There's satay, and then there's Thai chicken satay! If you've never had the real stuff, then you'll fall in love with the succulent taste of this satay recipe, which has been passed down through my husband's family (from Thailand) for many generations. Strips of chicken (or beef) are marinated in a special Thai paste, then skewered and grilled on the BBQ or broiled in the oven. It is then served with homemade peanut sauce for the ultimate taste sensation. Even your kids will love it. Chicken Satay also makes a great party food!
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8-16 skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces or strips, or the equivalent of beef (enough for your family/party)
- 1 package wooden skewers
- SATAY MARINADE:
- 1/4 cup minced lemongrass, fresh or frozen (if using fresh, see below for instructions)
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 of thumb-size piece fresh turmeric, OR 1/2 tsp. dried turmeric
- 2 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground in a coffee grinder, OR 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 3 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
- 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 5 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Preparation:
- For complete instructions on how to buy and cook with fresh lemongrass, go to: All About Lemongrass.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water while you prepare the meat. This will prevent them from burning (I find the kitchen sink works well for this).
- Cut chicken or beef into thin pieces or strips (small enough to easily skewer). Place in a bowl.
- Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor (discard the upper stalk of lemongrass, if using fresh). Process well.
- Taste-test the marinade - you will taste sweet, spicy, and salty. The strongest tastes should be SWEET and SALTY in order for the finished satay to taste its best. If necessary, add more sugar or more fish sauce (instead of salt) to adjust the taste.
- Add the marinade to the meat and stir well to combine. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, or longer (up to 24 hours).
- When ready to cook, slide the pieces of meat onto the wooden skewers. Tip: Fill only the upper half of the skewer, leaving the lower half empty so that the person barbecuing has a "handle" to work with. This makes it easier to turn the satay during cooking.
- Barbecue the satay, OR grill on an indoor grill, OR broil it in the oven on a broiling pan or baking sheet with the oven set to "broil" (Place satay close beneath the heating element and turn the meat every 5 minutes until cooked). Depending on how thin your meat is, the satay will cook in 10 to 20 minutes.
- Serve with rice and my Easy Thai Peanut Sauce for dipping. ENJOY!
