmeg powder, bay leaves)
  • Add seasonings (kecap manis, light soy sauce, coconut sugar, salt)
  • For pressure cooker, I only add 1/4 cup of water. The chicken will let out lots of liquid too later. If you are cooking on the stove add about 4 cups of water. Turn off saute mode on Instant Pot
  • Pressure cook on high for 18 minutes (for large drumsticks) and then release pressure immediately after. For stove-top, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let chicken simmer until cooked through, 20-30 minutes (depending on what cut of chicken you use)
  • 10 minutes before the end of cooking time on the stove, add in potato pieces. For pressure cooker, once you have release pressure, remove the chicken pieces to a serving platter, but keep the juices in the pot. Turn on saute mode and add potato pieces in and cook for another 10 minutes until potatoes are soft but not mushy
  • Have a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. The final taste should be more on the sweet side. Add more kecap manis and/or salt if needed. Transfer to a large serving bowl
  • Garnish with bawang goreng if you want to
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you like this recipe and consider rating it! Tag me @whattocooktoday I'd love to see your photos/videos on Instagram

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5 comments

Liany October 8, 2019 - 1:57 pm

Absolutely delicious! It’s rare to hear my kid said to cook more of the same thing again next time. Seems ike I will be trying a lot of your recipes. I need more instapot recipes and found yummy ones here! Thank you Marvellina.

Reply
Marvellina October 8, 2019 - 2:53 pm

Hi Liany, wow..I’m so happy that even you kid gave approval 🙂 I hear you though, when my kids ask me to cook the same thing again, I know it is a keeper! I love my instant pot and try to use it as much as I can 🙂 Thank you for trying and for letting me know! Cheers

Reply
Liany October 8, 2019 - 1:56 pm

Absolutely delicious! It’s rare to hear my kid said to cook more of the same thing again next time. Seems ike I will be trying a lot of your recipes. Thank you Marvellina.

Reply
Adina May 6, 2019 - 7:53 am

A delicious recipe, something that especially my children would love, chicken and potatoes are always a winner. And although such a familiar dish, so different with all the spices. I would love to try it!

Reply
Marvellina May 6, 2019 - 9:06 pm

I agree with you Adina. It’s such a familiar dish, chicken and potatoes, yet every country or region seems to have its own spices and concoction to make it special

Reply
5 from 10 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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