This chicken chop recipe is based on the one we serve at our restaurant, but it has been simplified for easy home cooking. It’s a Malaysian-Western fusion at its finest, and once you try it, you’ll see why it’s such a hit. It is partially Western in style, as it is grilled, but it also incorporates some local flavors, utilizing soy sauce as the primary seasoning and undergoing prolonged marination.

I used to think chicken chop was a classic Western dish until I traveled abroad and realized it’s pretty much unheard of in other Western countries. Later, I started working in the F&B industry and slowly learned that chicken chop is a homegrown Western dish.

This chicken chop recipe has been modified from my restaurant version to suit home kitchens.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Main Ingredients for Chicken Chop

• Deboned chicken thigh. The Malaysian chicken chop is prepared with boneless chicken thigh, with or without the skin. Since it is so popular in Malaysia, pre-marinated chicken chops are even available from supermarkets. These marinated chicken chops are usually frozen and ready to grill or deep-fry out of the box.
• Seasonings. The characteristic flavor of the Malaysian-style chicken chop is due to the use of Worcestershire sauce and light soy sauce. Both are indispensable in the recipe. 
• Herbs. Rosemary and thyme are optional, although I strongly recommend including them in the recipe. Alternatively, you can add some dried mixed herbs to improve the taste.

How to prepare the chicken chop from scratch

a. Marinate the chicken

Contrary to the (beef) steak, you must marinate the chicken long enough to imbue the flavor into the meat. That is why marinated, frozen chicken chops work and are in demand in the F&B industry. (although it is not as juicy as the fresh chicken).

1. First, clean the deboned chicken thigh with water, drain, and pat dry. Most chicken vendors in Malaysia offer deboning services at no extra cost, saving you time and effort if you were to do it yourself at home.
2. Place the deboned chicken thigh in a large bowl or plate.  Add Worcestershire sauce, light soy sauce, freshly ground black pepper, rosemary, thyme (dried herbs should be fine), salt, and vegetable oil. Massage all the seasonings into the chicken thoroughly. Let it rest in the refrigerator to marinate for at least half a day or longer. 

b. Grill the chicken

1. Heat some oil in the grill pan. Peanut oil is my favorite, but palm oil, corn oil, and canola oil are equally good. (I use a grill pan since I am living in an apartment. But, of course, it is better to do it on an open fire if you have a barbecue pit.)
2. When the oil is near its smoking point, turn the heat to medium-low. Place the chicken chop skin-side down on the grill pan and leave it undisturbed for about 4 minutes. 
3. After four minutes, turn the chicken steak ninety degrees and continue grilling until it reaches the desired color. This will create the crossed grill marks.
4. When it reaches a golden brown color and has clear grill marks, flip the chicken over to grill the other side until it is also golden brown. Remove once it has reached the desired color.
5. Serve with homemade brown sauce and French fries.

c. Prepare a quick and easy mushroom sauce

We serve chicken chops in the restaurant with our homemade brown sauce and black pepper sauce. However, it is not practical to make it at home as it is time-consuming. Instead, here’s a simple mushroom sauce you can prepare in just 15 minutes.

1. Saute some chopped garlic in a pan with some oil. When the garlic becomes aromatic, remove it and add the sliced onion. Saute the onion until tender and translucent. Return the garlic to the pan. 
2. Add the mushroom and sauté for another minute. Add about half a cup of store-bought chicken stock, plus 3 tbsp of whipped cream.
3. When it returns to a boil, mix 1 tsp of cornstarch with 4 tbsp of cold water to form a slurry. Pour the slurry into the pan to form a thick gravy. Then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Finally, add about 1/4 tsp of dark soy sauce to darken the color of the sauce.
5. Serve the chicken chop with the mushroom sauce poured over the top.

Continue to Content

Chicken chop - How to make the best Malaysian chicken steak

Yield: 3 chicken chops

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

The chicken chop is the Malaysian homegrown western dish. It is partially western because it is either cooked like steak on the grill or deep-fried like KFC chicken. It is also served with a cream sauce.

But it also carries some local culinary elements, using mainly soy sauce as the seasoning with prolonged marination.

