Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Smoky skewers and a moreish dip
Satay is street food at its most irresistible: skewers of marinated chicken, grilled hard over flame until smoky and charred, served with a thick, savoury peanut sauce for dipping. The twist lies in a fragrant lemongrass-turmeric marinade that perfumes the meat and stains it gold, and a rich peanut sauce sharpened with lime and tamarind. Cooked on a griddle or barbecue, these are perfect for sharing, and the sauce is dangerously moreish.
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 700g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
- 2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 150g crunchy peanut butter
- 200ml coconut milk
- 1 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, for the sauce
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar, for the sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water
Method
- Blend or pound the lemongrass, turmeric, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar and oil into a coarse marinade.
- Toss the chicken strips in the marinade, then cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked skewers, weaving each strip back and forth.
- For the sauce, warm the coconut milk with the red curry paste in a small pan for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Whisk in the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and tamarind, then simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until thick and glossy, loosening with a splash of water if needed.
- Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until very hot.
- Grill the skewers for 3-4 minutes each side, turning, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
- Rest the skewers for a couple of minutes, then serve with the warm peanut sauce for dipping.
3 The Story
Satay, or sate as it is spelled in Indonesian, is one of South-East Asia’s great street foods, and Indonesia is widely regarded as its homeland. From there it spread across the region, with Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and beyond all developing their own beloved versions. At its simplest it is skewered, marinated meat grilled over charcoal, sold from carts and stalls and fanned over glowing coals until the air fills with smoke and the smell of caramelising sugar and spice. Part of its enduring popularity is its sociability: skewers are made for sharing, eaten with the hands, dipped and passed around.
The marinade is what gives satay its depth. Lemongrass is the aromatic heart, its citrus-perfumed stalks finely chopped or pounded to release their fragrance, while turmeric lends both an earthy warmth and the characteristic golden colour that catches and chars so beautifully on the grill. Garlic, ginger and a little sugar round it out, the sugar helping the surface caramelise over high heat. Chicken thigh is an ideal cut here, staying juicy where leaner breast can dry out over fierce flame.
The peanut sauce is, for many people, the whole point. Variations abound across the region, but the essential idea is a thick, savoury-sweet sauce built on ground peanuts, enriched with coconut milk and seasoned with chilli, sugar and something sour. Peanuts have been part of South-East Asian cooking since they were introduced through trade centuries ago, and they found a natural home in sauces like this one. Using good crunchy peanut butter is a practical shortcut that gives both body and texture without grinding nuts from scratch.
The brightening touches of lime and tamarind are what stop the sauce from turning cloying. That balance of rich and sour, sweet and savoury, is central to the appeal: the sauce should be thick enough to cling to a skewer yet lively enough to keep you reaching for more. A genuine charcoal grill gives the most authentic smoky result, but a screaming-hot griddle pan does an admirable job indoors. Either way, the goal is the same: charred, fragrant chicken and a bowl of peanut sauce to disappear into.
Related Content
