Sate Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce)

  • Total Time - 50 minutes (plus marinating 2 hours)
  • Preparation - 20 minutes
  • Grilling/Cooking - 30 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Indonesia
Grilled Sate Ayam chicken skewers smothered in peanut sauce, served with lime.

The key to perfect Sate Ayam lies in two things: first, the meat must be marinated to gain flavour. Second, the peanut sauce should be fresh, thick, and have a balanced taste of sweet, salty, sour, and slightly spicy.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Skewers (Sate Ayam)

  • 600 g Chicken breast or boneless thighs, cut into cubes (2 cm)
  • 4 tbsp Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric, ground
  • 1 tbsp Lemon/Lime juice
  • 12 pcs Bamboo skewers

For the Peanut Sauce (Bumbu Kacang)

  • 150 g Unsalted roasted peanuts (or quality unsweetened peanut butter)
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 pc Fresh red chili (or 1 tsp Sambal Oelek)
  • 3 tbsp Kecap Manis
  • 1 tsp Tamarind paste (or more lime juice)
  • 150 ml Water (hot)

For Serving

  • for garnish Sliced shallot or red onion
  • for seasoning Lime wedges

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing and Marinating the Chicken

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.

Mix the chicken cubes with 4 tbsp of Kecap Manis, turmeric, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Skewer the meat onto the prepared skewers (5-6 pieces per skewer).

Step 2: Preparing the Peanut Sauce

Blend the peanuts (if not using butter) into a paste.

Heat a little oil in a wok or pan. Sauté the garlic and chopped chili until fragrant.

Add the peanut paste (or butter), Kecap Manis, tamarind paste, and hot water. Cook over low heat, stirring until the sauce thickens and is smooth (about 5-7 minutes). If necessary, add more water or Kecap Manis to achieve the desired consistency and flavour.

Step 3: Grilling the Skewers

Heat the grill (or pan) to medium/high temperature. Brush the skewers with the leftover marinade or a little oil.

Grill the skewers for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through, golden brown, and the chicken is white inside.

Tip: During grilling, you can brush the skewers with a thin layer of sauce, but save most of the sauce for serving.

Step 4: Serving

Serve the Sate skewers hot. Drizzle generously with warm peanut sauce.

Garnish with chopped shallots and serve with lime wedges for squeezing. Traditionally served with rice (nasi) or rice cakes (ketupat).