Perth-Style Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce
Tender, spiced chicken thigh skewers charred over a hot grill, served with a rich, fragrant Malaysian-style peanut sauce and fresh cucumber.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •bamboo skewers
- •barbecue or cast iron grill pan
- •small saucepan
- •mixing bowl
- •pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 30 g
- carbs
- 16 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 38 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Soak twelve bamboo skewers in cold water for thirty minutes to prevent them scorching on the barbecue.
- 2
Combine minced lemongrass, half the garlic, half the ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, two tablespoons kecap manis, and oil in a bowl.
- 3
Add the diced chicken to the marinade and mix until thoroughly coated, then chill for at least one hour.
- 4
Thread five to six marinated chicken pieces tightly onto each soaked bamboo skewer.
- 5
Heat one teaspoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and sauté remaining garlic and ginger until fragrant.
- 6
Whisk in peanut butter, coconut milk, tamarind paste, brown sugar, and remaining kecap manis until smooth.
- 7
Simmer peanut sauce gently for five minutes over low heat until glossy and thickened, then remove from heat.
- 8
Preheat a barbecue hotplate or grill pan to high heat and lightly oil the cooking surface.
- 9
Grill the chicken skewers for eight to ten minutes, turning regularly until nicely charred and cooked through.
- 10
Serve the hot skewers immediately with warm peanut sauce, cucumber wedges, and sliced red onion.
Chef's tips
Chicken thigh stays much juicier than breast meat over direct barbecue heat. If the peanut sauce becomes too thick while simmering, loosen it with one or two tablespoons of warm water. For extra aromatic flavour, use a bruised lemongrass stalk as your basting brush while grilling.
Ingredient substitutions
- kecap manis → equal parts dark soy sauce and brown sugar
- tamarind paste → fresh lime juice
- crunchy peanut butter → roasted unsalted peanuts ground coarsely in a food processor
Storage
Store leftover cooked skewers and peanut sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat skewers in a hot frypan or under a grill for four minutes and warm sauce gently in a saucepan with a splash of water.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the skewer soak, which causes bamboo sticks to catch fire on the hot barbecue.
- •Simmering the peanut sauce on high heat, which can cause the oils to separate rapidly.
- •Overcrowding the barbecue plate, resulting in steamed rather than charred chicken.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Perth-Style Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce?
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