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Chicken Satay and Peanut Sauce served with a refreshing Cucumber Salad is my favorite dish to get at Thai restaurants. You might even say I judge a Thai restaurant on it’s Chicken Satay and Peanut Sauce similar to ranking Mexican restaurants based on their chips and guacamole. I spent a long time developing this peanut sauce recipe and I hope you find it to be a balanced compliment to the grilled chicken and and Cucumber Salad.
Ingredients for Peanut Sauce:
6 tbsp coconut milk
2 tbsp brewed black tea (or chai tea)
3 tbsp natural peanut butter (creamy, salted)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil (or 1 tsp finely chopped fresh basil)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp Sriracha
3 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp ultra finely grated or minced fresh ginger
Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Satay:
2 chicken breasts cut into strips
marinade to taste:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 -1 tsp cayenne pepper
lime juice from 1/2 lime
black pepper
Directions:
Make the Peanut Sauce ahead-of-time and allow the flavors to blend together. In a clean jar with a tight fitting lid combine coconut milk, black tea, natural peanut butter, fresh ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar, garlic powder, basil, crushed red pepper and Sriracha. Shake well. You can heat the peanut sauce but do not let it “cook” or come to a boil. If you do, it will take on a very different consistency, texture and flavor.
Prepare the Chicken Skewers:
Soak bamboo skewers in water. This prevents forest fires in the kitchen! Wash and prepare chicken breasts. Cut chicken breasts into strips. Cut the strips in half length-wise. Place chicken strips into a gallon size, plastic, zip-top bag. Add soy sauce, garlic powder, dried basil, cayenne pepper, olive oil, lime juice and black pepper. Seal bag and incorporate. Allow to marinade for at least 1/2 hour. Be sure to wash your hands after handling raw chicken. After the chicken has marinated, carefully weave chicken strips on bamboo skewers.
Grill the skewers:
Place chicken skewers on grill. Because they are so thin, they cook fast. About 3-4 minutes per side. You may like to wrap the skewers in aluminum foil as they come off the grill; they’ll stay warm and steam… extra juicy ;)
Make the Cucumber Salad:
Stripeel an English (Burpless, Hothouse) Cucumber and slice thinly. Cut the slices in half. Slice red onion wheels very thin and then slice in half. Drizzle with rice vinegar and allow to marinade about 10 minutes.
Serve Chicken Satay with peanut sauce and cucumber salad. Makes 10-12 chicken skewers and 1 cup peanut sauce.
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Link to the Chicken Satay-ser video.
Link to the accompanying Chicken Satay-ser blog post.
The 80's child says
I have had the pleasure of consuming these on two occasions at the official headquarters of betty, and they rocked both times. Glad to finally have the super secret recipe! Keep on rockin the kitchen Betty!
)@~3773 says
Whoa! Saw the video on MySpace and wasn’t prepared for it to be a vehicle for a kick ass recipe! Kudos 10 times over. I will definitely try your rec on our new grill! Woo-hoo!
Average Betty says
Woo Hoo! Thanks for coming on over from MySpace! So glad to hear the Chicken Satay-ser was able to “shock” you with a recipe you want to try… Let me know how it turns out ;)
xo,
Betty
Matt says
This is sooo good, I love the video too and just watched it on myspace. I went to a spanish store near me to get most of the ingredients and cooked it right up. This is one of the best chicken dishes I have ever had. Thanks! :)
Average Betty says
Hey Matt!
That is awesome! Thanks so much for watching my silly video on MySpace and for trying out the recipe! I am so glad it worked out ;)
If you have any other recipe or show ideas for me… I’d love to hear em’!
xo,
Betty
Azar says
‘Wicked,
this just brought the butt-kickin satay chicken recipe to my house
much thanks loved the video keep up the awesome stuff betty
Azar
Average Betty says
Hey Azar! Great to meet you! That’s wicked cool! So glad the satay turned out well… and you can bet I’m going to keep ’em coming ;)
xo,
Betty
Becky says
Dear Betty,
I would like to make this chicken satay the day before and warm it up right before our 80th birthday for my dad. Can this be done? Any suggestions.
Becky
Average Betty says
Hi Becky!
How exciting! Happy 80th Birthday to your Dad!
I think what I would do is, as you are grilling the skewers the day before, lay them in a rectangular baking dish and keep them wrapped with aluminum foil. They will continue to steam and some liquid will develop. When they have cooled off slightly, keep them wrapped and transfer them to the fridge.
The next day, unwrap the skewers and replace them in the baking dish with any liquid that developed from the steaming. Kinda roll the skewers around in the liquid. Maybe squeeze a little more lime over the skewers as well.
Cover the skewers with aluminum foil and bake until heated through. I would say about 15 – 20 minutes at 300/325(F). But check on them – you don’t want them to overcook or dry out.
A fun thing to do is tear some fresh basil leaves and toss them on top of the skewers the last 5 minutes they are going through reheating. It looks pretty and it is very aromatic.
The peanut sauce can definitely be made ahead of time… and for a party, I’d use regular, not light coconut milk :) It will thicken up considerably in the fridge, just add a little water and allow to come to room temperature. You can pop the peanut sauce in the oven the last 2-5 minutes the skewers are reheating if you like.
I’d love to know how this works out for you – and I’m sure others might be curious too, so please comment back and let us know!
I hope everyone loves the Chicken Satay – especially your Dad!
Have fun!
xo,
Betty
Tai-Loong Tong says
Coming from the country where satay orignated, I think the recipe is spot on, apart from using chicken breast instead of thigh, well.. it’s always good to eat healthy!
Average Betty says
Hi Tai-Loong!
WooHoo – an endorsement from a woman in the know! Thank you for the wonderful comment… Here in the States, they don’t make a boneless, skinless (i.e. easy) chicken thigh… or I would give that a whirl!
I am going to try my hand at some of the fabulous recipe ideas you sent! Thank you!
xo,
Betty
meliskamaphone says
Made it tonight for dinner, DELISH!
Pat Fairbanks says
Cosco sells boneless skinless thighs
Average Betty says
Thanks for the tip Pat! I guess Cosco (Costco?) has just about everything!!
Love their fresh fish department ;)
Cheers,
B
Holly Webster says
Hi Betty,
I was just woundering if this sauce would be used with rice and chicken?
Thanks
Holly
Average Betty says
Hi Holly,
Thanks for stopping by… I think the peanut sauce would taste great with rice and chicken! In fact, I often make a vegetarian fried rice to go with the chicken satay.
Here’s my recipe (it’s an oldie, but a goodie):
http://www.averagebetty.com/?p=47
If you want to add the sauce over rice, consider making extra sauce as it may get “sucked in” to the rice.
If you have any more questions, please ask :)
Cheers,
Betty
Katie Evans says
Love chicken satay! This looks so good. Definitely a party hit. Glad I found you on the Inspire Me Monday link party. If you get a chance, I’d love it if you stopped by my blog sometime. Have a wonderful day!
http://tasteusa.blogspot.com