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ayam taliwang

Spicy Lombok Grilled Chicken (Ayam Bakar Taliwang)

Ayam Bakar Taliwang is an iconic grilled chicken dish from Lombok, Indonesia, known for its bold heat, smoky aroma, and fragrant spices like kencur, garlic, and charred shrimp paste.
This recipe keeps the original Indonesian flavor while adapting instructions so American and European home cooks can easily follow along.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indonesian, Lombok
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1 whole young free-range chicken spatchcocked (Ayam kampung muda — use a small free-range chicken or Cornish hen for similar texture)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp salt
Spice Paste (Bumbu Halus) – blended
  • 10 red Fresno chilies Cabe merah keriting — Fresno or red jalapeño works well
  • 5 dried red chilies softened in hot water (Cabe merah kering)
  • 5 red Thai chilies Cabe rawit merah — adjust to your heat preference
  • 2 cm kencur aromatic ginger (Kencur — substitute with ginger + a pinch of galangal powder, see Notes)
  • 5 shallots Bawang merah
  • 3 garlic cloves Bawang putih
  • 1 medium tomato chopped (Tomat merah)
  • 1 tsp palm sugar Gula merah — substitute with brown sugar
  • 1 tsp toasted shrimp paste Terasi bakar — use Thai “kapi” or Malaysian “belacan”
  • 1 tsp salt
For Sautéing the Spice Paste
  • 5 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup water
To Serve
  • 1 –2 key limes or regular lime wedges Jeruk limau — key limes give the closest flavor
  • Indonesian sambal or chili paste on the side

Instruction
 

Step 1 — Prepare the Chicken
  1. Place the chicken breast-side down. Cut along the backbone and open it flat (spatchcock technique).
  2. Press gently to flatten the breastbone.
  3. Rub the chicken with lime juice and 1 tsp salt. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 2 — Make the Spice Paste
  1. Blend all spice paste ingredients until smooth.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  3. Sauté the blended paste for 7–10 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates.
  4. Add ¼ cup water and cook until thickened.
  5. Set aside to cool.
Step 3 — First Grill (Par-Grill)
  1. Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan.
  2. Grill the chicken skin-side down for 10–15 minutes, just until the meat firms up and the skin tightens. (This step helps the spice paste stick better.)
Step 4 — Marinate With Spice Paste
  1. Brush a generous layer of the cooked spice paste over the chicken.
  2. Let it marinate for 20–30 minutes for deeper flavor.
Step 5 — Final Grilling
  1. Return the chicken to the grill over medium heat.
  2. Grill for 20–30 minutes, brushing with more spice paste as you cook.
  3. Flip occasionally until the chicken turns deep red-brown and slightly charred at the edges.
Step 6 — Optional Oven Finish
  1. (Helps ensure thorough cooking for larger chickens.)
  2. Transfer chicken to a baking pan. Brush with more paste.
  3. Bake at 400°F / 200°C for 20 minutes.
Step 7 — Serve
  1. Squeeze key lime over the top.
  2. Serve with steamed rice and Indonesian sambal.

Notes

1. Chili Substitutions
Fresno → closest to Indonesian red chilies
Thai chilies → can reduce for mild heat
Dried chilies → any Mexican “puya” or “guajillo” works
2. Kencur Substitute
Kencur has a unique earthy-peppery aroma. If unavailable:
1 tsp ginger + ⅛ tsp galangal powder
OR
½ tsp sand ginger (kaempferia galanga), if you find it in an Asian market
3. Shrimp Paste
Indonesian terasi is very aromatic.
Substitutes accepted in the West:
Thai kapi
Malaysian belacan
Toast it briefly in a pan for best flavor.
4. Chicken Choice
Best: free-range young chicken or Cornish hen
Regular American supermarket chicken works but may take longer to cook.
5. Grill Type
This recipe works with:
Charcoal grill (most authentic smoky taste)
Gas grill
Grill pan + oven (easiest for apartment kitchens)
6. Heat Level
Ayam Bakar Taliwang is naturally very spicy, but you can reduce:
Thai chilies from 5 → 2
Dried chilies from 5 → 2