Have a potluck in Malaysia without assigning dishes, and you’ll end up with a Chicken Satay party. When Malaysians think party, they think satay.
I can’t imagine a get-together in Malaysia without dipping chicken satay into a rich peanut sauce, but when I think satay, I think yellow fingers & yellow chicken.
A visit to my Ah Ma’s (grandma’s) house, on the mainland of Penang, always began with an introduction to gluttony. Nasi lemak, Hokkien mee, asam laksa, curry laksa, rojak, popiah, and of course, chicken satay. I always knew the satay was coming when I saw the yellow stained fingers of my Ah Ma and eldest aunt. My aunt ran a chicken satay stall for many years with the help of my Ah Ma, who was willing to get her fingers yellow for the sake of deliciously, marinated chicken satay.
Malaysian chicken satay marinade consists of a mix of fresh and dry spices, with special attention to turmericfor that deep yellow color, and for its rich flavor and aroma.
With the creation of our Malaysian Satay Seasoning, we wanted to bring that authentic flavor to you without the need to get your fingers yellow.
To make the marinating process easier, the blend consists of all dry spices – turmeric, coriander, ginger, cumin, garlic, shallots, fennel, galangal, cayenne, and lemongrass. Just add into the blend some salt and palm sugar, and mix well with thin slices of chicken. You can mix it with a spoon, or if you really want to show your guests how authentic your chicken satay is, skip the spoon and get your fingers yellow.
For a Thai inspired satay, try mixing in some coconut milk and fish sauce to the marinade. Or for a sweet Indonesian style satay, add in some kecap manis (sweet soy sauce).
It’s best to marinate overnight, but if you’re pressed for time, you can still enjoy a delicious satay by putting it all together right before grilling.
And don’t forget the peanut sauce
Easy Malaysian Chicken Satay recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb pound skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 3-4 tsp of Season with Spice’s Malaysian Satay Seasoning
- 2-3 tsp of brown sugar I used raw sugar
- Salt or 2 tsp soy sauce to taste
- 1 tsp fish sauce optional
- Peanut oil or vegetable oil for basting
- Bamboo skewers – soaked in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling
Suggested Accompaniments:
For the peanut sauce
- 1 cucumber – cut into small cubes
- 1 small red onion – quartered
- Grilled or fresh pineapple slices
Instructions
- Cut chicken meat into small pieces – about an inch wide and a third of an inch thick.
- Season the chicken pieces with our Malaysian Satay Seasoning, salt, and brown sugar. Coat evenly and leave to marinade for 1-2 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to grill, thread about 4-5 chicken pieces onto each bamboo skewer and baste the chicken with oil. Grill over medium fire for a few minutes, baste with oil again, and flip over. Repeat until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.
- Serve hot with an Easy Peanut Sauce for dipping, and a few raw veggies on the side (in Malaysia, that’s usually slices of cucumber and red onion).