Top 6 Khmer Chicken Dishes You Will Love

Chicken is an ingredient used a lot in Cambodian cuisine. Cambodians prepare these Khmer chicken dishes according to their recipe, creating unique flavors you can hardly find in other countries. In Cambodia, most local restaurants or eateries serve various chicken dishes. 

Let's learn more about Khmer chicken dishes and how to cook them properly following our detailed recipes.

 

1/ Borbor Sach Moun

Borbor Sach Moun originates from China and is modified by Cambodians, not a Khmer dish. But regardless of its origin, it is also one of the favorite dishes in Cambodia.

Borbor Sach Ko

Ingredients

• 250g chicken breast fresh, skin off
• 2 l fresh water, home-made
• 2 tsp salt
• 300 g jasmine rice rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp fish sauce to taste
• 100 g bean sprouts
• 1 head round lettuce cut into long thin strips
• Ground pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp chili oil
• 1 bunch of sawtooth coriander
• 1 bunch of coriander
• 1 tbsp fried garlic

Instructions

1. Make broth first. Place chicken breast and water in a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat until chicken breast is cooked through, and remove to cool. Skim all the foam floating on the surface of the broth.
2. Add rice and salt and cook for about 20 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding fish sauce. Remove the pot from the stove.
4. Shred chicken breast
5. Place lettuce leaves and bean sprouts on the bottom of the serving bowl. Spoon the porridge into a bowl, and put the shredded chicken on top. Season with pepper and garnish with fresh herbs and sauteed garlic. Serve immediately.

 

2/ Cha Kroeung Sach Moan

Cha Kroeung Sach Moan is an excellent Cambodian Fried Chicken with Lemongrass. You can eat this dish at local restaurants or markets here. Cha Kroeung Sach Moan contains a lot of flavors, and fragrances, but the way to make it is straightforward.

Cha Kroeung Sach Moan

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 3 tbsp yellow kroeung
• 3 boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon paste
• 3-4 jalapeños, sliced
• 1 cup Thai basil
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a pan of oil, add the kroeung, and frequently stir so the mixture doesn't burn and stick to the pan. If until kroeung turns to wing paste color.
2. Add the chicken and stir until the chicken is completely covered in the kroeung. Cook and stir until the chicken is almost fully cooked.
3. Add fish sauce, sugar, and chicken broth. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the basil, white pepper, and jalapeños for about 2 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and close the lid.

 

3/ Somlar Kari Saek Mouan

Somlar kari saek mouan is a popular dish in Cambodia that is deliciously spiced and made with a fragrant red curry powder known as Kroeung kraham.

Somlar Kari Saek Mouan

Ingredients

• 2 chicken marylands cut into chunky pieces with bones
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp red kroeung paste
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup coconut milk/cream
• 3 cups water
• 2 brown onions cut into quarters
• 4 snake beans cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 small aubergine cut lengthwise into 2 inch pieces
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 white potato

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan and add kroeung paste. Stir for 1 min on medium temperature.
2. Add chicken and half a coconut, and stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add potatoes, beans, eggplant, and onion. Stirred.
4. Add water and remaining coconut and season with fish sauce, shrimp paste, salt, and sugar.
5. Stir to combine and let it simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
6. Present and enjoy.

 

4/ Samlor Machu Moun

Samlar machu is the word Cambodians use to refer to their signature sour soup, with Machu meaning sour and samlar meaning soup, commonly known as Cambodian sour soup.

Meat in Samlar machu moun includes chicken, fish or pork. Recently, a tamarind soup powder is used under the popular brand Knorr instead of fresh tamarind.

