Tony Zentgraf
Skewered Street Food Around The World
My love of Asian food is what inspired me to do the series of Skewered Street Food Around the World. Gaining knowledge of Asian food and the other cuisines around the world over my career has always brought me back to the thoughts of where does our food come from. Indonesian Style Chicken Satay (Satay Ayam) is a good place to start since that is where Satay originated.
See more of where our food comes from on the Exploring the Source page.
As we have already seen with the recipe post for the Southwest Sweet Potato Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette, sweet potatoes went on a world tour before landing in the United States.
This recipe has the elements to recreate Indonesian Chicken Satay, which are different than neighboring countries satay. Indonesian Satay ingredients vary across the 6,000 inhabited islands of the over 18,000 in the country.
Overall there are some similarities between the neighboring islands, dark soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, palm sugar, shallots and many times candlenuts remain frontrunners of ingredients.
Peanut Sauce the Dipping Sauce of Southeast Asia
Peanut sauce is a traditional dipping sauce with satay, no matter what country you are in. Each country’s version of peanut sauce is different, even from region to region within a country.
This recipe for peanut sauce is not cooked, it is combined in a food processor. If you want a workout use a mortar and pestle. It is easy to make and is delicious.
Leftovers and Variations
You can use any leftover peanut sauce as a sauce for an Asian cold noodle salad as well.
Indonesian peanut sauce has thai chilis as an ingredient. Peanut sauce is used in the marinade for the chicken as well. The ending flavor of both the peanut sauce and chicken are not overly spicy.
If you do not want the spice no problem, just remove the chilis from the list of ingredients there are many recipes for Indonesian or Bali Satay that are not spicy.
Charcoal Grilling is the Way To Go!
Cooking Indonesian Chicken Satay is traditionally done over charcoal. Additional flavor from the charcoal adds an authentic flavor. The skewers can be cooked on a gas grill or even under the broiler in your oven.
They will still have the flavor elements from the marinade to give you the feeling of sitting on a beach in Indonesia with a drink in hand.
Enjoy this recipe for Indonesian Style Chicken Satay (Satay Ayam)!
Indonesian Style Chicken Satay
Print RecipeEquipment
- 16 Bamboo Skewers - (in the video I used 4" skewers. You can use longer ones)
Recipe Multiplier
Indonesian Peanut Sauce
- 8 ea Garlic Cloves
- 2 ea Shallot chopped
- 3 ea Thai Chilis chopped
- 5 ea Macadamia Nuts (or Candlenuts)
- ½ cup Sweet Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Palm Sugar (grated fine)
- 1 ½ cupw Peanut Butter (natural is best but chunky or creamy will work as well)
- 2 cups Chicken Stock (can use vegetable stock to make vegetarian)
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ cup Chopped Peanuts
Marinade for Indonesian Chicken Satay
- 2 lbs 2 lbs Diced Chicken Thigh or Breast
- 1 cup 1 cup prepared Peanut Suace
- ¼ cup 1/4 cup Sweet Soy Sauce
- 1 ea Juice of 1 Lime
- 3 tbsp 3 Tbl Vegetable Oil
Instructions
Indonesian Peanut Sauce
- In a food processor, add the garlic, shallots, thai chilis, and macadamia nuts. Pulse to chop, scrape down the bowl and pulse to chop again. The ingredients should be about ⅛".
- Add to the bowl, the peanut butter, sweet soy sauce, palm sugar and about ½ cup of chicken stock.
- Pulse the ingredients for about 15 seconds to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add more chicken stock and pulse to combine again.
- Continue adding the chicken stock until the peanut sauce becomes a pourable consistency. Running the food processor in between additions of liquid.
- Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, season with salt.
- Add the chopped peanuts and pulse to incorporate. You don't want to chop them finer, leave them chunky for texture. You can adjust seasoning at this point but I would recommend to taste at an earlier stage to see if you need to add more garlic or thai chilis. If added at this point they may not dice small enough to blend into the sauce.
Making the Indonesian Chicken Marinade
- In a bowl, combine the peanut sauce, sweet soy sauce, lime juice, and vegetable oil. Mix until well comnined.
- Add the diced chicken to the marinade and mix to combine.
- Marinate the chicken for 2-6 hours.
- Once marinated, skewer the chicken. Skewer 4-6 pieces on the skewer. Remember it is meant to be eaten off the skewer, if you fill a long skewer it may be difficult to eat.
Grilling the Indonesian Chicken Satay
- Preheat the grill. Charcoal grill will give the best flavor, traditionally the street vendors use charcoal to grill. Although any grill will work. Brush the grill with oil to help avoid sticking.
- Grill the chicken skewer on the first side for a couple of minutes. Baste with the marinade as it grills. Once char develops on the first side, turn to the skewers onto the second side. Repeat process of basting and grilling as you turn.
- The chicken is done when it can be easily pulled away from the skewer or at 165°. Remove from the grill and serve with Peanut Sauce. Enjoy!
