Finding the right balance of flavours when creating Asian dishes at home can sometimes be a challenge. So when this dish hit the spot with each and every member of the family, I figured it was definitely worthy of featuring on Gather and Graze. The amount of chilli is just enough to tingle on the tongue, without making eyes water and noses run… and the sauce generously coats the chicken and vegetables, without leaving a puddle of liquid on the bottom of the bowl. The two slightly unusual ingredients, Kecap Manis and Sambal Oelek, can be found in most good Asian grocery stores and in many everyday supermarkets here in Australia. I hope this is also the case for those who live overseas as well.
With a myriad of Asian food and flavours out there to be explored… I’m thinking that 2018 may well be my year for doing just that!
Satay Chilli Chicken | Gather and Graze
Ingredients
- 130g (½ Cup) Smooth Peanut Butter
- 7 Tbsp Kecap Manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
- 4 tsp Sambal Oelek (Indonesian Hot Chilli Paste)
- 500g (1lb) Thinly Sliced Boneless Chicken (either breast or thigh meat)
- 3 Tbsp Peanut Oil
- 2 Small Brown Onions (cut into wedges)
- 1 Medium Zucchini/Courgette (sliced into batons)
- 1 Medium Red Capsicum/Pepper (sliced)
- Handful of Roasted Unsalted Peanuts (roughly chopped)
- Handful of Fresh Coriander/Cilantro (roughly chopped)
- Steamed Jasmine Rice (for 4 people) to serve
Instructions
For the Marinade:
Stir together 65g (¼ Cup) of the Peanut Butter, 3 Tbsp of the Kecap Manis and 2 tsp of the Sambal Oelek in a medium-sized glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Add the sliced chicken and coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the Sauce:
In a separate small mixing bowl, combine the remaining 65g (¼ Cup) of Peanut Butter, 4 Tbsp of Kecap Manis and 2 tsp Of Sambal Oelek. Set aside for the moment.
Putting it all together:
My preference is to remove the chicken from the fridge about an hour before cooking, allowing it to come to room temperature.
Have all the vegetables and peanuts chopped/sliced and ready to go. The fresh coriander should also be chopped and placed in a small serving bowl.
Heat a large wok (or frying pan) to medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp of the Peanut Oil to the pan. Add the chicken and stir-fry until browned… a little caramelisation is perfect! Remove from the wok to a bowl and set aside for the moment.
Add the extra tablespoon of Peanut Oil to the wok and stir fry the onion wedges for a couple of minutes, before adding in the capsicum and zucchini. Continue stir-frying for a couple more minutes until the vegetables are showing signs of just starting to soften a little.
Stir in the sauce, that had been prepared and set aside, and stir quickly to coat the vegetables in the wok. Place the chicken back in, along with the chopped peanuts and stir to combine. Transfer to a large serving bowl and sprinkle the top with a little of the chopped fresh coriander.
Serve without delay… along with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice and the remaining fresh coriander, for people to take as much or as little as they please.
Note:
- For anyone with a Peanut/Nut Allergy please scroll down to the comments field to read Ron’s suggestions for possible substitutions for each of the peanut products (butter, oil and chopped nuts). Thanks Ron!
Gather & Graze 
lovely, I shall try the recipe. I love satay chicken
Fabulous! I hope that you enjoy it. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe Margot. It came just in time as I was stuck for a menu for tonight xx
Perfect! So pleased I could be of help dear Marish! Hope very much that the family enjoyed it. M.xx
Hi Margot
This looks delicious and easy too I just love peanut butter in anything. Cheers sherry
Lovely to hear from you Sherry… thanks for stopping by! I’m all for delicious and easy… 😉
This sounds lovely. Alas, we’re a nut free household (nut allergies). But, worry not, I’ll be trying this substituting sunflower butter for the peanut butter and sunflower oil for the peanut oil and for crunch, toasted pumpkin seeds instead of chopped nuts. I think it’ll work.
Thanks for the fine post.
Lovely to hear from you Ron and thanks for the kind comment! Thankfully, we don’t have any allergies to contend with in the Gather & Graze family, but I’m so pleased that you’ve come up with substitutions for each of the peanut products so quickly. If it’s okay with you, I might even put a note at the end of the recipe guiding other people with a nut allergy to your comment and suggestions. Cheers, Margot
No problem at all, please feel free to note.
Great to have you back in the kitchen Margot. Looking forward to a new array of fresh ideas for me, Mum and the kids…
Thanks dear friend… it’s great to be feeling inspired again! xx
Looks yum and tasty 🙂
🙂 Thanks so very much!
Sounds delicious Margot. Asian style stir fried meat and veg feature a couple of times a week here because they’re so simple to prepare and nutritious. Never thought to add peanut butter though, “note to self.”
The quick and easy nature of the stir-fry is certainly a big draw-card… as is the inclusion of so many veggies. In the past I’ve often felt that my home-cooked versions were so-so, but nothing like the restaurant dishes. I’m sure that practice, research and experimenting is all it takes though… like most things in life!
Your first sentence says it all, Margot, and is the reason I’ve not ventured into Asian cooking until very recently. It’s also the reason I tick to recipes and very rarely venture off on my own. Well,I do get a little inventive with hot pots but they’re in a different class of cookery entirely from this satay. I do want to prepare it. in fact, I’d love to serve it to a few friends, if for no other reason, to see the shocked looked on their faces when I fail to bring out a platter of pasta. 🙂
That’s great John! I’ve noted your love of hot pots, pho’s and Asian food over recent months, particularly on your Instagram feed. Also just noticed that you have a delicious sounding Beef Pho recipe published today that I’ll be coming over to take a closer look at very soon. I adore Vietnamese flavours as well… often lighter and more delicate in their balance. Particularly love the use of lemongrass and fresh ginger! Really do hope that you enjoy this dish if you give it a try… as always would love to hear your thoughts. 🙂
Sounds delicious – pity about my problems with Chilli.
Thanks Mum! 🙂 You could definitely give this a go, omitting the Sambal Oelek… perhaps add a clove or two of chopped up garlic in it’s place? xx
Live south of Sydney. European-born, cook SE Asian 70% of the time . . . altho’ Indonesian is not may main focus, could not live without kecap manis . . . both it and sambal oelek are available at each of our five pretty ‘ordinary’ supermarkets . . . thank God 🙂 ! This reads ‘good’ . . . thigh meat for me and thank you for all the vegetables . . .
We’re lucky that most of our supermarkets stock such a good range of Asian products… though I totally delight in wandering round my favourite Asian grocery store with all they have to choose from. Lovely to hear from you Eha and I’m with you on the thigh meat – more flavourful, tender and way more forgiving if it cooks a little longer than it should. 🙂 Cheers, Margot