Satay chicken is one of those dishes that just about everyone has a memory of. Whether it’s from trips to Asia, a local market stall or a nice restaurant, the smell and taste of a great peanut sauce with chicken is easy to enjoy (and may even win over fussy eaters). It’s also simple to make with this satay chicken recipe, which only takes around 30 minutes to cook and brings together Indonesian flavours of chilli and coconut with a rich peanut-ty sauce and chicken tenderloins. The result is a tasty weeknight meal for the family, and possibly fond memories of trips to Bali.
Ingredients
Method
Heat oil in wok; stir-fry chicken, brown onion and chilli until chicken is browned.
Add peanut butter, coconut milk, sauce, honey and carrot; stir-fry until chicken is cooked and carrot is tender. Remove from heat; stir in coriander, season to taste. Serve sprinkled with nuts and green onion.
Use light coconut milk for a lower-fat sauce. Use crushed or granulated peanuts if you prefer.
Note
What is chicken satay sauce made of?
The main ingredients in satay sauce are usually peanuts, spices, sugar or honey and salt or other seasoning. Some also include soy sauce and coconut milk or cream, but it does vary in regional recipes and based on the dish. Many easy chicken satay recipes (including this one) use peanut butter, which can boost the nutty flavour and saves you a lot of time grinding the peanuts to a paste.
Depending on the peanut butter and recipe, it could also affect how much sugar, honey and seasoning you need to add. So you may want to check the sauce as you go. Although with this recipe, we’ve tested it in The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen to make sure it’s simple to create from the comfort of your own kitchen.
What is the difference between satay sauce and peanut sauce?
The terms satay sauce and peanut sauce can mean the same thing: a savoury peanut sauce. But in Indonesia, satay sauce or bumbu kacang traditionally refers the peanut sauce that is served with chicken satay skewers. And the sauce for a dish like gado gado is more likely to be referred to as peanut sauce.
So you may find there are differences in when each term is used based on where you are or the recipe you’re cooking. But as a general guide, in Australia you can usually switch between the terms and expect people to understand what you mean.
