Hot Fried Chicken Geprek

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Indonesian food has always fascinated me. There’s something about the bold flavors and unique combinations that keeps me coming back for more. But when I first heard about chicken geprek, I had no idea what I was getting into. The name alone made me curious enough to dig deeper.

Turns out, geprek means “smashed” in Indonesian, and that’s exactly what you do to this crispy fried chicken. You take perfectly fried chicken and smash it with a wooden pestle or the back of a spoon, then cover it with spicy sambal sauce. It’s messy, it’s fun, and it tastes incredible.

The best part? You don’t need any fancy ingredients or special equipment. Just some chicken, basic spices, and a good amount of chili paste. My kids love helping with the smashing part, though they definitely prefer the mild version I make for them.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For chicken geprek, boneless chicken thighs are your best bet since they stay juicy and tender even after frying. Thighs have more fat than breast meat, which means they’re much harder to overcook and dry out. If you only have chicken breasts on hand, they’ll work too, but you’ll need to be more careful not to overcook them since they can get tough quickly. Either way, make sure your chicken pieces are roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly – if some pieces are thicker than others, you can pound them out a bit with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

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Options for Substitutions

This Indonesian fried chicken recipe is pretty adaptable, so here are some swaps you can make:

• Chicken thighs: Chicken breast works fine, but thighs stay juicier. If using breast, pound them to even thickness and don’t overcook. You can also use drumsticks or wings – just adjust cooking time accordingly.
• Serrano and Thai chili peppers: Can’t find these? Use jalapeños for less heat, or habaneros if you want more fire. Fresh cayenne peppers work too. Start with fewer peppers and add more to taste – you can always make it spicier!
• Oyster sauce: If you don’t have oyster sauce, mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and a pinch of garlic powder. It won’t be exactly the same but gives similar depth.
• Panko crumbs: Regular breadcrumbs work fine, or you can make your own by crushing up crackers or stale bread. The texture will be slightly different but still crispy.
• White pepper: Black pepper is totally fine as a substitute. White pepper has a milder flavor, so if using black pepper, use a bit less to start.
• Light soy sauce: Regular soy sauce works, but use a little less since it’s saltier than light soy sauce. Low-sodium soy sauce is actually closer to light soy sauce.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making fried chicken geprek is not marinating the chicken long enough – aim for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is even better for the flavors to really soak in. Don’t skip the double coating process either, as dredging the chicken in flour, then back into the wet mixture, and finally into the seasoned flour creates that signature crispy crust that won’t fall off when you smash it. Watch your oil temperature carefully and keep it around 350°F – too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through, too cool and you’ll end up with greasy, soggy chicken. When it comes to the sambal (chili sauce), taste as you go since chili heat levels vary wildly, and remember that the real magic happens when you pound that crispy chicken with the sambal right before serving, so don’t skip this crucial step that gives geprek its name.

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What to Serve With Fried Chicken Geprek?

This spicy Indonesian fried chicken is traditionally served over steamed white rice, which helps balance out all that heat from the sambal. The fresh julienned cabbage and sliced cucumbers that come with it are perfect for cooling down your mouth between bites of the crispy, spicy chicken. You can also add some pickled vegetables or a simple cucumber salad with a splash of rice vinegar to keep things refreshing. If you want to make it a bigger meal, try adding some Indonesian-style fried rice or even some crispy fried shallots on top for extra crunch.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Store your fried chicken geprek in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The chicken will lose some of its crispiness, but the flavors will still be amazing. Keep the sambal sauce separate in a small container so it stays fresh and doesn’t make the chicken soggy.

Freeze: You can freeze the fried chicken pieces for up to 2 months in freezer-safe bags or containers. I don’t recommend freezing the sambal sauce though, since the fresh peppers and tomatoes don’t freeze well. Just make a fresh batch when you’re ready to eat!

Warm Up: To bring back that crispy texture, reheat the chicken in a 375°F oven for about 10-15 minutes until heated through and crispy again. You can also use an air fryer at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. Avoid the microwave since it’ll make the coating soggy.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2200-2600
• Protein: 120-140 g
• Fat: 35-50 g
• Carbohydrates: 370-420 g

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground white or black pepper

For the seasoned flour coating:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sugar

For the spicy pepper sauce:

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/2 medium tomato, cut in quarters
• 4 serrano chiles, roughly chopped
• 2 thai chiles, roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar

For the seasoned panko coating:

• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground white or black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sugar

For serving:

• Steamed white rice
• Julienned cabbage
• Sliced cucumber

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground white or black pepper

In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper.

Add the chicken thighs or breasts, making sure they are well coated with the marinade.

Cover and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes.

This allows the flavors to absorb into the chicken.

Step 2: Prepare the Seasoned Flour and Water Bath

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sugar
• cold water (for dipping, not measured)

Mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground white pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and sugar in a shallow dish for dredging the chicken.

Prepare a separate bowl filled with cold water.

This step ensures the coating will be extra crispy after frying.

