Composition: Kecap-Manis Chicken Breast

Grilled chicken breast with Indonesian sweet soy sauce

We elevate traditional Indonesian ingredients to the level of fine dining in this creative composition loosely inspired by Sate Ayam (Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce). Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) and fragrant peanut sauce are showcased with high-quality chicken breast grilled to perfection, premium rice, and surprisingly with Brussels sprouts, a cold-climate vegetable not found in tropical Indonesia.

Composition elements

Grilled Chicken Breast Glazed with Kecap Manis
Pasture-raised heirloom chicken breast marinated 24 hours in kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), then grilled over wood fire

Indonesian Peanut Sauce
Peanut-butter sauce seasoned with kecap manis and combava (makrut lime)

Roasted Kecap-Manis Brussels Sprouts
Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts glazed with spicy kecap manis and olive oil

Steamed Japanese White Rice
Steamed California Koshihikari short-grain rice, sprinkled with shichimi (Japanese chili powder mix)
   or
Steamed Black Rice
Steamed Chinese black rice, sprinkled with fresh green onions

Steamed Purple Sweet Potato
Steamed Stokes Purple® sweet potato sprinkled with Maldon salt
   or
Radish Slices
Thinly sliced raw radish sprinkled with fleur de sel

Staging, plating, substitution, and leftovers notes

Pairing

This delicately sweet and lightly spicy composition calls for a medium-bodied red wine with a hint of sweetness. Excellent pairings include Grenache and Grenache blends (Spain), Old Vine Zinfandel (California), or Primitivo (Italy). Avoid anything too sweet because kecap manis is already sweet and this composition is not spicy.

What makes it special

We reimagine Indonesian Sate Ayam, a traditional and hearty meal, as a sophisticated fine dining experience. In essence, this composition uses the same ingredients as Sate Ayam (chicken, kecap manis, rice, peanut sauce), but elevates it by using noble chicken parts and rice varieties. In addition, the presentation of this composition is inspired by Japanese culinary culture to let each ingredient shine on its own, by eating them separately with chopsticks, rather than all together with fork and spoon.

We elevate grilled chicken to a fine lean meat filet cooked to perfection that remains juicy inside and has a beautiful caramel color. The delicate and lean chicken breast shines with the delicate Japanese rice or Chinese black rice, all of which pair wonderfully with the Indonesian peanut sauce.

Kecap manis connects the grilled chicken breast, roasted Brussels sprouts, and peanut dipping sauce. The Brussels sprouts roasted with olive oil and kecap manis marries harmoniously Western and Indonesian ingredients. The softness of the rice and the slight bitterness of the Brussels sprouts create a magical balance with the fragrant chicken and peanut sauce. Purple sweet potatoes or radish add an additional splash of color color and refreshment for the palate.