This Malaysian Malay-Style Chicken Rice, also known as Nasi Ayam, is one of my favorite comfort foods that never fails to make me feel at home. I love how each element of this dish—the fragrant turmeric rice, tender baked chicken, aromatic soup, and flavorful sauces—comes together perfectly in one comforting meal. It’s a recipe that I make whenever I want to bring the warm, familiar taste of Malaysian home cooking to my table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love this recipe because it’s rich in flavor yet simple once I’ve prepped the ingredients. The chicken turns out juicy and beautifully glazed with oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, and Sriracha, while the rice is perfectly infused with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise. The soup adds warmth and balance, and the chili and soy sauces bring that extra layer of flavor that makes the dish complete. Once everything is served hot, it’s pure comfort on a plate.
Ingredients
(Here’s a tip: Check out the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
Baked Chicken
8 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 handful cilantro, roughly minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Rice
3 cups uncooked rice, rinsed
4 slices ginger
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
4 cardamom pods
1 1/2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Soup
2 shallots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 inch ginger, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
4 cardamom pods
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
Spicy Sauce
4 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Soy Sauce Drizzle
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1/2 cup soup
Other Ingredients
Cucumber, sliced
Tomato, sliced
Directions
Baked Chicken
I start by marinating the chicken thighs with oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, Sriracha, ketchup, cilantro, and garlic for at least 30 minutes. Then I preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). I bake the chicken covered for 30 minutes, then uncover it and continue baking for another 25 minutes until golden and slightly crisp. I love brushing the chicken with its drippings before serving—it adds a glossy finish and boosts flavor.
Rice
I rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then add a 1:1 ratio of water and rice. I stir in ginger slices, turmeric powder, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon stick, salt, and butter. Once cooked, the rice turns out fragrant and full of flavor.
Soup
In a pot, I sauté shallots, garlic, and ginger in a bit of oil over medium heat until aromatic. Then I add the cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom, chicken broth, and water. I let it come to a gentle boil, season with salt, and finish it with fresh cilantro if I have some on hand.
Spicy Sauce
I combine chili garlic sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. This gives me a sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce that pairs perfectly with the chicken.
Soy Sauce Drizzle
I mix light soy sauce with a bit of soup to create a savory drizzle that enhances the rice when served.
Serving
I plate the rice first, top it with baked chicken, and serve the soup on the side with cucumber and tomato slices. I love to drizzle some soy sauce over the rice and dip the chicken in the spicy sauce.
Servings and Timing
This recipe serves 4 people. Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Variations
Fried Chicken: Sometimes I fry the chicken instead of baking it for extra crispiness.
Poached Chicken: For a lighter version, I poach the chicken and use the broth for the soup.
Vegetarian Option: I substitute tofu or tempeh for chicken and use vegetable broth.
Aromatic Rice: I occasionally add pandan leaves or lemongrass to the rice for extra fragrance.
Spicier Sauce: I increase the Sriracha or add chopped chilies to the sauce when I want more heat.
Storage/Reheating
I like to store each component separately in airtight containers. The chicken and rice keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge, and the soup stays fresh for up to 4 days. When reheating, I steam or microwave the rice with a splash of water, reheat the chicken in the oven to retain its texture, and warm the soup on the stove over low heat.
FAQs
How is Malay-Style Chicken Rice different from Hainanese Chicken Rice?
Malay-Style Chicken Rice uses more spices and flavorings, and the chicken is baked or fried instead of poached, giving it a deeper color and taste.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, I can use chicken breast, though I prefer thighs because they remain tender and juicy after baking.
What sides go best with Nasi Ayam?
I enjoy it with pickled vegetables, sambal, or a light salad for freshness.
Can I make the sauces in advance?
Yes, I often prepare both sauces a day earlier. The flavors deepen after resting in the fridge.
How can I tone down the spiciness?
I reduce the Sriracha in the marinade and the chili garlic sauce in the spicy dip for a milder version.
Conclusion
This Malaysian Malay-Style Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam) is a beautiful balance of flavors and textures—fragrant rice, savory chicken, aromatic soup, and zesty sauces. Every bite reminds me of home-cooked meals shared with family and friends. Whether I prepare it for a festive occasion or simply for a comforting dinner, it’s always satisfying and worth the effort.
Malaysian Malay-Style Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam) is a comforting, flavor-packed dish featuring baked spiced chicken, turmeric-infused rice, aromatic soup, and two signature sauces. A satisfying meal that’s hearty, fragrant, and deeply nostalgic.
Ingredients
8 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 handful cilantro, roughly minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups uncooked rice, rinsed
4 slices ginger
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
4 cardamom pods
1 1/2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 inch ginger, sliced
1 cinnamon stick (soup)
2 star anise (soup)
4 cardamom pods (soup)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (soup)
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water (soup)
4 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1/2 cup soup (for soy drizzle)
Cucumber, sliced
Tomato, sliced
Instructions
Marinate chicken with oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, Sriracha, ketchup, cilantro, and garlic for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake chicken covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 25 minutes until golden. Brush with pan drippings before serving.
Rinse rice and cook with water, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, salt, and butter until fluffy and fragrant.
In a pot, sauté shallots, garlic, and ginger in oil. Add spices, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a simmer and season with salt.
Combine chili garlic sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar to make spicy sauce. Stir until sugar dissolves.
Mix light soy sauce with 1/2 cup of the soup for a soy sauce drizzle.
To serve, plate rice with baked chicken, sliced cucumber, and tomato. Serve soup on the side. Drizzle soy sauce over rice and use spicy sauce for dipping.
Notes
Fry the chicken for a crispier texture if preferred.
Poach chicken for a lighter version and use the broth for soup.
Use tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian option with vegetable broth.
Add pandan leaves or lemongrass to rice for more aroma.
