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Easy Chicken Satay

Recipe by Evelyn Marcella Rivera

Grilled chicken satay skewers marinated in shallot, garlic, ginger, warm spices, lime, and sweet soy sauce, then charred over high heat and served with peanut sauce. A flavor-packed appetizer that’s mostly hands-off.

  • Total Time4 hours 28 minutes
  • Yield12 skewers 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 shallot (peeled)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons palm or brown sugar
  • 1 red finger, Fresno, or jalapeño pepper (seeded)
  • 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled)
  • 1 lime (juiced)
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) (or quadruple the soy sauce and sugar)
  • 3 pounds dark and/or white chicken meat (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 1/2 recipe peanut sauce (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Add everything except the chicken and peanut sauce to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Remove any skin or bones from the chicken, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and add to a large bowl.
  3. Pour the marinade over the chicken and season with salt and pepper if desired. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
  4. When ready to cook, preheat the grill to high heat (450° to 550°F). If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes so they don’t burn.
  5. Skewer the chicken, leaving about 3 inches bare at the bottom as a handle. This makes about 12 8-inch skewers.
  6. Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Watch closely — the soy sauce in the marinade can burn quickly; lower the heat to medium if needed.
  7. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if desired and serve hot with peanut sauce.

Notes

Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) gives satay its glossy, caramelized char; if unavailable, quadruple the regular soy sauce and sugar. Marinate at least 4 hours for the flavor to penetrate. The marinade caramelizes fast over high heat, so watch for burning and drop to medium if needed. No grill? Use a grill pan or skillet with a little oil, 3-4 minutes per side. Best fresh; hold up to 1 hour in a 200°F oven covered with foil. Store up to 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen; reheat covered at 350°F for 6-8 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes

Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/easy-chicken-satay/