Samlor Machu Moun

Ingredients

• Fresh tamarind pump, salt, pepper, jasmine rice
• Red Boat fish sauce, minced fried garlic, grated fresh ginger
• Pineapple chunks and their juice
• 3/4 cup shallots, sliced
• 11/2 cans pineapple chunks and their juice
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 pound catfish steaks
• Pepper, jasmine rice pepper

Instructions

1. Bring the broth to a boil and add fish sauce, garlic, chives, tamarind, ginger, pineapple and lime leaves and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Add celery, fish, tomato and okra, and simmer until fish is cooked
3. Tasting spices to taste
4. Serve hot with rice and garnish with coriander, basil, and green onions.

 

5/ Mann Oeng K'tem Sor 

Mann Oeng K'tem Sor is made from chicken and other meats skewered on a forked stick and grilled over a fire. You can find this dish in any neighborhood or restaurant in Cambodia. This recipe also looks complicated but is extremely simple.

Mann Oeng Ktem Sor

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (or more soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and gently crushed with the side of a cleaver
• 2 teaspoons annatto seeds (achiote), or 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 2 limes

Instructions

1. Prepare chicken and sauce. Prep the chicken and drain, then place in a baking dish.
2. Crush the garlic, sugar, and salt and add to the soy sauce and fish sauce. Brush the sauce evenly over the chicken, then marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours.
3. Make yeast. Heat it in a pan of oil and saute the minced garlic, then remove the garlic from the bowl. Add cashews to the island until cooked and turn orange. Strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl with the garlic. Set yeast aside.
4. Make dipping sauce. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper and 1/4 teaspoon sugar if using in 2 small bowls. Prepare lemons; you will add lemon juice at the last minute.
5. Grease the chicken with oil and water until the chicken is cooked through. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, start spreading the chicken glaze on both sides.
6. To serve, transfer chicken to a plate and enjoy.

 

6/ Sngor Ngam Nov Sach Moan

Sngor Ngam Nov Sach Moan is Cambodian chicken soup with lemon pickled. This is a mildly sour, sweet, citrus-driven soup brimming with succulent chicken and aromatics such as lemongrass and coriander. The way to make this dish is also straightforward, as follows:

Sngor Ngam Nov Sach Moan

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• 3 tbsps neutral cooking oil
• 4 fresh limes cut in quarters
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 6 shallots purple or 1 large white onion, roughly
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large daikon
• 1 liter chicken/vegetable stock
• 1 pickled lime
• 1 tbsp pickled lime brine
• 1-2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1-2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 2 stalks lemongrass cut in quarters,
• 1 knob ginger
• 1 cup fresh coriander
• 2 scallions or green spring onions
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 handfull scallions or green spring onions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
2. Put a tablespoon of neutral cooking oil in the pan, fry the chicken on both sides. Squeeze the lime juice on both sides of the chicken pieces and tuck the squeezed lemon under each chicken piece. Add salt and black pepper and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
3. Fry the chives or white onions, then add a few cloves of garlic until they turn light brown.
4. Put the shallots/onions and garlic, chopped carrots and beets, grilled chicken pieces, lemon, chicken fat, and the juices from the oven pan into a large soup pot.
5. Add broth, lemon salt water, pickled lemon, fish sauce, a spoonful of jaggery, lemongrass, ginger, a little salt, and pepper each. Stir well and bring to a boil over low heat for 40 minutes.
6. Seasoning to taste
7. Service

 

Where To Eat

1/ Kabbas Restaurant

• Address: #48Eo, Street 172 Chey Chomneas, Daun Penh, Phnom Penh 12206 Cambodia
• Opening hours: 09:00 AM - 9:00 PM
• Average price: $4 - $16

2/ Sokkhak River Lounge

• Address: Pokambor Avenue Around Old Market Area, Siem Reap 17252 Cambodia
• Opening hours: 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
• Average price: $20 - $67

3/ Changkran Khmer Restaurant

• Address: Mondol 3 Village, Siem Reap 17251 Cambodia
• Opening hours: 11:00 AM - 10:30 PM
• Average price: $3 - $27

 

Hopefully, the information in the article will be helpful to you and remember to revisit us for more interesting Cambodian dishes. 

Thanh Dat

Source: Internet