Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Malaysian Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
馬來西亞沙嗲雞肉串
Recipe overview
Chicken thigh is marinated with lemongrass, shallot, turmeric and warm spices, grilled on short skewers until safely cooked, and served with a separately simmered peanut satay sauce.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g Skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 2 stalks Lemongrass, tender white parts only
- 3 Shallots
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 150 g Unsalted roasted peanuts
- 250 ml Coconut milk
- 150 g Cucumber
- 80 g Red onion
Chicken marinade
- 1 tsp Ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 2 tsp Brown sugar for marinade
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil for marinade
Satay peanut sauce
- 2 tsp Tamarind paste
- 1 tsp, to taste Sambal
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar for peanut sauce
- 2 tsp Fish sauce
- 100 ml Water
Grill-pan oil
- 1 tsp Cooking oil for grill pan
02
Tools
- Two chopping boards and chef’s knife
- Blender or mortar
- Large bowl and 12 bamboo skewers
- Small saucepan and wooden spoon
- Grill pan or outdoor grill and tongs
- Probe thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Soak the skewers
Submerge the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to reduce scorching while preparing the other ingredients; this soaking is included in the preparation time.
Step 2
Cut the chicken thighs
On the raw-meat board, trim excess fat from the chicken and cut it into even 2.5 cm pieces, then pat dry and place in a large bowl.
Step 3
Blend the aromatic base
Thinly slice lemongrass and blend it with shallots and garlic to a fine paste; with a mortar, pound lemongrass first before adding the rest.
Step 4
Marinate the chicken
Mix the aromatic paste and all chicken marinade ingredients through the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes; never reserve raw marinade for basting.
Step 5
Grind the peanuts
Pulse the roasted peanuts to a coarse meal with some small pieces remaining; cut cucumber and red onion on the clean board and refrigerate them.
Step 6
Simmer the peanut sauce
Combine peanuts, coconut milk and every satay-sauce ingredient in a small pan, then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring until thick but pourable.
Step 7
Thread twelve skewers
Thread the chilled chicken evenly onto 12 skewers with small gaps between pieces, then immediately discard raw marinade and clean the bowl, gloves and work area.
Step 8
Preheat the grill pan
Preheat the grill pan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes and brush it lightly with oil; use clean tongs once the chicken starts cooking.
Step 9
Grill the first side
Lay skewers in one uncrowded layer and grill the first side for 3 to 4 minutes until golden grill marks form without moving them repeatedly.
Step 10
Turn and cook through
Turn every skewer and grill for another 3 to 5 minutes, rotating the sides for even heat; reduce to medium if the surface colours too quickly.
Step 11
Verify the centre temperature
Insert the probe from the side into the thickest chicken piece in each batch; it must reach 75°C, or cook for 1 minute at a time and recheck.
Step 12
Rest and serve with sauce
Rest cooked skewers on a clean plate for 3 minutes, then serve with warm peanut sauce, cucumber and red onion, keeping the sauce in a separate bowl.
Common mistakes
- Uneven chicken pieces leave small pieces dry while large ones remain undercooked.
- Basting cooked chicken with marinade that touched raw chicken causes cross-contamination.
- Crowding the grill pan traps moisture and prevents proper browned grill marks.
- Cooking peanut sauce over high heat or without stirring makes it catch and split.
Tips
Use only the tender white lemongrass and slice it thinly so the marinade has no tough fibres. Peanut sauce thickens as it cools; stir in hot water one spoonful at a time to restore a pourable texture. This dish is unsafe for anyone with a peanut allergy, even if the visible sauce is removed.
