Indonesian Chicken Satay Skewers

Tender chicken thigh marinated in turmeric, coriander and lemongrass, then grilled until smoky and charred at the edges. Served with a classic sweet-savoury peanut sauce for dipping. Easy enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for guests.

Satay ayam is Indonesian street food at its finest: bite-sized chicken threaded onto skewers, marinated in warm spices and charred over fierce heat. The magic is in the peanut sauce, sweet, savoury and gently spiced. This version keeps the authentic flavours while staying easy with UK-supermarket ingredients. Fire up the grill and get dipping.

Ingredients

• 600g boneless, skinless chicken thighs — cut into 2-3cm pieces; thighs stay juicier than breast
• 2 stalks lemongrass — tough outer layers removed, finely grated or minced
• 3 cloves garlic — crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger — grated
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp kecap manis — Indonesian sweet soy; sub 1 tbsp dark soy + 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 150g crunchy peanut butter — no added sugar works best
• 200ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
• 1 tbsp lime juice — plus wedges to serve
• 1 tsp chilli flakes — or 1 tbsp sambal oelek, to taste

Method

1. If using wooden skewers, soak 8-10 of them in cold water for at least 20 minutes so they don't scorch under the grill.
2. Make the marinade: combine the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, turmeric, ground coriander, kecap manis and oil in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat every piece well. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes while you make the sauce.
3. For the peanut sauce, warm the coconut milk gently in a small pan. Whisk in the peanut butter, brown sugar and chilli flakes until smooth and glossy. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened to a coating consistency, then stir in the lime juice. Loosen with a splash of hot water if needed and set aside.
4. Thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers, pushing the pieces close together but not squashed, leaving a handle at one end.
5. Heat the grill to high and line the tray with foil. Arrange the skewers on the tray so they sit just below the element.
6. Grill for about 12 minutes, turning halfway, until the chicken is nicely charred at the edges, cooked through with no pink in the centre and the juices run clear.
7. Rest the skewers for a couple of minutes, then pile onto a platter with the warm peanut sauce alongside. Scatter with any extra chilli and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Serve it with

• Steamed jasmine rice or compressed rice cakes (lontong)
• Cucumber and red onion salad
• Prawn crackers
• A crisp lager or iced lime soda
• Extra lime wedges

Why this works

Chicken thigh stays succulent under fierce heat where breast dries out, and kecap manis caramelises fast for that signature sticky char. The coconut in the sauce carries the peanut and mellows the chilli into something you'll want to spoon over everything.

Common swaps

• Swap chicken thigh for firm tofu or tempeh cubes for a vegetarian version
• Use almond butter if you prefer it to peanut
• No kecap manis? Use 1 tbsp dark soy plus 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Cook on a barbecue or a ridged griddle pan instead of the grill for more smoke

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the skewer soak, so wooden ends burn through before the chicken cooks
• Using chicken breast and overcooking it to dry, stringy pieces
• Boiling the peanut sauce hard, which splits it; keep it at a gentle simmer
• Overcrowding the chicken on the skewer so the middle steams instead of chars

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Keep cooked skewers and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. The sauce will thicken when cold.

Freezing: Freeze the raw marinated chicken (off the skewers) for up to 2 months; defrost fully in the fridge before threading and grilling. The peanut sauce also freezes well for up to 1 month.

Reheating: Reheat skewers under a hot grill or in a hot oven until piping hot throughout. Loosen the sauce with a splash of water and warm gently, stirring, until smooth.

Allergen notes: contains Nuts, Soya. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.