Name: Instant Pot Chicken Rendang (Rendang Ayam)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups roughly chopped shallots or red onion (6 ounces/180 g); 5 medium garlic cloves, peeled; 1-inch (2.5-cm) knob fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped; 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh galangal, peeled and chopped; 1 plump lemongrass stalk, prepped and chopped into rings; 3 fresh long red chiles trimmed, seeded if desired, and chopped; 3 Tbsp. ground red chili (see Cooks' Note); 1 tsp. ground turmeric; 2 tsp. fine sea salt; 1½ to 2 pounds (675 to 900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts; 1 (13½-ounce/400-ml) can coconut milk (unshaken); 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece galangal, peeled and sliced into 3 or 4 coins; 1 plump lemongrass stalk, prepped, chopped into 3 sections; 5 makrut lime leaves, torn in half and crumpled to release essential oils, or zest from 1 large lime; 1 Tbsp. coconut sugar or 2 tsp. brown sugar; ⅓ cup (35 g) finely shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)

Prep Time
20 minutes
Active Time
1 hour, 5 minutes
Total Time
1 hour, 25 minutes

Rendang is a slow-cooked dish that requires hours of stovetop nursing. It was only when I bought an Instant Pot that I even entertained the idea of making it myself. And when I did, I decided to make a chicken version—rendang ayam—rather than the usual beef rendang. I prefer using chicken thighs because they don’t dry out as easily, but use chicken breasts if you prefer them. You can also use bone-in chicken parts for this dish; you’ll need to increase the cook time to 15 minutes.

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

Spice paste:

2 cups roughly chopped shallots or red onion (6 ounces/180 g)

5 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1-inch (2.5-cm) knob fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh galangal, peeled and chopped

1 plump lemongrass stalk, prepped and chopped into rings

3 fresh long red chiles trimmed, seeded if desired, and chopped

3 Tbsp. ground red chili (see Cooks' Note)

1 tsp. ground turmeric

2 tsp. fine sea salt

Rendang:

1½ to 2 pounds (675 to 900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

1 (13½-ounce/400-ml) can coconut milk (unshaken)

1-inch (2.5-cm) piece galangal, peeled and sliced into 3 or 4 coins

1 plump lemongrass stalk, prepped, chopped into 3 sections

5 makrut lime leaves, torn in half and crumpled to release essential oils, or zest from 1 large lime

1 Tbsp. coconut sugar or 2 tsp. brown sugar

⅓ cup (35 g) finely shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Make the spice paste. Blitz the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, fresh chiles, chili powder and salt in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen the paste as needed.
Step 2
Select SAUTÉ and set to MEDIUM/NORMAL. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the pot is hot, add the spice paste, stir and cook until it turns a few shades darker, and the oil separates from the paste forming two distinct layers, 3 to 4 minutes. If the paste starts to burn at any time, adjust to LOW/LESS. Press CANCEL.
Step 3
Scoop the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk into a bowl. Pour ¾ cup of the thin coconut milk into the pot. Add the galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves and coconut sugar. Mix well, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any cooked-on bits and avoid the BURN warning.
Step 4
Coat both sides of the chicken with sauce. Nestle the chicken into the sauce, preferably in one layer.
Step 5
Lock the lid. Select PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL and set to HIGH for 10 minutes. Make sure the steam release valve is sealed. Once pressurized (10 to 12 minutes), the cook cycle will start.
Step 6
While the chicken is cooking, toast the shredded coconut in a dry skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until it turns light brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes. (This can be done ahead and refrigerated or frozen.)
Step 7
When the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally (20 to 30 minutes). When the float valve drops, press CANCEL and open the lid.
Step 8
Carefully remove the chicken to a plate. Cut it up into smaller pieces if you like, but don’t shred it. Tent with foil to keep warm.
Step 9
Select SAUTÉ and set to MEDIUM/NORMAL. Add the remaining coconut cream and milk and ¾ of the toasted coconut and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. If you’d like a drier rendang, simmer the sauce until reduced by about one-third, 10 to 15 minutes. Note that the sauce will thicken as it cools. Remove the herbs.
Step 10
Add the chicken back to the sauce and adjust to LOW/LESS to heat the chicken through.
Step 11
Garnish with the remaining shredded coconut and serve with steamed rice and a vegetable side dish. Or let it sit in the refrigerator overnight—rendang always tastes better the next day!

Cooks' Note

For the ground chili, I use a mix of 1½ tsp. cayenne (spicy), 1 Tbsp. ancho (medium spicy), and 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. paprika (not spicy).

Instant Pot Asian Pressure Cooker Meals Cookbook Cover

From Instant Pot Asian Pressure Cooker Meals: Fast, Fresh & Affordable © 2020 by Patricia Tanumihardja. Reprinted with permission by Tuttle Publishing. Buy the full book from Tuttle, Amazon, or Bookshop.

Leave a Review

Reviews (2)

Terrible recipe. There’s no way this was tried before it got published. The ratios are all off in each step. Good luck getting the sauce to separate without burning or getting your instant pot up to temperature. Just awful. Make it on the stove instead, you’ll have better luck.
- devin c
- oakland ca
- 1/7/2022
Followed the directions exactly. DELICIOUS! We loved this recipe and will add it to our list for a new go-to.
- Dar & Cyn
- Boise ID
- 8/8/2023