Many South East Asian countries have a version of Satay Chicken. This Indonesian version is the easiest, you can get everything you need from the supermarket and it is SO tasty. This peanut sauce is thick and chunky, not a thin dipping sauce. Because I like to DOLLOP the sauce on!
** For the reader favourite THAI Satay chicken skewers, see here!**
Satay Chicken is probably better known as Malaysian and Thai. But actually, it is originally from Indonesia. And as with all popular dishes from cuisines around the world, there are many versions of chicken satay. I’d like to share all the popular ones with you eventually – Thai, Malaysian and even the Singaporean version. But I thought it would be ideal to start with the original and the easiest – the Indonesian version.
When I was comparing the various satay chicken recipes I’ve used in the past, I realised that though they had some similarities, they are actually made very differently. None are too hard, but most required many ingredients. And when I say many, I’m not exaggerating. Malaysian Satay Chicken requires 25+ ingredients (the one I use requires 32). The Thai version doesn’t require quite as many, but not far off, especially if you make it using homemade red curry paste (worth every ounce of effort).
However, the Indonesian version requires far less. Just as tasty as the other versions – just different. As my sister always says – “same, same…but DIFFERENT!”.
The Peanut Sauce I use in this recipe is not a 100% authentic Indonesian recipe, but with good reason. The traditional Indonesian peanut sauce is made simply with peanuts, kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), chillies, shallots and lime. Not cooked, just ground together into a thick paste.
I am convinced that Indonesian peanuts are different to Australian peanuts. Because every single time I have tried the traditional recipe, the ground peanuts come out kind of “gritty”, like desiccated coconut. The sauce does not have the creaminess that you get at Indonesian restaurants and in Indonesia (I think I ate satay every day when I was in Bali!). I tried it numerous ways – using a mortar and pestle (the traditional way – it’s tiring!), food processor and even a blender stick. None worked.
For the purpose of sharing this recipe with you, I tried the original yet again and it still didn’t work. I have a few peanut sauce recipes I use regularly – a Vietnamese one (I shared this in the Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls recipe), a Thai one (I’ll share this one day!), a Malaysian one (which takes time to cook and is the most complex one) and this one which I made up myself. It is a mish mash of all these recipes!
This peanut sauce is made using store bought peanut butter. No, that is not authentic. But don’t be a snob! It’s flavoured with “real” Indonesian flavours so it doesn’t taste “westernised”. And it’s FAST and EASY to make.
I bet that Indonesian restaurants use at least some peanut butter in their satay sauce…..he he! 😉
– Nagi
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Satay Chicken with Restaurant Style Peanut Sauce (Indonesian/Bali style)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb / 500g chicken thigh fillets (skinless and boneless)
- 2 1/2 tbsp kecap manis (thick sweet soy sauce – see Note 1)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 12 – 14 small bamboo skewers , soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Peanut Sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (peanut, canola, vegetable)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small or 1/2 large onion , diced (red, brown, yellow or white)
- 3 birds eye chillis , sliced (or sub with hot sauce)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
- 1 cup coconut milk (full fat is better, but light is ok)
- 2 1/2 tbsp kecap manis (Note 1)
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup crushed unsalted roasted peanuts (buy crushed or chop your own)
- 1 – 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Garnish (optional)
- Crushed peanuts
- Lime wedges
- Sliced shallots/scallions
Instructions
Chicken
- Cut the chicken into 1.5cm/0.5″ cubes. Thread onto skewers – 4 to 5 pieces per skewer.
- Combine kecap manis and butter, then brush onto chicken.
- Cook the skewers on a hot BBQ (outdoor grill) or on the stove in a large non stick fry pan (add a splash of oil, and make sure the skewers will fit in the pan). Grill/broiler would also work.
- Serve, garnished with crushed peanuts, shallots and with lime wedges and Peanut Sauce on the side.
Peanut Sauce
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and chillis and cook for 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Turn heat down to medium, then add peanut butter, coconut milk, kecap manis, soy sauce and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Use a handheld stick to puree (so the onion and chilli blends throughout the sauce – this is key). (See Note 2 for blending instructions) Stir through crushed peanuts and lime juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving or to room temperature – it will thicken.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition for Peanut Sauce based on my estimate that one batch is sufficient for 3 batches of chicken skewers.
Nutrition Information:
Chicken on sticks is always a good thing!
Chicken Souvlaki (Greek)
Yakitori (Japanese skewers) – on my mother’s Japanese cooking website, RecipeTin Japan!
Nagi, this looks quite tempting !! Chicken satay it also pretty common in Africa . We use puree peanuts with our own indigenous spices then smother on the beef skewers before grilling- yum. I agree 100% the sauce kicks it up a notch. GREAT PICS!!!
Thanks Imma! I must pop over to your blog and have a look! I love finding new satay recipes 🙂
Nagi… this looks phenomenal! I love how you go into detail about each type of sauce and style~ I may have to make this easy one!
Thanks Mila!! 🙂
Mmmm – delicious – Nagi – styling is great:)
Thanks Rachel, you’re so kind!! 🙂
How did you know I’ve been craving peanut satay lately? This looks amazing!
Thanks Kristen! I just saw your sticky Harissa chicken – WOWEE!! I know the next chicken I’M making!! 🙂
I love chicken satay with peanut sauce! Didn’t know it was originally from Indonesia. Very nice photos with some really excellent food styling! Well done! 🙂
Awww, thanks Nicole! I feel like I just got praised by my teacher!! 🙂
My mouth is watering right now, reading this post! Oh my, I don’t think I ever had Satay chicken, but this needs to be fixed asap!
Thanks Shinee! Hope you do try it, the Peanut Sauce is crazy delicious!!
I love Indonesian food, so I’m delighted to see the Indonesian version of Satay here. I think you could easily do the raw, authentic version of the peanut sauce. The reason the peanuts came out grainy is because you did not process them long enough. I’ve made a lot of peanut butter, and the trick to get it to come out smooth and silky is just to let the food processor run long enough. As I recall, getting peanuts to that stage takes only about 5 minutes (it’s been a while since I made peanut butter). The nuts go through a fairly long grainy stage, and then they suddenly become silky and shiny. I would love to try the authentic version, just because I’m big on authentic from any cuisine. I’ll have to try this version, too. 🙂
Hi Susan, thanks for the tip!! I ran the food processor for 10 minutes, to the point I was worried it was overheating, but it still didn’t go smooth! I am wondering if it is the type of peanuts we get here in Australia. I just don’t know 🙂 I’ve tried it so many times! I would love to know if you do try the authentic version. I did find that even if the peanuts processed to be smooth, the sauce is really chunky, more like a paste, and doesn’t have quite the depth of flavour of other versions (simply because it has less flavourings). I am honestly convinced that the “authentic” recipe I have (which I got from Indonesian blogs and an Indonesian home cooking cookbook I got in Bali – they were the same recipe) is NOT the one used in restaurants. Even with the grainy problem I have, the flavour is different (less flavour).
I haven’t tried Satai chicken, but I love chicken on a stick, so this one is a must try! Looks delicious! Love the sauce!
I love any meats on a stick! There is not enough meats on sticks!! 🙂