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Chicken satay is a flavorful and popular Southeast Asian dish, especially loved in Thai and Indonesian cuisine. Tender pieces of chicken are marinated in a mixture of coconut milk, turmeric, coriander, and other aromatic spices. The marinated chicken is then skewered and grilled to perfection, resulting in juicy, smoky, and deliciously charred meat. Served with a creamy, spicy peanut sauce, chicken satay offers a delightful balance of savory, sweet, and nutty flavors. This dish is perfect for appetizers, main courses, or even as a crowd-pleasing party snack. Chicken satay is both easy to make and irresistibly tasty.
Important ingredients for chicken satay
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs:
- Flavor and Juiciness: Chicken thighs are more flavorful and juicy compared to chicken breasts, ensuring tender and succulent satay.
- Uniform Cooking: They cook evenly on skewers, making them ideal for grilling.
- Red or Panang Curry Paste:
- Aromatics and Spices: Adds a depth of flavor with its blend of herbs, spices, and aromatics.
- Authentic Taste: Provides an authentic Southeast Asian flavor profile.
- Curry Powder:
- Complex Flavor: Adds a rich, complex flavor with a mix of spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander.
- Color: Enhances the color of the marinade, giving the chicken a golden hue.
- Salt:
- Seasoning: Enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
- Tenderizing: Helps in tenderizing the chicken during marination.
- Coconut Milk:
- Creaminess: Adds a creamy texture to the marinade, ensuring the chicken stays moist.
- Flavor Balance: Balances the spices with its rich, sweet flavor.
- Brown Sugar:
- Sweetness: Adds a subtle sweetness, balancing the savory and spicy elements.
- Caramelization: Helps in caramelizing the chicken while cooking, enhancing its flavor.
- Fish Sauce:
- Umami: Provides a depth of umami flavor, enhancing the overall taste.
- Authenticity: Essential for an authentic Southeast Asian flavor.
These ingredients work together to create a well-balanced, flavorful, and authentic chicken satay that is sure to impress.
Peanut butter for chicken satay
Using crunchy peanut butter over smooth for chicken satay peanut sauce adds an appealing texture and enhances the flavor. The crunchy bits of peanuts provide a delightful contrast to the creamy sauce, making each bite more interesting. This texture complements the tender chicken satay perfectly, adding an extra layer of satisfaction. Additionally, crunchy peanut butter often has a more robust, authentic peanut taste, which enhances the overall flavor profile of the sauce. For a more traditional and enjoyable chicken satay experience, opting for crunchy peanut butter is a great choice.
Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 1 kg boneless skinless chicken thighs, (10-15)
- 1 tbsp red or panang curry paste
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tbsp fish sauce
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ⅓ cup crunchy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp red or panang curry paste
- 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cut your chicken thighs into one inch cubes.1 kg boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Into a bowl mix together curry paste, curry powder, salt, coconut milk, brown sugar, and fish sauce.1 tbsp red or panang curry paste, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ cup coconut milk, ½ tbsp brown sugar, ½ tbsp fish sauce
- Add cubed up chicken thighs into the same bowl.
- Mix well to combine. Let marinate overnight if you have time.
- Using bamboo skewers that fit into your airfryer, skewer the chicken evently.
- Spray with oil and air fry at 365F for 15-20 minutes flipping halfway through.
Peanut sauce
- Into a saucepan mix together all the peanut sauce ingredients.½ cup coconut milk, ⅓ cup crunchy peanut butter, 1 tbsp red or panang curry paste, 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce, ½ tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt
- Stir and warm it up over medium heat until warm. Serve with chicken satay.
