Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

RECIPES, BBQ, Other

Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
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Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Course: Appetizers, Sides, Snacks
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

35

minutes

Satay is the street food that stops everyone in their tracks — skewers of marinated chicken grilled over charcoal until golden and slightly caramelised at the edges, served with a rich, nutty peanut sauce and a cool, tangy cucumber relish alongside. It is one of the most universally beloved dishes in Thai cuisine, and with good reason. The marinade is fragrant with turmeric, lemongrass, and coconut cream. The peanut sauce is deep, slightly sweet, and faintly spiced. Together they create a combination that is impossible to eat just one of. A staple of Thai street food stalls and temple fairs, and every bit as good made at home.

Ingredients

  • For the chicken:

  • 600 grams chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into long thin strips

  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely sliced

  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

  • 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric, grated (or ½ teaspoon ground turmeric)

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons ONOFF Spices Coconut Cream

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes before use

  • For the peanut sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, finely ground (or smooth peanut butter)

  • 1 can ONOFF Spices Coconut Cream

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices Thai Red Curry Paste

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  • pinch salt

  • For the cucumber relish:

  • 1 cucumber, finely diced

  • 2 shallots, finely sliced

  • 1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced

  • 3 tablespoons ONOFF Spices Thai Rice Vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • small handful of fresh coriander leaves

Directions

  • The chicken:
  • Using a mortar and pestle, pound the lemongrass and garlic into a rough paste.
  • Combine the paste with turmeric, coriander, cumin, palm sugar, No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce, Coconut Cream, and vegetable oil in a bowl and mix well.
  • Add the chicken strips and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight gives the best result.
  • Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent them burning during cooking.
  • Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked skewers, weaving each strip back and forth along the length of the skewer.
  • The peanut sauce:
  • Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the Red Curry Paste. Stir fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Add the Coconut Cream and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Add the ground peanuts or peanut butter, palm sugar, No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce, and lime juice. Stir well and simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside. The sauce will thicken further as it cools — add a splash of water to loosen if needed.
  • The cucumber relish:
  • Combine the Thai Rice Vinegar, palm sugar, and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved.
  • Add the diced cucumber, shallots, and chilli and toss to coat.
  • Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then scatter over fresh coriander leaves just before serving.
  • To cook and serve:
  • Grill the skewers over a hot charcoal grill or on a preheated griddle pan over high heat, turning regularly, for 8–10 minutes until golden, slightly caramelised at the edges, and cooked through.
  • Serve immediately alongside the peanut sauce for dipping and the cucumber relish on the side.

Notes

  • Chicken thigh gives a juicier, more flavourful result than breast and is more forgiving on the grill — it is worth using if you can. For an oven method, roast the skewers on a rack at 220°C for 12–15 minutes, turning once halfway through, then finish under the grill for 2 minutes each side for colour.