Step 3: Double Dredge the Chicken

• marinated chicken from Step 1
• seasoned flour mixture from Step 2
• cold water (for dipping, not measured)

Take a piece of marinated chicken from Step 1 and lightly dredge it in the seasoned flour mixture from Step 2, making sure to coat every inch.

Dip the chicken in the cold water, careful not to rub off the flour coat.

After lifting it out, wait 10 seconds to let excess water drip off, then dredge the chicken again in the seasoned flour mixture.

For extra crispiness, you can repeat the water-and-flour coating process 3-4 times, using fresh cold water each time.

Let the coated chicken rest for 5 minutes before frying.

I find that resting helps the coating adhere better and fry up crunchier.

Step 4: Fry the Chicken

• coated chicken from Step 3
• cooking oil (enough to cover the pan, not measured)

Pour enough cooking oil into a medium-sized frying pan to cover the surface and heat it over medium heat.

Once hot, carefully add the coated chicken (from Step 3) and fry for 20-25 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and cooked through.

Let the fried chicken rest on a cooling rack for a few minutes to drain excess oil before serving.

Step 5: Prepare the Spicy Sauce

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 serrano chiles, roughly chopped
• 2 Thai chiles, roughly chopped
• 1/2 medium tomato, cut in quarters
• cooking oil (for sautéing, not measured)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar

Once the chicken is frying, make the spicy sauce.

Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Sauté the quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, roughly chopped serrano and Thai chiles for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent.

Add the quartered tomato, cover, and let cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomato softens, then sauté another minute before removing from heat.

Let cool slightly, then mash the mixture in a mortar and pestle or food processor.

Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and mix well.

For an even bolder flavor, I sometimes add a splash of lime juice at the end.

Step 6: Serve the Chicken with Sides and Sauce

• fried chicken from Step 4
• spicy sauce from Step 5
• steamed white rice
• julienned cabbage
• sliced cucumber

When ready to serve, smash the fried chicken with the back of a knife or a pestle to make it easier to eat.

Arrange the smashed chicken on a plate with steamed white rice, julienned cabbage, and sliced cucumber.

Spoon the spicy sauce over the chicken or serve it on the side.

Enjoy your meal!

Step 7: Alternative: Air Fryer Panko Chicken

• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground white or black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sugar
• marinated chicken from Step 1
• cooking oil spray

As an alternative to frying, make seasoned panko crumbs by mixing panko breadcrumbs with salt, ground pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and sugar.

Coat the marinated chicken (from Step 1) in this mix.

Lightly spray with cooking oil and cook in an air fryer at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway and adding more oil as needed.

This method is great for a lighter version; I recommend checking at the 15-minute mark for doneness.

Hot Fried Chicken Geprek

Delicious Hot Fried Chicken Geprek recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 27 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 22 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken marinade:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground white or black pepper

For the seasoned flour coating:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sugar

For the spicy pepper sauce:

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/2 medium tomato, cut in quarters
• 4 serrano chiles, roughly chopped
• 2 Thai chiles, roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar

For the seasoned panko coating:

• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground white or black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sugar

For serving:

• steamed white rice
• julienned cabbage
• sliced cucumber

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper. Add the chicken thighs or breasts, making sure they are well coated with the marinade. Cover and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to absorb into the chicken.
• Mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground white pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and sugar in a shallow dish for dredging the chicken. Prepare a separate bowl filled with cold water. This step ensures the coating will be extra crispy after frying.
• Take a piece of marinated chicken from Step 1 and lightly dredge it in the seasoned flour mixture from Step 2, making sure to coat every inch. Dip the chicken in the cold water, careful not to rub off the flour coat. After lifting it out, wait 10 seconds to let excess water drip off, then dredge the chicken again in the seasoned flour mixture. For extra crispiness, you can repeat the water-and-flour coating process 3-4 times, using fresh cold water each time. Let the coated chicken rest for 5 minutes before frying. I find that resting helps the coating adhere better and fry up crunchier.
• Pour enough cooking oil into a medium-sized frying pan to cover the surface and heat it over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the coated chicken (from Step 3) and fry for 20-25 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and cooked through. Let the fried chicken rest on a cooling rack for a few minutes to drain excess oil before serving.
• Once the chicken is frying, make the spicy sauce. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, roughly chopped serrano and Thai chiles for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the quartered tomato, cover, and let cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomato softens, then sauté another minute before removing from heat. Let cool slightly, then mash the mixture in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and mix well. For an even bolder flavor, I sometimes add a splash of lime juice at the end.
• When ready to serve, smash the fried chicken with the back of a knife or a pestle to make it easier to eat. Arrange the smashed chicken on a plate with steamed white rice, julienned cabbage, and sliced cucumber. Spoon the spicy sauce over the chicken or serve it on the side. Enjoy your meal!
• As an alternative to frying, make seasoned panko crumbs by mixing panko breadcrumbs with salt, ground pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and sugar. Coat the marinated chicken (from Step 1) in this mix. Lightly spray with cooking oil and cook in an air fryer at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway and adding more oil as needed. This method is great for a lighter version; I recommend checking at the 15-minute mark for doneness.