Ayam Betutu Recipe — Balinese Slow-Cooked Chicken (Home + Class)

Search ayam betutu recipe and you will find Bali’s slow-cooked, banana-leaf chicken — the dish locals recommend almost as often as babi guling. It is built on base genep, the complete spice paste. Here is a home-friendly method plus how we teach the flavours in Ubud.

What is ayam betutu?

Betutu means the bird is smothered in spice paste and cooked low and slow — traditionally in embers. Ayam = chicken; bebek betutu is the duck version. Hotels and warungs across Bali serve it; Gianyar is especially famous for betutu.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Spice paste (base genep style)

• 8 shallots, 6 garlic cloves
• 3 cm fresh turmeric, 3 cm galangal, 2 cm ginger, 2 cm kencur if available
• 4–8 red chilies (to taste)
• 3 candlenuts (or macadamia)
• 1 tsp coriander seed, pinch of cumin, clove, nutmeg
• 1 stalk lemongrass (white part), 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 tsp shrimp paste (optional), salt, palm sugar, coconut oil

Chicken

• 1 whole chicken (1.2–1.5 kg) or 8 bone-in thighs
• Banana leaves for wrapping (or parchment + foil)
• Extra salam / bay leaf if you have it

Method

1. Blend or grind the paste until smooth. Fry in coconut oil 5–8 minutes until fragrant and the raw smell is gone.
2. Rub the paste all over and inside the chicken. Marinate at least 1 hour (overnight is better).
3. Wrap tightly in banana leaf (or parchment/foil). Place in a baking dish with a splash of water.
4. Oven: 150°C / 300°F for about 2 hours until meat pulls from the bone. Or steam 1.5–2 hours then crisp briefly in a hot pan.
5. Rest 10 minutes. Serve with rice, sambal matah, and steamed greens.

Tips from the village kitchen

• Do not rush the paste — frying it properly is half the flavour
• Thighs are more forgiving than breast for first-timers
• Make extra paste and freeze — it is the same base behind many Balinese dishes
• For vegan guests we use the same paste on tempeh or jackfruit in class

Learn base genep properly

Betutu lives or dies on the paste. Deep dives: how to make base genep and how to make bumbu Bali. Related banana-leaf technique: pepes ikan recipe.

Cook it on your Bali trip

In our hands-on class you grind the paste on a cobek and cook related ceremonial flavours — then take recipes home. Book your cooking class or choose a private session if you want to focus on betutu-style spices.