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Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

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Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce is a flavorful grilled chicken recipe made with bite-sized pieces of chicken marinated in shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, fennel, and cumin. After marinating, the chicken is threaded onto skewers and cooked until lightly charred, then served with a rich homemade peanut sauce made from fried peanuts, shallots, garlic, dried chiles, tamarind, and brown sugar. It is savory, slightly spicy, nutty, and perfect for a cozy family meal, party platter, or simple homemade satay night.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizers, Main Dishes
Cuisine: Asian, Malaysian
Calories: 982
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

For the Chicken Satay
  • 10.5 oz chicken cut into small bite-sized pieces
  • 2 medium shallots peeled
  • 7 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 lemongrass stalks white part only, sliced
  • 1 oz fresh ginger peeled and sliced
  • 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp fennel powder or ground fennel
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • salt to taste
  • sugar to taste
  • 1 to 2 tbsp oil optional, for a juicier marinade
For the Peanut Sauce
  • 1 cup peanuts
  • 2 to 5 dried chiles depending on spice preference
  • 5 shallots peeled
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 small piece shrimp paste roasted & dried, optional
  • 1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 to 2 tbsp tamarind juice
  • salt to taste
  • cooking oil as needed for frying
  • hot water as needed to loosen the sauce

Equipment

  • 1 blender or food processor
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 kitchen knife
  • 2 mixing bowls
  • 1 measuring spoon set
  • 10 to 12 bamboo skewers
  • 1 grill pan or charcoal grill or nonstick skillet
  • 1 frying pan
  • 1 slotted spoon
  • 1 spatula or tongs
  • 1 serving plate
  • 1 small sauce bowl

Method
 

Make the Chicken Satay
  1. Add the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and ginger to a blender or food processor. Blend into a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed to help everything blend smoothly.
  2. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add the blended paste, turmeric powder, fennel powder, ground cumin, salt, sugar, and oil if using.
  3. Mix well until the chicken is fully coated with the marinade.
  4. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour. For deeper flavor, marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
  5. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto skewers.
  6. Heat a grill pan, charcoal grill, or nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken satay for about 9 minutes, turning often, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly charred on the edges.
Make the Peanut Sauce
  1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the peanuts until crisp, then remove and set aside.
  2. In the same oil, fry the whole shallots and garlic until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
  3. Briefly fry the dried chiles, then remove them from the oil.
  4. Add the fried peanuts, shallots, garlic, dried chiles, and roasted dried shrimp paste to a blender or food processor. It is okay if the ingredients are still lightly coated with oil, as the oil helps make the sauce glossy.
  5. Add salt, brown sugar, tamarind juice, and a little hot water. Blend coarsely until the sauce is combined but still slightly textured. Add more hot water as needed until it reaches your preferred sauce consistency.
  6. Taste and adjust with more salt, brown sugar, or tamarind juice if needed.
  7. Serve the warm chicken satay with peanut sauce on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 415gCalories: 982kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 12gFat: 96gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 23gMonounsaturated Fat: 44gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 28mgPotassium: 547mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 79IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 3mg

Notes

For the best flavor, do not skip the marinating time. Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and spices need time to soak into the chicken.
If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling so they do not burn too quickly.
For a smoother peanut sauce, blend it longer. For a more traditional textured sauce, keep it slightly coarse.

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