Name: Satay Gai aka Kai with Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 8-12 chicken pieces, skinned and boneless; Wooden skewers; For the marinade:; 3 garlic cloves; 1 small onion, sliced; ¼ cup fresh lemongrass, minced; One 2’’ galangal or usual ginger, thinly sliced; 2 fresh red chilies, sliced; 2 tsp cumin; 2 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tsp fresh turmeric, minced; 4 tbsp fish sauce; 3 tbsp dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 tbsp brown sugar; For the peanut sauce:; 1 cup unsalted peanuts, dry roasted; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp brown sugar; ½ tsp tamarind paste; 1/3 cup coconut milk; 2 tbsp fish sauce; ½ tsp soy sauce; 2 tsp sesame oil; ½ tsp cayenne pepper; 1/3 cup water

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This Chicken Satay Gai recipe is a classic Thai or Indonesian dish. It is alternately referred to as Satay Kai. It is a tasty appetizer or light meal that is traditionally served with a peanut sauce.

Chicken Satay Kai and peanut sauce

While some might view Satay as little more than marinated meat on a stick, it really is much more than that. Stay has quite an interesting history and background.

The marinade is fairy complex and, when paired with the peanut sauce, the chicken satay gai has its own unique flavor.

Ingredients needed to make Satay Kai with Peanut Sauce

Chicken satay gai

This recipe used 8-12 boneless and skinless chicken pieces. Precut chicken tenders often work well for this.

You will also need wooden skewers. Be sure to soak them in water before using them.

The marinade uses a mix of cloves, onion, lemongrass, ginger, chilies, cumin, coriander, turmeric, fish sauce (look in the Asian section of your grocery store), soy. oil, and brown sugar.

The peanut dipping sauce uses unsalted peanuts, garlic, brown sugar, tamarind paste (also in the Asian section of your store), coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cayenne pepper.

Chicken Satay Kai Recipe

thai satay chicken with peanut sauce

Below is the recipe. This is a great appetizer to go with a dish such as Thai Red Fish Curry.

Satay Gai aka Kai with Peanut Sauce

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 55 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This satay kai or satay kai is made with chicken and peanut dipping sauce.

Ingredients

8-12 chicken pieces, skinned and boneless
Wooden skewers
For the marinade:
3 garlic cloves
1 small onion, sliced
¼ cup fresh lemongrass, minced
One 2’’ galangal or usual ginger, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chilies, sliced
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp fresh turmeric, minced
4 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 tbsp brown sugar
For the peanut sauce:
1 cup unsalted peanuts, dry roasted
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp tamarind paste
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup water

Instructions

Soak the wooden skewers in water for an hour to stop the sticks from getting charred while grilling.
Slice the chicken into thin strips and pile them up in a bowl.
Add all the ingredients of the marinade into a food processor and process them into a smooth mixture.
Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. In case you want it to be spicier add more chilies or go for more fish sauce or sugar for a salty or sweet marinade respectively.
Add the marinade to the chicken strips and toss well until the meat is properly coated with the mixture.
Cover and set aside for at least a couple of hours to marinate. The results are always yummier if marinated overnight.
After the end of marination time, insert each chicken strip into a skewer, so that ¼ of it remains unoccupied. This will help you handle the skewer while grilling.
Place the skewered chicken onto a preheated grill rack and grill on your indoor grill or BBQ for about 5 minutes for each side. While it grills, keep flipping the meat over from time to time to prevent it from getting burnt. The cooking time would vary according to the thickness of the meat.
In case, you opt for a broiling, arrange the skewered meat on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for about 10-20 minutes, turning it over once in the middle of the broiling process.
While the satay kai cooks, prepare the dipping sauce.
To make the peanut sauce, add all the ingredients of the sauce into a blender and pulse them into a smooth puree.
In case you love your sauce runny, stir in a splash of coconut milk or simply small amount of water while processing it.
Transfer it into small serving bowl and serve alongside hot satay kai.