Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers
by Jay Wadams
Juicy, tender Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers coated in a spicy peanut sauce are perfect for summer. Serve with a fresh, spicy salad and basmati rice.
Ingredients
for the marinade / sauce:
- 150 g peanuts, see notes
- 125 ml coconut milk
- 4 spring onions chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 5 cm fresh ginger peeled and sliced
- 1-2 long red chillies sliced
- 4 Tbsp sweet soy sauce Ketjap Manis, (see note for substitution)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
for the skewers:
- 800 g chicken thigh or breast cut into cubes
for the salad:
- 250 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 red chilli sliced
- ½ cucumber sliced
- ½ red onion sliced
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves only
- Juice of 1 lime
for the rice:
- 300 g basmati rice
- 1 tsp butter
- pinch of salt
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- MAKE THE MARINADE: Place all marinade/sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor with 125ml / ½ cup of boiling water. Process on high until well blended. The sauce won’t be completely smooth - that’s OK, you want a bit of texture.
- MARINATE THE MEAT: Place the cubed chicken into a glass bowl, pour over the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 24 hours. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes before the next step.
- HEAT THE GRILL / BROILER: Heat the oven grill / broiler to the highest setting and line an oven tray with foil. Place a wire rack over the top, brush with a little oil and set aside.
- MAKE THE SALAD AND RICE: To make the salad, combine all ingredients, stir to combine and divide between 4 plates. To cook the rice, give the rice a quick rinse, then place in a saucepan along with 700ml or just under 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest, covered, or 5 minutes before fluffing up with a fork and serving.
- COOK THE SKEWERS: When you are ready to cook the satay skewers, thread the chicken onto the prepared skewers and place on the wire rack. Cook under the oven grill / broiler for 7-8 minutes until beginning to char and the chicken is cooked through.
- MAKE THE SAUCE: Meanwhile, pour all leftover marinade/sauce into a saucepan and cook, stirring for at least 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened and darkened. If it gets too thick or dark add a splash of water or coconut milk.
- SERVE: Serve the Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers immediately with the rice, spicy salad and sauce.
Notes
- I always use salted, roasted peanuts as that’s what I have in the house and is the most budget friendly. Before using I rinse off the salt so I can control the amount of salt in the final dish. For a smoother sauce, soak the peanuts in warm water for 5 minutes before draining, rinsing and continuing as per the recipe.
- Ketjap Manis is a type of Indonesian sweet soy sauce, usually available in the Asian food section of a supermarket or Asian specialty food store. If you can’t find it simply use the same amount of light soy sauce plus 1 level tablespoon of soft brown sugar.
- If you are at all squeamish about re-using the marinade as a sauce, simply reserve half of the marinade (don’t pour it over the chicken) and cook that instead. Food safety regulations are very clear that marinade can be reused as a sauce as long as it is cooked for at least 5 minutes before serving. It seems a shame to waste it, doesn’t it?
Nutrition
Serving: 1skewers | Calories: 909kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 1261mg | Potassium: 1271mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 694IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 6mg