Skillet Chicken Satay is the answer to your weeknight dinner woes. Fragrant, complex, moist, and completely delicious this dish is unlike anything you’ve ever tried. One part labor of love and one part mouth watering entree, let’s get into this South East Asian fan favorite.
Skillet Chicken Satay
I love reading about different cuisines around the world, getting into my kitchen and cooking myself a one way ticket to these beautiful and far off places. That is how my recipe for the classic Asian dish, chicken satay, was born. This one dish will take you to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore all at once.
If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to buy some fragrant and complex spices to play around with, then this recipe will give you that opportunity. The only prepping time required is basically to put all these spices together, so go ahead and hunt them all down because believe me it’ll be more than worth it.
What Is Chicken Satay?
This chicken dish is very popular in South East Asia and is one made up of seasoned and usually skewered and grilled chicken. It’s a popular street food that is munched on any time of day in a variety of countries. The recipe I’m sharing with you all today is packed full of complex, fresh flavors, but made in a skillet!
The Marinade Is Key
Today we’re marinating our chicken ideally over night but definitely for at least 30 minutes. This will result in a chicken dish that is aromatic, flavorful, perfectly tender, and terrifically moist.
Believe me if you want your taste buds to take you on a one way trip to the other side of the world then strap in and get ready. You’ll be sure to crave this chicken for days, I can guarantee it.
Ingredients In Skillet Chicken Satay
Detailed measurements instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Marinade
- Garlic and ginger – Fresh is always best, however, they do sell little jars with garlic ginger paste, so use those if you have it.
- Citrus – We want fresh lemon and lime juice and zest.
- Sauce – I used fish sauce today which I consider instrumental to our flavor profile. If you’re not a fan feel free to substitute with low sodium soy sauce.
- Sugar – Brown sugar, to add some depth and caramel notes to our dish.
- Hot sauce – I prefer sriracha but feel free to use whatever hot sauce you prefer.
- Spices – Ground coriander, cumin, and turmeric. If you don’t have any on hand I really recommend picking some up, not only are they instrumental to this dish but they’re also a great addition to your spice cabinet.
Chicken satay
- Chicken – Breast, boneless and skinless cut into bite sized pieces.
- Oil – We want something neutral to brown our chicken in, so I’m using olive oil today.
How To Make Skillet Chicken Satay
Detailed measurements instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Create the marinade: Combine all the marinade ingredients together and whisk well, in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, and cooked through. Should take about 10 minutes.
- Finish the dish: Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.
How Else Can I Make This Dish?
Wok
These dishes are usually cooked in a wok over really high heat which is why they cook so fast. Every time you add something, you basically just cook it for 30 seconds, tossing throughout and that’s about all there is to it.
BBQ
Skewer your chicken onto metal or wooden skewers before allowing your grill to heat on high for 20 minutes. Lightly oil your grill before laying the chicken over it. Grill them for 3 minutes per side.
Oven
Cook this under your broiler if you don’t have any of the other equipment listed above on hand! Keep your broiler on high heat and place the skewers on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Keep an eye on the chicken and after about 3 minutes flip the chicken, after the other side is browned you’re good to go!
What Else Can I Use In My Satays?
Chicken isn’t the only thing you can marinate and cook up to perfection! There are lots of proteins which were just made for this recipe.
- Shrimp
- Pork
- Steak
- Mussels
- Veggies like bell pepper or asparagus
What Can I Serve With Skillet Chicken Satay?
This dish is completely drool worthy, but it’s not quite a meal all on its own as much as I would like it to be! If you’d like to make a whole spread here’s some accompaniments:
- Coconut Rice
- Avocado Tomato Salad
- Creamy Polenta
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes
How To Store Leftover Chicken Satay
Fridge
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Freezer
Absolutely! Freeze this stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months! Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating back up in the oven, on the stove, or on the microwave.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Southwest Chicken And Rice Skillet
- Asian Ground Beef Noodles
- Mushroom Cauliflower Skillet
- Korean Style Pork Chops
- Pesto Chicken And Veggies
- Tandoori Chicken
Craving More? Follow Along:
Skillet Chicken Satay
Equipment
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 teaspoon coriander ground
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon turmeric ground
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger fresh, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
Chicken Satay
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless skinless, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Optional Garnish
- 1 tablespoon cilantro fresh, chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Create the marinade: Combine all the marinade ingredients together and whisk well, in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, and cooked through. Should take about 10 minutes.
- Finish the dish: Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.
Question: Do you include the marinade that the chicken has been in overnight in the pan when you sauté the chicken? Or do you pluck out the chicken pieces and toss the marinade?
You cook the chicken with the marinade and all.