Bubur Ayam
Bubur Ayam is a warm, soothing rice porridge with soft grains, gentle ginger fragrance, and tender shredded chicken. Finished with soy sauce, fresh scallions, celery leaves, and crisp fried shallots, it balances savoury, fresh, and crunchy textures in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Bubur
- 120 gjasmine rice
- 1 litrewater
- 20 gginger, sliced
- 4 gsalt
- 1 gwhite pepper
Ayam Rebus
- 220 gboneless skinless chicken thigh
- 500 mlwater
- 10 gginger, sliced
- 3 gsalt
Pelengkap
- 20 mllight soy sauce
- 20 gscallions, thinly sliced
- 10 gcelery leaves, roughly chopped
- 20 gfried shallots
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Put it in a medium pot with 1 litre water, 20 g sliced ginger, 4 g salt, and 1 g white pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- 2
While the rice comes up to the boil, place the chicken thigh in a small saucepan with 500 ml water, 10 g sliced ginger, and 3 g salt. Bring just to a simmer and cook gently for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 74°C in the centre or is no longer pink when cut.
- 3
Stir the rice porridge every few minutes as it cooks so the grains break down evenly and do not catch on the bottom. After about 18-20 minutes, it should be thick, creamy, and soupy; add a splash of hot water if it becomes too thick, because bubur should loosen slightly as you stir.
- 4
Lift out the chicken and let it rest for 2 minutes, then shred it finely with two forks or slice it thinly. A fine shred gives the most authentic texture and lets it blend into the porridge.
- 5
Taste the porridge and adjust the consistency if needed with a little more hot water from the kettle. Spoon the bubur into 2 bowls, then top each bowl with shredded chicken.
- 6
Finish each bowl with light soy sauce, scallions, chopped celery leaves, and fried shallots. Serve immediately while the porridge is steaming hot and the shallots stay crisp.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a faster beginner-friendly version, using boneless chicken thigh keeps the meat juicy and cooks quickly without needing to make a full stock.
- •If you prefer a silkier porridge, stir more vigorously during the last 5 minutes to help the rice break apart.
- •A soft-boiled egg, crackers, or sambal are common extras, but they are optional and not included here.
- •If using ready-made fried shallots, add them only at the end so they remain crunchy.
Background
Bubur Ayam is one of Indonesia's most beloved breakfast dishes, especially popular in Java and widely sold by street vendors and small eateries. It developed from rice porridge traditions found across Asia, adapted locally with soy sauce, chicken, herbs, and crunchy toppings such as fried shallots. The result is a comforting dish that is simple, filling, and deeply familiar to many Indonesians.
Love this recipe?
Get personalised AI-curated recipes, meal plans and smart shopping lists — free.
Download Gourmate – Free