Print

Ingredients

Ingredients A (For the chicken)

• 3 deboned chicken chops (about 750g)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Ingredients B (For the sauce)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 medium-sized onion, sliced
• 100g fresh button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 3 tbsp whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce

Instructions

For the chicken

1. Clean the deboned chicken thigh with water, drain and pat dry. 
2. Massage all the ingredients A into the chicken thoroughly.
3. Let it rest in the refrigerator to marinate for at least half a day.
4. Heat some oil in the grill pan. Place the chicken chop skin side down on the grill pan, and leave it undisturbed for about four minutes. 
5. After four minutes, turn the chicken steak ninety degrees to create the crossed grill marks for another four minutes.
6. Flip the chicken over to grill the other side for another four minutes. Remove.

For the mushroom sauce

1. Saute some chopped garlic in a pan with some oil.
2. When the garlic becomes aromatic, remove it and add the sliced onion. Saute the onion until tender and translucent. 
3. Return the garlic to the pan. 
4. Add the mushroom land saute for another one minute.
5. Add the chicken stock.
6. When it returns to a boil, mix 1 tsp of cornstarch with 4 tbsp of cold water to form a slurry. Pour the slurry into the pan to form a thick gravy.
7. Add the whipped cream.
8. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Finally, add about 1/4 tsp of dark soy sauce to darken the color of the sauce.
10. Pour the sauce over the chicken chop and serve mashed potatoes and any vegetables of your choice.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan With Assist Handle, 10.5 inch, Black
• 
  Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls by Finedine (Set of 6) Polished Mirror Finish Nesting Bowl, ¾ - 1.5-3 - 4-5 - 8 Quart - Cooking Supplies
• 
  Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, 5 fl oz Bottle
• 
  Kitchen Basics No Salt Chicken Stock, 8.25 oz (Pack of 12)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 366Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 810mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 23g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 5/14/2021

Notes on preparing the chicken chop

1. I suggest removing the skin if you want to coat it with batter for deep-frying. However, if you grill chicken chops as in this recipe, you have the option to keep the skin on or remove it.
2. Some recipes may include tomato ketchup, but I prefer to exclude it as it is not necessary. However, you can check out another Malaysian recipe called Hainanese pork chop, in which ketchup is one of the critical ingredients for the gravy.
3. The majority of the chicken chops in Malaysia are deep-fried, similar to schnitzel. However, grilled chicken chop has a higher perceived value, as diners tend to associate it with steak due to the grilled marks on the chicken.
4. You can use a large non-stick skillet if you don’t have a grill pan, but it won’t create the beautiful grill marks.
5. One common problem we face in the kitchen is when the chicken steak appears perfectly cooked on the outside but remains raw inside. This problem frequently happens when you grill the chicken over high heat. In this case, the surface has been thoroughly cooked, and the skin has become crispy; however, the inner part remains raw. Take your time to grill the chicken steak. Do not rush by using high heat. The average cooking time for the chicken chop is approximately ten to twelve minutes. If you are unsure, check the temperature by poking a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken steak. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74 °C).

Related recipes that you should try

If you like this chicken chop recipe, there are a few related recipes that I want to recommend to you:

• Hainanese pork chop is another hybrid of Chinese and European cuisine. You can substitute the pork with chicken should you want to make a Hainanese chicken chop! It tastes completely different from this grilled chicken chop with mushroom sauce.
• One of the less spicy curry dishes, Kapitan Chicken, is an authentic Malaysian curry. This unique flavor of the Nyonya chicken dish results from the complex interplay of a myriad of herbs and spices.
• Lemongrass chicken is one of the most popular recipes on this blog. If you want to add some Asian flavor to your cuisine beyond the typical soy sauce-based Chinese dishes, I recommend this Vietnamese-inspired lemongrass chicken.

A Restaurant-Style Recipe, Simplified for Home

This recipe is based on what we serve in our restaurant, with some improvisation. It’s been a crowd favorite for years and remains one of our best-selling dishes. We made our brown sauce from scratch in the restaurant, which is time-consuming and tedious for home cooks. Therefore, I have substituted it with a simplified mushroom sauce thickened with cornstarch slurry, which you can whip up within fifteen minutes.

Please note that chicken chop is not chicken chop suey, a different dish. I will refer to it as chicken steak from time to time in this article to remind you that this is a Malaysian chicken dish with Western influences.