Semur-Style Slow-Braised Chicken with Indonesian Spices

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-24 · Updated 2026-05-24

Australian-inspired semur chicken slow-braised in a fragrant, sweet-spiced Indonesian-style soy sauce reduction. This Australian-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 70 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, vegetable oil, yellow onion 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 bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large, thinly sliced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp, grated ginger
• 1/3 cup sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 2, sliced for garnish scallions

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 6 bone-in chicken thighs skin-side down and brown for 5-6 minutes until golden, then flip and brown the other side for 4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 large thinly sliced yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
3. Step 3: Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add 1/3 cup sweet soy sauce, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 cinnamon stick, and 3 whole cloves. Stir to combine.
5. Step 5: Return chicken thighs to the pot, skin-side up, submerging partially in the sauce.
6. Step 6: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 45 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce has thickened to a rich glaze.
7. Step 7: Remove cinnamon stick and cloves, spoon sauce over chicken, and garnish with 2 sliced scallions before serving with steamed rice or vegetables.