I want to introduce you to an authentic Malaysian Chinese recipe called Kam Heong chicken (Golden fragrance chicken/甘香鸡). 

Kam Heong is a direct translation from the Cantonese dialect 甘香, which means fragrance and aromatic.

Kam Heong chicken is a homegrown recipe created by the local Chinese using Chinese and Malay ingredients. It is one of the famous Malaysian Chinese dishes served in the restaurant, and it has a distinctive identity.

You will expect a savory sauce with dried shrimp (mainly used by the Chinese) and curry leaves used in Malay cooking. That contributes to its unique taste. No other sauces come close to it, and the closest should be the XO sauce from Hong Kong, minus the curry flavor.

Due to its intense savory flavor, the Kam Heong sauce is perfect for meat and seafood and is best served with white rice.

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.

🛒Ingredients needed for the Kam Heong Chicken

To prepare this chicken dish, let’s take a look at some of the key ingredients that are required: 

• Chicken. When preparing Kam Heong chicken in Malaysia, it is common to use bone-in chicken chunks. This is due to the preference for using bone-in chicken in traditional Chinese and Malay cooking, as the bone marrow provides extra flavor during simmering. However, bone-in, skin-on chicken may not be as popular in the West. Therefore, I will use boneless chicken thighs to prepare the Kam Heong chicken.
• Dried shrimp. In Chinese cooking, dry shrimp is highly prized for its rich umami flavor and is used to enhance the taste of various dishes. In this recipe, a significant amount of dry shrimp will be used. The dry shrimp should be chopped into smaller pieces and sautéed until aromatic.
• Curry leaves. In Malaysian cooking, the use of curry leaves represents the Malay influence, while the addition of dry shrimp reflects Chinese cuisine. This combination creates a special and flavorful dish that is beloved by people across the country. 
• Bird’s eye chili. Kam Heong chicken is spicy, so bird’s eye chili (cili padi) will be used in the recipe no matter what. However, I understand some people cannot take the heat, so I suggest you reduce the amount of the chili or remove the seeds to reduce the spiciness. What if you do not have bird’s eye chilies available? In principle, you can use any chili for this recipe, but the flavor of the bird’s eye chili may be slightly different from others.
• Malaysian curry powder. The key ingredient for this recipe is Malaysian curry powder. I use the Baba brand of Malaysian curry powder, which can be purchased online. It has a unique Malaysian flavor that contributes to the distinctive taste of the Kam Heong Chicken. However, if you can’t get Malaysian curry powder, the closest substitute would be Indian curry powder. Try to find it at an Asian grocery store, and I hope you can get it to make an authentic recipe.

👉 How to cook the Kam Heong Chicken?

Let’s get into the details of how to prepare Kam Heong chicken.

1. Wash the dry shrimp with plenty of water, then soak it in water for 15 minutes to rehydrate them. After 15 minutes, drain in a colander and place it on a kitchen paper towel to remove the excess moisture. 

2. Cut the bird’s eye chilies into small pieces by slicing them into small rings. If you prefer less heat, remove the seeds before proceeding. Removing the seeds instead of reducing the number of chilies is preferred because less chili means less flavor.

3. Remove the curry leaves from the stalk and set them aside. Also, prepare some chopped onion and chopped garlic.

4. Saute the chopped onion and garlic with oil over medium heat until aromatic. Halfway through sauteing, add the chili, curry leaves, and the dry shrimp. Continue cooking over medium heat until all the water from the dry shrimp has evaporated. The endpoint is when it becomes dry, slightly darker, and very aromatic.

5. Combine the seasoning ingredients—Malaysian curry powder, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, and dark soy sauce—and mix with some water to form a curry paste.

6. Pour the seasoning paste into the pan to mix with the garlic, onion, curry leaves, and chilies. Continue cooking until all the water has evaporated.

7. Marinate the chicken with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and oil. Set aside for one hour.

8. Preheat the oven to 185°C/355°F. Rub the oil on the chicken pieces to prevent them from drying out during roasting. Roast the chicken for about 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Remove from the oven when the chicken turns golden brown.

9. Heat the Kam Heong sauce in a pan until it sizzles, then add the golden brown chicken. Still-fry the chicken pieces with the Kam Heong sauce in the pan for half a minute to ensure each piece has absorbed and is covered with the sauce. Coat the chicken with the sauce thoroughly. Garnish with additional curry leaves before serving.

💡Tips and notes for the best Kam Heong chicken

• Some people are sensitive to chili, so if you’re one of them, please wear a glove before cutting the chilies.
• Keep the shrimp as dry as possible before cooking, as it will splutter in the pan if wet.
• It may be difficult to find curry leaves in some places outside of Asia. In that case, you can use frozen curry leaves as a substitute. The color may not be as bright as the fresh ones, but it is the next best option.
• No salt is added to the recipe because the dry shrimp, light soy sauce, and oyster sauce are all salty.
• Consider making a larger batch of the sauce. The extra sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.  
• Deep-frying is the most efficient way to cook the chicken. However, it requires more oil and is potentially less healthy. Therefore, I prefer to roast the chicken instead of deep-frying it home. Another option is to air fry the chicken as a healthier alternative to deep-frying.
• The sauce’s unique taste suits seafood and other meat dishes. For example, Kam Heong Lala (stir-fried clams with Kam Heong sauce) and crabs.

🌿 About curry leaf

Curry leaf is a common ingredient in Malaysian cooking. It is available in every market and grocery store here. If the fresh curry leaves are unavailable, you can use the dried curry leaves to make the sauce. There’s only a marginal difference in taste if you use the dry leaves instead of the fresh leaves. On the other hand, if you have lots of fresh curry leaves, you can store them in an airtight container in the freezer. It can last for several months.

📜  Here are some other related recipes if you like Kam Heong chicken 

• Ayam goreng is the best fried chicken that I have ever tasted. This is the typical Malaysian-style fried chicken. The secret is to marinate the chicken with yogurt.
• Marmite chicken is deep-fried chicken coated with a sauce made with Marmite. Although Marmite is traditionally used as a spread for bread, this is a creative way of using it in a chicken dish. Try it!