Indonesian food series: Sate Ayam recipe (Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

Sate Ayam is probably the most common street food in all of Indonesia. Consisting of chicken skewers served with delicious peanut sauce, it is no surprise that sate ayam is such a successful snack! In this post, I will show you the sate ayam recipe that we learned from Chef Hero on our cooking class in Warung Sunny in the beautiful tropical paradise island of Gili Air. It differs quite a bit from the recipe we learned at Paon Bali. While the latter is a more refined version for celebrations, this sate ayam recipe is more informal.

Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: our experience in an Indonesian cooking class in Gili Air

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Indonesian Sate Ayam recipe ingredients

1. Sate Ayam ingredients

• 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• Wooden or bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Bumbu kuning
• Peanut sauce

2. Bumbu kuning ingredients

• 250g Shallot
• 125g Garlic
• 100g Fresh turmeric
• 50g Candle nut
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• + galangal, ginger, lemongrass, coriander and cumin to taste

3. Peanut sauce ingredients

• Fried/roasted peanuts
• Fried shallot
• Garlic
• Salt
• Red chili
• Brown sugar
• Tamarind paste
• Water

Instructions

1. Place the chicken strips in a large bowl, add the bumbuh kuning marinade, and mix well to coat the chicken evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight for maximum flavor.
2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the peanut sauce (follow this recipe).
3. Thread the marinated chicken strips onto the soaked skewers, about 3-4 pieces per skewer.
4. Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the grill with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
5. Grill the chicken satay skewers for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.
6. Serve the Sate Ayam hot with the peanut sauce on the side. It pairs perfectly with steamed rice or lontong (rice cakes) and is often enjoyed with sliced cucumber and shallots.

Closing statement

This simple sate ayam recipe is a perfect option for a day out grilling. The delicious Indonesian peanut sauce will give you the sense of something a bit more special than just grilled meat. We learned this recipe at our cooking class in Warung Sunny in Gili Air, Indonesia. You can check out our experience in the class here:

Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: our experience in an Indonesian cooking class in Gili Air

If you’re in the Gili islands, you’ll probably find these helpful:

Quick Gili islands guide: a starters kit for paradise seekers in Indonesia

The chill Gili: Gili Air

The party Gili: Gili Trawangan

The honeymoon Gili: Gili Meno

Also, if you’re in Indonesia, have a look at these:

Perfect 3 days itinerary in Ubud, Bali

Hiking Mt. Bromo and Mt. Ijen in Java, Indonesia

Perfect 3-day itinerary in Nusa Penida, Indonesia

What to do in North Sumatra, the secret Indonesia keeps from you

Perfect 10 days Flores itinerary in Indonesia

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