Marked by smashed fried chicken and served with spicy sambal, rice, tofu, tempeh and more, ayam penyet is a classic of the Indonesian food canon. If that’s what you’re craving, then keep reading, for we’ll introduce you to the best ayam penyet in Singapore.
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Image credit: @jettishan
At Bedok Food Centre, Nur Indah Kitchen is one stall that can be easily spotted by the mountain of fried chicken and fish stacked against their glass display. At $7, you can get a plate of Nasi Ayam Penyet that comes with a giant fried chicken leg, tofu cubes, tempeh, and a bowl of soup. While Ikan Penyet ($10) is a common alternative found at ayam penyet stalls, a less usual dish that Nur Indah Kitchen offers is their Empal Penyet ($7). Prepared and served just like ayam penyet, this dish is made of beef spare ribs instead of chicken thighs.
Address: 1 Bedok Road, #01-07, Bedok Food Centre, Singapore 4695720
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 9:30pm
Website
Nur Indah Kitchen is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Ayam penyet franchise D’Penyetz is known for its excellent fried chicken and sambal with 9 levels of spiciness. Get the classic D’Penyetz Smashed Chicken ($8.90), which comes with a sizeable chicken thigh that’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Of course, the fried batter bits add plenty of crunch as well. You can also opt for breast meat if that’s up your alley! Aside from ayam penyet, they’ve got a pretty sizeable menu that even includes Indonesian Oxtail Soup ($14.90).
Website | Full list of outlets
D’Penyetz is a halal-certified eatery.
Started in 1990 as a stall selling kueh, Mawar Merah has expanded into a brand selling a variety of Malay dishes and now owns two outlets. Their Ayam Penyet ($6.80) comes with a fried chicken thigh so huge that it is usually served on a separate plate from the rice. Topped with crispy crumbs, a special sweet sauce, chilli sauce, and onion bits, every bite of this fried chicken is packed with flavour. Also kept at affordable prices here are their Mee Soto ($4.50), Lontong ($4.50), and Nasi Lemak ($5.50).
Bukit Merah outlet
Address: 165 Bukit Merah Central, #01-3683, Singapore 150165
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6am to 8:30pm, Sat 8:30am to 7:30pm
Tel: 9350 0900
Sixth Avenue outlet
Address: 12 Sixth Avenue, Singapore 276476
Opening hours: Daily 8:30am to 8:30pm
Website
Mawar Merah is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Ayam Penyet President can be found in malls all across Singapore. Their Smashed Fried Chicken ($8.50) tends to be pretty solid, and is served with tofu, tempeh, crispy bits, and their signature sambal—all the core components of ayam penyet. If you prefer Grilled Chicken ($8.50), they also do a mean ayam bakar, which is paired with chilli in black sauce. For some sides, consider the Gado Gado ($7.50), the classic Indonesian salad.
Website | Full list of outlets
Ayam Penyet President is a halal-certified eatery.
Helmed by an Indonesian couple, Impian Wahyu serves timeless dishes such as Tahu Goreng($5), Mee Soto ($5), and of course, Ayam Penyet ($7). Boiled in a broth for three hours before being fried, the fried chicken here is tender, well-flavoured, and juicy. While their crispy chicken draws praise from regular customers, the ultimate winner is the sambal chilli that is handmade upon order. Made with a combination of fresh tomatoes, sugar, and dried chilli, their sambal is intensely flavoured but less spicy than the ones you find in most stalls so you don’t have to worry about spamming them all over your rice!
Address: 462 Crawford Lane, Singapore 190462
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11am to 6pm
Tel: 8120 7192
Website
Impian Wahyu is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Ayam Penyet Ria currently has six outlets across Singapore, all serving up tasty Indonesian dishes. And while their Sate Ayam ($8), Ikan Dori Penyet ($8.90), and Bebek Bakar ($8.90) are said to be decent, it is the Ayam Penyet ($9.50) that patrons keep coming back for. Crispy yet juicy, with a piquant sambal and a generous serving of rice, the ayam penyet here will satisfy your cravings and fill you up in no time.
Website | Full list of outlets
Ayam Penyet Ria is a halal-certified eatery.
A close competitor of Aspirasi Chicken Rice, Farasha Muslim Food is another stall in Seah Im Food Center that is popular for ayam penyet. Priced at $6, their Ayam Penyet comes with fried chicken, raw vegetables, tau kwa, tempeh, and a generous serving of sambal. During lunchtime especially, you can expect this value-for-money dish to draw quite a crowd. Besides ayam penyet, they also have a variety of classic Malay dishes such as Nasi Goreng ($7), and Mee Goreng ($7).
Address: 2 Seah Im Road, #01-31, Seah Im Food Centre, Singapore 099114
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am to 7pm
Farasha Muslim Food is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Most of the ayam penyet places in this list will not fail you when you are looking for value-for-money deals. But if I have to choose, the one from Ayam Penyet No. 1 would be my winner. At $7, their Ayam Penyet also comes with fried fish crackers, tau kwa, and a bowl of asam rebus. Filled generously with ingredients like chopped corn, cabbage, long beans, and carrot, the sweet and savoury soup tastes refreshing, especially when the fiery sambal gets too numbing!
Address: 1 Bedok Road, #01-07, Bedok Food Centre, Singapore 4695720
Opening hours: Sat-Thurs 6am to 10pm
Ayam Penyet No. 1 is a Muslim-owned eatery.
For a creative spin on Indonesian dishes, check out Rayyan’s Waroeng Upnormal at Amoy Street Food Centre. Their Regular Ayam Penyet ($5.50) comes with jasmine rice, fried coconut flakes, a garden salad, and house-made sambal that’s rich with belacan and heat. They also serve fusion bowls such as the Balinese Gyudon ($6.50), where the classic Japanese beef rice bowl is infused with exciting Indonesian spices.
Read our Rayyan’s Waroeng Upnormal review.
Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #02-86, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am to 2:30pm
Tel: 9799 7373
Website
Rayyan’s Waroeng Upnormal is a Muslim-owned eatery.
Though best known for its 24‑hour marinated crispy bebek goreng, Bebek Goreng Pak Ndut also shines with its Original Smashed Fried Chicken + Rice ($9.90). This ayam penyet sees chicken thigh is seasoned with a blend of spices, fried until crisp, then smashed for tenderness. It’s served with rice, tofu, tempeh, and top-tier belachan chilli. And of course, their signature Original Crispy Fried Duck + Rice ($11.90) is great as well.
Website | Full list of outlets
Bebek Goreng Pak Ndut is a halal-certified eatery.
These were some of the best ayam penyet stalls in the country. For another beloved hearty rice dish, read our best nasi lemak in Singapore guide. Also check out our best nasi padang in Singapore guide.
Featured image adapted from D’Penyetz, Ayam Penyet President, @sylvestertf, Ayam Penyet Ria