What Is Ayam Geprek? Indonesia’s Spicy Fried Chicken Loved by the Youth

1st August, 2025

A student told me about a delicious dish called “ayam geprek.” Could you tell me more about it?

Ayam Geprek is a dish that originated in Yogyakarta and is popular among students.
I’ll introduce it in detail in this article!

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What is Ayam Geprek?

Ayam Geprek is a dish made by mixing Ayam Goreng (fried chicken) with sambal (an Indonesian condiment made with chili peppers, etc.) and then crushing it using a mortar and pestle (Cobek).

The Origin of Ayam Geprek

Ayam Geprek originated in Yogyakarta.

In 2003, Bu Rum initially sold fried chicken coated in flour at her stall. Later, a student from Kudus asked her to add sambal on top of the flour-fried chicken and crush it with a mortar and pestle.

↓The first Ayam Geprek Bu Rum stall↓

This dish of flour-fried chicken crushed with sambal was initially called “ayam ulek” or “ayam gejrot,” but later the word “mengeprek” (an Indonesian word meaning “to crush”) was used, and it came to be called Ayam Geprek, which is the name it goes by today.

How to Order and Prepare Ayam Geprek

STEP

Choose your preferred Ayam Goreng (fried chicken)

Thigh meat is oily and has a juicy flavor.
Breast meat is leaner and comes in a larger portion.

STEP

Mix the sambal

It’s common to choose the ingredients for your sambal at the shop and have it made on the spot.
You can choose from ingredients like tomatoes, Terasi, and chili peppers.

STEP

Mix and crush the sambal and chicken

Mix the sambal from step 2 with the fried chicken and crush them together.

STEP

It’s ready!

Many shops offer a variety of side dishes.

capcay (stir-fried vegetables)
Fried eggplant
Fried cabbage

Delicious Ayam Geprek Shops in Yogyakarta

Ayam Geprek Bu MADE

Located very close to Ayam Geprek Bu Rum, this shop is characterized by its wide variety of side dishes.
They always have about three types of vegetable side dishes, which is a big plus for those looking for a balanced meal.

Ayam Geprek Bu Rum

This is the original Ayam Geprek shop.
It is characterized by a wide variety of sambal to choose from.

Summary

What did you think of the introduction to Ayam Geprek?
It’s a dish that originated in the student city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and remains one of the most popular dishes among students today.

It’s also very affordable, with one person being able to eat for 15K – 20K IDR (about 130 – 200 JPY), which is one of the reasons for its popularity.

This blog provides information on tourism in Yogyakarta, life in Indonesia, and learning the Indonesian language.

Please be sure to check out these other articles as well.