Lemongrass Chicken Skewers (satay)
Juicy grilled chicken thighs marinated in lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and hoisin, then threaded onto skewers and charred to perfection. Serve with spicy peanut sauce, lime wedges, and fresh basil for a bold, Southeast Asian-inspired dish that works as a main or appetizer.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- 1 stalk lemongrass white part only, peeled and chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon tahini paste
- 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground Chinese five-spice
- pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice about 2 limes
For the chicken Skewers
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 8 wooden skewers
- vegetable oil for basting during grilling
- 2 fresh limes for garnish
- fresh Thai basil leaves for garnish
For Peanut Sauce
Instructions
For the Marinade with Chicken:
- In a small dish, combine the marinade ingredients and whisk to combine thoroughly. Set aside.
For the Chicken:
- Use a meat pounder or rolling pin to flatten any thick parts of the chicken so the meat is close to the same thickness.
- Cut the chicken into 2-inch strips, add them to a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them, turning to coat both sides with the marinade. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-5 hours, overnight if possible.
For the Thai Peanut Sauce:
- Make our spicy peanut sauce recipe (or use a storebought sauce).
When ready to cook the chicken satay:
- Soak the wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to keep them from burning during the grilling process.
To Cook the Chicken Satay:
- Lift a chicken strip out of the marinade, allowing the marinade to drip off, thread the meat onto the wooden skewer, adding several strips. Place the completed skewer on a separate plate. Repeat with each wooden skewer dividing the chicken evenly between the skewers.
- Prepare your grill with enough coals to maintain a medium-heat. When the coals are ready, baste the chicken lightly with oil and place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly charred and lift off the grill easily. Using tongs, turn the skewers and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is again lightly charred and opaque throughout.
- Serve hot or room temperature, garnished with lime wedges, fresh basil, Thai peanut sauce and hot jasmine rice
Notes
Soak the skewers: Soaking wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes prevents them from catching fire on the grill.
Extra peanut sauce: This recipe makes more peanut sauce than you’ll need. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5–7 days.
Nutrition note: The peanut sauce is not included in the calculated nutrition information.
Make-ahead friendly: You can marinate the chicken and prep the sauce a day ahead to streamline cooking.
Nutrition
Serving: 2sticks | Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12.7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 1092mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g
