Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce Recipe

Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce Recipe

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Marinate: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Chicken satay is a popular street food in Malaysia and Singapore. Satay is usually eaten as a starter or a snack but it is also served as a side dish. However or whenever it's served, it is always accompanied by a delightful, peanut-laden satay sauce, raw onions, and cucumbers.

“I love a good recipe that can be prepped ahead of time and this is one of them. Marinate and skewer the chicken at your convenience so all you need to do is grill once your guests arrive. Don’t forget the peanut sauce!”  —Carrie Parente

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce Recipe Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 stalks lemongrass, lower portion only with the root ends cut off
  • 1 teaspoon sliced fresh turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon roasted peanuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin ​seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander ​seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into one-inch thick cubes
  • Satay sauce, cubed onion, and sliced cucumbers, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce Recipe ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Take one stalk of lemongrass and slice finely.

    Take one stalk of lemongrass and slice finely

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, blend the lemongrass, turmeric, peanuts, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, salt and 1 teaspoon sugar into a fine paste.

    blend the lemongrass, turmeric, peanuts, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, salt and sugar into a fine paste

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Mix in the shallots, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon cooking oil.

    Mix the shallots, cinnamon powder, and cooking oil into the space paste

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Place marinade and chicken in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken with this paste for at least three hours.

    Place marinade and chicken in a large bowl

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Thread four to five pieces of the marinated meat on to a skewer, just like one might do with kebabs. Scrunch the meat up tightly against each other so that they stay in place. The meat should occupy slightly less than half the stick.

    Thread four to five pieces of the marinated meat on to a skewer

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Mix 3/4 cup water with a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of oil in a small bowl. This is the basting liquid for the satay.

    Mix three-quarters cup of water with a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of oil in a small bow

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Take the remaining lemongrass stalk and lightly pound the end where the root had been cut off using the blunt side of a chef's knife. This is the basting brush.

    smashed lemongrass

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Put the meaty part of the skewer over the barbecue and grill on low heat, turning it over every two minutes.

    Put the meaty part of the skewer over the barbecue and grill on low heat

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Dip the lemongrass stalk in the basting liquid and use it to baste the chicken often. The chicken will take 10 to 15 minutes to cook. Make sure the chicken is no longer pink (165 F on an instant read thermometer).

    Dip the lemongrass stalk in the barbecue sprinkle and use it to baste the chicken

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  11. Serve the satay with satay sauce and fresh onion and cucumber.

    Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce Recipe

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Tips

  • The secret to making tasty chicken satay is to allow the chicken to marinate in the ground spices long enough to absorb the flavors. After that, skewer the cubes of marinated chicken and cook on the grill. While electric grills are more convenient for home use, grilling the satay over live charcoal gives the chicken better texture and a richer flavor.
  • If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 3 hours. This helps to prevent them from burning too easily during grilling. Alternatively, metal skewers can be used.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
246 Calories
14g Fat
7g Carbs
23g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 246
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 69mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 23g
Calcium 29mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)