One-Pot Semur Chicken with Star Anise and Cloves
A slow-simmered Indonesian-Australian fusion stew of tender chicken braised in a sweet-spiced soy sauce with star anise and cloves. This Australian-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, vegetable oil, shallots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 6 pieces (about 900g) bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 thinly sliced shallots
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 100ml dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 300ml water
- 3 whole star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- to serve cooked jasmine rice
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Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 6 bone-in chicken thighs and brown for 4-5 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same pot, add 4 thinly sliced shallots, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp minced ginger. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and soft.
- Step 3: Return chicken to the pot and pour in 100ml dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp palm or brown sugar, and 300ml water. Add 3 star anise, 4 whole cloves, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp ground white pepper.
- Step 4: Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thickened. Serve hot over cooked jasmine rice.








