As the weather is finally starting to warm up, I’m looking for any excuse to be outside, even if it’s just within my own backyard. So, firing up the grill for some chicken satay really hits the spot for me. Satay refers to a common street food in Southeast Asia (where my parents are from) made up of marinaded and grilled meat on skewers. All kinds of meat options are available, but we’ll be sticking to simple, juicy chicken thighs for this recipe. If you are a beginner griller like me, satay is a great place to start because the meat skewers cook quickly and evenly—just keep turning and don’t leave them unattended!
The key component to a good chicken satay is the marinade and we’ve got you covered here!
Chicken Satay
(Makes 12 skewers)
- 1.5 lbs boneless/skinless chicken thighs, cubed
- 0.5 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as corn oil), plus extra for grill
- peanut butter, to taste
- hoisin sauce, to taste
- cucumber, onion, cilantro, lime, and peanuts—for garnish
Whisk together coconut milk, ginger, brown sugar, fish sauce, cumin, turmeric, and oil. Add chicken cubes and coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade. Cover/seal and store in refrigerator to marinade overnight.
Prep 12 bamboo skewers by soaking them in water overnight to prevent them from burning on the grill.
Spear chicken onto the skewers and leave covered in the refrigerator until ready to grill. (If making ahead, wrap exposed bamboo with a damp paper towel to prevent from drying out.)
Pour the leftover marinade into a small sauce pan and bring to a full simmer. Whisk in hoisin sauce and peanut butter to taste. Set aside until ready for serving.
Prepare the grill for cooking. Brush the grill rack with a bit of extra oil. Add chicken skewers to the grill, turning occasionally until the chicken is cooked through.
Transfer peanut sauce to a serving dish and top with chopped peanuts. Serve chicken satay with cucumbers, onion, cilantro, lime, and peanut sauce.
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