Delicious chicken satay or grilled chicken skewers marinated with spices and served with peanut sauce. Easy, authentic and the best chicken satay recipe you'll find online!

Satay

Satay or chicken satay conjures up a mental picture of perfectly grilled and nicely charred chicken skewers with mouthwatering peanut sauce.

Chicken satay is one of the most popular Asian appetizers and everyone loves them.

Now, how to make chicken satay at home?

It’s very easy and I have an authentic and the best chicken satay recipe for you, including the recipe for satay sauce!

My chicken satay recipe has been tried and tested by many readers. They are absolutely mouthwatering and delightful. Enjoy!

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Malaysian Chicken Satay is the Best!

There are many versions of satay recipes from Asia, but let me assure you that the best satay in the world comes from Malaysia, my home country.

Called “Satay Ayam” in Malaysian language, any real foodies who have been to the entire Southeast Asia region will agree they are the best!

While Thai chicken sate are tasty, they are inferior to the scrumptious and rich flavors of Malaysian chicken satay.

Chicken Satay Marinade

The marinade is the most important part of the recipe. The best satay are marinated with lots of spices and ingredients, such as the following:

Lemongrass
Garlic
Shallots
Turmeric powder
Coriander powder
Chili powder
Salt and sugar

Traditionally, home cooks pound all the ingredients above with a mortar and pestle until it becomes a fine paste.

Mix the meat (either chicken, beef or mutton) with the marinade overnight to ensure that that every skewer is s bursting with robust flavors.

Peanut Satay Sauce

This dipping sauce is a must for satay. To make the sauce, please check out my peanut sauce recipe.

Cook’s Tips

For the best and most authentic flavors, please follow my secrets and techniques below:

You can use a combination of chicken breasts, chicken thighs and legs. Cut each piece of the chicken meat into uniform pieces.
Marinate the chicken overnight with the marinade for deeper flavors.
Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least two hours. This will prevent the bamboo skewers from burning on the grill.
Use a pair of scissors to snip off the over charred and burned bits on the satay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chicken Satay Healthy?

Yes, satay is very healthy as the spices used in the marinade have a lot of nutrients and health benefits, for example: turmeric.

Can You Bake in the Oven?

You can certainly bake satay in the oven, or pan-fried on a skillet. They will taste delicious.

Can I Pan Fry on Skillet?

Yes, you can. For the best result, use a cast-iron grill pan to pan fry and cook on the stove top.

Can I Freeze Uncooked Chicken Satay?

Yes, you can. Just wrap uncooked and raw skewers with a few sheets of aluminum foil tightly and freeze in the freezer.

Thaw them at room temperature before grilling.

How Many Calories Per Serving?

This recipe serves six people and the calories are 263 per serving.

What to Serve with Chicken Satay skewers?

They are best served with Peanut sauce, sliced cucumber and cut onions. The cucumber and onion clean the palate between each skewer.

In Malaysia and Indonesia, rice cakes or ketupat are common. The rice cakes are cut into bite-sized cubes for serving.

If you are having an outdoor grilling or BBQ party, I recommend the following recipes.

Yield: 6 people

Chicken Satay (The Best Recipe!)

Name: Chicken Satay (The Best Recipe!)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chicken
Ingredients: 2 lbs. (1 kg) boneless and skinless chicken thigh and leg meat; Bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 2 hours; 1 cucumber, cut into small pieces; 1 small onion, quartered; oil, for basting; 3 tablespoons oil; 2 stalks lemongrass, white parts only; 2 cloves garlic, peeled; 6 small shallots or pearl onions, peeled; 2 teaspoons turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon coriander powder; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 tablespoon salt or more to taste; 2 tablespoons sugar or honey

Delicious chicken satay or grilled chicken skewers marinated with spices and served with peanut sauce. Easy, authentic and the best chicken satay recipe you'll find online!

Prep Time 50 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

2 lbs. (1 kg) boneless and skinless chicken thigh and leg meat
Bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 2 hours
1 cucumber, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, quartered
oil, for basting

Chicken Satay Marinade:

3 tablespoons oil
2 stalks lemongrass, white parts only
2 cloves garlic, peeled
6 small shallots or pearl onions, peeled
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon salt or more to taste
2 tablespoons sugar or honey

Instructions

Cut the chicken meat into small cubes. Set aside.
Blend all the he Marinade ingredients in a food processor. Add a little water if needed.
For the chicken satay dipping sauce, please click here: satay peanut sauce recipe.
Combine the chicken and the Marinade together, stir to mix well. Marinate the chicken for 6 hours in the fridge, or best overnight. When ready, thread 3-4 pieces of the chicken meat onto the bamboo skewers.
Grill the chicken satay skewers for 2-3 minutes on each side until the meat is fully cooked and the surface is nicely charred, on both sides. Baste and brush with some oil while grilling. Serve hot with peanut sauce the fresh cucumber pieces and onions.

Notes

Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.

If you prefer white meat, you can use 2 lbs. or 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.

Click for Peanut Sauce recipe.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size

6 people
Amount Per Serving Calories 263Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 144mgSodium 727mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 2gSugar 7gProtein 31g

Comments

yewnique

at

Hi, Bee. We had this for dinner tonight together with the satay sauce. I used lemongrass and galangal from a jar, even though I can easily find fresh ones here in Melbourne. It was very well received by everyone. Thank you!

KC

at

Can you do this in a air fryer?

Thanks,
KC

- Rasa Malaysia
  
  at
  
  You can try!
  
Shortie Williams

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I remember eating Satay from the beach sellers at what we called Tiger Bay when I was a kid.
Sugar Cane, Rambutans and Satay.
I loved the sweet meat, that I never realised was chicken. Just the aroma alone was amazing.
I can taste them now, in my mind, over 50 years later.
I have tried to emulate that taste so many times. I will try this recipe this week, it looks great. Will see if it brings back memories of journeys to the beach and Kota Tingi water falls!
Thank you for sharing

- Admin
  
  at
  
  Thanks for your support!
  
Ash Denver

at

This will be our second use of the recipe. SOOOOO delicious! I almost wish I could figure out how to do the super thin but wide flat pieces of chicken like I get in restaurants but I’ve come around to the chunks – more marinade to meat ratio as well as: it’s a lot easier to eat the chunks than tear off pieces of a single 6” x 3” piece of chicken. We also use the cucumber salad, with tomato in it. (We do cheat though – bottled peanut sauce. Sorry!)

- Rasa Malaysia
  
  at
  
  Awesome Ash. Please try more recipes on my site!
  
Vera

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Tried this recipe and it was so easy to follow and very very delicious. Had leftovers the next day and still great. I baked the chicken in the oven.

- Kathy
  
  at
  
  How long in the oven and what temp
  
Mary-Rose

at

Hi Bee,
Could you marinate and thread the skewers and then freeze before cooking?
Thanks!
Mary-Rose

- Admin
  
  at
  
  Yes you can. Just thaw before cooking.
  
SARITHA SILVASAMY

at

I can;t find lemongrass.Is there any substitute besides the ginger.

- Rasa Malaysia
  
  at
  
  You can skip if you can’t find.
  
Lucie

at

Hi Bee, thanks for the recipe. I can’t find shallots and coriander powder, what can I substitute these two ingredients with? Can I leave them out?

- Rasa Malaysia
  
  at
  
  You can skip coriander powder and shallots. You can use onion instead.
  
  - Lucie
    
    at
    
    Ok, thanks, Bee. How much onion should I use? Should I mince it?
    
    - Rasa Malaysia
      
      at
      
      Same amount.
      
      - Lucie
        
        at
        
        Thank you for your reply!