Skewered marinated chicken grilled until charred, served with a rich, spiced peanut sauce, one of Indonesia's most beloved dishes.
Sate ayam is found everywhere across Indonesia, from street carts to formal restaurants, small pieces of chicken marinated in a sweet soy and spice blend before being threaded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal. The marinade, built on kecap manis, garlic and coriander, both flavors and helps caramelize the chicken as it grills, developing a lightly charred, sticky-sweet exterior in just a few minutes over hot coals. No sate is complete without its peanut sauce, a thick, spiced blend of ground roasted peanuts, kecap manis and a bit of chile, poured generously over the finished skewers or served alongside for dipping.
Serves 4
Toss chicken cubes with kecap manis, garlic, coriander and oil; marinate at least 3 hours, ideally overnight.
Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers.
Blend roasted peanuts, garlic and chiles into a coarse paste, then simmer with kecap manis, water and salt for 8-10 minutes until thickened.
Marinate the chicken as long as possible — the kecap manis needs real time to penetrate and season the meat before grilling.
Grill the skewers over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, 10-12 minutes until charred and cooked through.
Serve the skewers with the warm peanut sauce and a squeeze of lime.
Marinate the chicken for as long as possible, ideally overnight, since the sweet soy marinade needs real time to develop flavor.
Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes before threading, to prevent them from burning on the grill.
Watch the skewers closely while grilling, since kecap manis caramelizes and can burn quickly if left unattended.
Sate kambing (goat) or sate sapi (beef) follow the same technique with different proteins.
A spicier peanut sauce increases the fresh chile for those who enjoy more heat.
Serving with lontong (compressed rice cakes) alongside the skewers is a traditional pairing.
Refrigerate grilled skewers up to 3 days; the peanut sauce keeps well and can be gently reheated with a splash of water before serving.
Satay has spread throughout Southeast Asia with countless regional variations, and Indonesia's version, particularly associated with Java, is often considered the origin point of the dish, deeply embedded in the country's street food culture.
Yes, though thigh meat stays juicier through the quick, high-heat grilling process; if using breast, watch closely to avoid drying it out.
Mix regular soy sauce with brown sugar or molasses in roughly equal parts to approximate its thick, sweet character.
Simmer it longer to reduce and thicken, or blend in a few more peanuts to increase its body.
Per serving (300g / 10.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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