Simple Chicken Satay
This is definitely my favourite recipe for chicken satay. The combination of succulent, lightly spiced chicken breast and tangy peanut sauce is perfect as a starter or main course served with salad. I’ve used ready-made lemongrass and galangal paste for the marinade as I have been bowled over by the improvement in this type of product over the last few years. Prep time 30 minutes plus marinating time.
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the Marinade
- 1tbsp galangal paste (from a jar or tube)
- 1tbsp lemongrass paste (from a jar or tube)
- 1tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
- 2tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1tsp dried chilli flakes
- ¼tsp ground turmeric
- 1tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
- ground black pepper
- lime wedges, for squeezing
Method
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To make the marinade, put the galangal and lemongrass paste, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, chilli flakes, turmeric and oil in a bowl and season generously with black pepper. Trim the chicken of any visible fat and cut at a slight diagonal angle into long 1cm wide strips. Add the strips to the marinade and stir well.
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Thread chicken strips onto short metal or well-soaked skewers, making sure they aren’t packed too tightly as the heat needs to penetrate the meat. The chicken should be fairly flat so it cooks evenly once threaded.
Put the skewers on a plate, cover and marinate in the fridge for 1–4 hours.
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Cook the chicken skewers on a lightly oiled and preheated griddle for 3–4 minutes on each side or until lightly charred and cooked through. Alternatively, place the skewers on a rack above a baking tray or grill pan lined with foil. Cook under a preheated hot grill for 8–10 minutes, turning once, or until lightly charred and cooked throughout.
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Serve the hot satay sticks with the warm satay sauce for dipping and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Easy Satay Sauce
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Put 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter in a small heatproof bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons just-boiled water until evenly mixed. Add 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce and stir well. Pour into a small serving bowl. Calories per serving: 53.
Recipe Notes
To freeze
Open freeze the marinated chicken sticks then wrap in tightly sealed bags and return to the freezer for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen as above, doubling the recommended time, until piping hot.
Freeze the sauce in a zip seal bag and reheat from frozen in a small saucepan, stirring constantly until thawed.
