Satay, possibly Indonesia's most famous food export, is a dish which is enjoyed around the world by those with even the most conservative of tastes. The simple combination of exotic ingredients together with that household favorite, peanut butter, appeals to both young and old alike.

It couldn't be easier to bring the taste of Indonesian street food into your home with this delicious, easy to prepare chicken satay with peanut sauce.


Making your own chicken satay with peanut sauce takes little in the way of preparation and it can be as mild or spicy as you like. The recipe included here makes use of Thai red curry paste, though you could make your own from scratch. And if you’re pushed for time, you could buy a ready-made peanut sauce.

Before you get started, allow yourself 20 minutes for preparation, 15 minutes cooking time plus one hour for marinating. This recipe makes enough for four people as a starter or alternatively, you could serve it as a main meal on a bed of steamed white rice.

What you'll need

1lb 2oz boneless chicken breasts (cut into thin strips)
Skewers. Either metal or wooden skewers will do.

Ingredients needed for the marinade

1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste (adjust to taste)
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Ingredients for the peanut sauce

Half a tablespoon of sunflower oil
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
7 fl. oz carton coconut cream

Preparing the marinade

After slicing your chicken into strips, place them into a shallow dish. Now mix together the curry paste, lime juice, oil and soy sauce and spoon it over the chicken. Give it a good stir, ensuring all pieces of chicken are thoroughly coated. Place a cover on the dish and pop it into the fridge to marinate for one hour.

Making the peanut sauce

Start making the sauce around ten minutes before you take the chicken out of the marinade.  Heat the oil in a small pan and gently cook the shallots for a few minutes until they're soft. Next stir in the soy sauce, lime or lemon juice, peanut butter and sugar and stir over a low heat for two minutes. Gradually stir in the coconut cream until it's evenly mixed.

Cooking the chicken

Once the marinating time is up, thread each piece of chicken onto a skewer. If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for around ten minutes beforehand to prevent them burning while they’re under the grill. Place the chicken satay skewers underneath a medium grill for around five minutes, ensuring you turn them once or twice to prevent burning.

To serve

For the authentic look, serve your chicken satays on a banana leaf together with a wedge of lime for squeezing and add a little chopped red chili or sweet chili sauce. Serve the peanut sauce in a small bowl where everyone can dip their satays. Alternatively, give each person their own individual bowl or even an egg cup will do.

Chicken satay with peanut sauce is a dish that takes moments to put together, yet has a professional finesse. It's versatile enough to be enjoyed as a starter or main meal and can be eaten hot or cold. And children, who love eating with their fingers, find satays on skewers are always a fun meal choice. It’s not hard to see why satays are one of Indonesia’s most popular meals.