Perfect Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce Recipe
Chicken Satay is a flavorful Southeast Asian dish featuring marinated chicken skewers grilled to perfection and served with a rich, creamy peanut sauce. This recipe highlights the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors, making it a popular appetizer or main course that’s simple to prepare yet impressively delicious.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Southeast Asian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Satay:
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Skewers (soaked in water if wooden)
For the Peanut Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut milk or water (to thin sauce)
- 1 tsp chili flakes or sambal oelek (optional, for heat)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, ground coriander, turmeric powder, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to absorb the flavors.
- Prepare the Skewers: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers, leaving a little space between pieces for even cooking.
- Make the Peanut Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, and chili flakes if using. Add coconut milk gradually and stir over low heat until the sauce is smooth and warm. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Grill the Chicken Satay: Preheat your grill or grill pan on medium-high heat. Grill the skewers for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is fully cooked and has nice grill marks. Avoid overcooking to keep the chicken tender.
- Serve: Arrange the chicken satay skewers on a platter and serve hot with the warm peanut sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning.
- You can substitute chicken with tofu or shrimp for variation.
- Adjust the chili in the peanut sauce to suit your preferred spice level.
- Serve with cucumber salad or steamed rice for a complete meal.
- Leftover peanut sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Keywords: Chicken Satay, peanut sauce, grilled chicken skewers, Southeast Asian recipe, appetizer, BBQ chicken
