Satay Chicken with Restaurant Style Peanut Sauce (Indonesian/Bali style)

Name: Satay Chicken with Restaurant Style Peanut Sauce (Indonesian/Bali style)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12 - 14
Ingredients: 1 lb / 500g chicken thigh fillet; 2 1/2 tbsp kecap manis; 1 tbsp butter; 12 - 14 bamboo skewers; 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil; 2 garlic; 1 small or 1/2 large onion; 3 bird's eye chili; 1/2 cup peanut butter; 1 cup coconut milk; 2 1/2 tbsp kecap manis; 1/2 tbsp soy sauce; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 cup peanuts; 1 - 2 tbsp lime juice; peanuts; lime; shallot

User Reviews

5

92 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings
12 - 14
Calories
66 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Asian, Indonesian

Satay Chicken with Restaurant Style Peanut Sauce (Indonesian/Bali style)

Paige Becker

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Satay Chicken with Restaurant Style Peanut Sauce offers tender cubes of chicken thigh marinated in kecap manis and butter, grilled on skewers for a rich, smoky flavor. The accompanying peanut sauce blends garlic, onion, bird's eye chilies, peanut butter, and coconut milk, pureed to a smooth texture accented by crushed peanuts and lime juice. This dish balances sweet, savory, and spicy elements, making it a flavorful main or appetizer with a distinctive Indonesian flair. It pairs well with lime wedges and fresh shallots to enhance brightness and crunch.

Description

Satay Chicken with Restaurant Style Peanut Sauce (Indonesian/Bali style) features bite-sized chicken thigh pieces marinated with thick, sweet kecap manis soy sauce and butter, then grilled on bamboo skewers for a lightly charred and juicy result. The peanut sauce incorporates sautéed garlic, onion, and hot chilies, blended with peanut butter and creamy coconut milk. Whisked and simmered with soy sauce, salt, and lime juice, the sauce achieves a smooth, rich consistency dotted with crushed peanuts for texture.

The layered flavors offer a balance of savory depth from the soy and peanut butter alongside fresh citrus notes from lime juice and a subtle heat from the chilies. Cooking the chicken on a grill or stovetop skillet imparts a smoky quality that complements the creamy and tangy sauce. The skewered chicken pieces remain moist and tender with a slightly sticky glaze from the kecap manis marinade.

Serve the satay chicken with garnishes like crushed peanuts, sliced shallots or scallions, and lime wedges to add contrast and brighten the dish. It is commonly accompanied by steamed vegetables and rice to complete the meal, integrating the sauce both as a dip and a drizzle. Leftover sauce keeps well in the refrigerator and can be refreshed with extra lime juice as needed.

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Ingredients

Servings

Chicken

1 lb / 500g chicken thigh fillet (skinless and boneless)
2 1/2 tbsp kecap manis (thick sweet soy sauce - see Note 1)
1 tbsp butter melted, unsalted
12 - 14 bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes, small

Peanut Sauce

1 tbsp neutral cooking oil peanut, canola, vegetable, generic cooking oil
2 garlic minced, cloves
1 small or 1/2 large onion , diced (red, brown, yellow or white)
3 bird's eye chili sliced (or sub with hot sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 cup coconut milk (full fat is better, but light is ok)
2 1/2 tbsp kecap manis (Note 1)
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup peanuts buy crushed or chop your own, crushed, unsalted, roasted
1 - 2 tbsp lime juice fresh

Garnish (optional)

peanuts crushed
lime wedges
shallot sliced, or scallions

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Instructions

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Chicken

Cut the chicken into 1.5cm/0.5" cubes. Thread onto skewers - 4 to 5 pieces per skewer.
Combine kecap manis and butter, then brush onto chicken.
Cook the skewers on a hot BBQ (outdoor grill) or on the stove in a large non stick fry pan (add a splash of oil, and make sure the skewers will fit in the pan). Grill/broiler would also work.
Serve, garnished with crushed peanuts, shallots and with lime wedges and Peanut Sauce on the side.

Peanut Sauce

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and chillis and cook for 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
Turn heat down to medium, then add peanut butter, coconut milk, kecap manis, soy sauce and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
Use a handheld stick to puree (so the onion and chilli blends throughout the sauce - this is key). (See Note 2 for blending instructions) Stir through crushed peanuts and lime juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving or to room temperature - it will thicken.

Notes

Kecap Manis is a sweet, thick soy sauce that provides essential sweetness and smokiness; it is widely available in Asian grocery sections.
Puree the peanut sauce after cooling to avoid splattering and to achieve a smooth consistency similar to restaurant-style satay sauce.
This recipe makes more peanut sauce than needed for the chicken skewers; leftovers can be stored refrigerated for up to one week and refreshed with lime juice before use.
Kecap manis is a key ingredient for authentic Indonesian flavor and appears in many regional recipes.

Nutrition Information

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Serving 46g Calories 66cal (3%) Carbohydrates 1.4g (0%) Protein 8.1g (16%) Fat 3.2g (5%) Saturated Fat 1.1g (6%) Cholesterol 38mg (13%) Sodium 42mg (2%) Vitamin A 50IU (1%) Iron 0.4mg (2%)