Anyone else a fan of chicken satay skewers? You know I am, the tender and juicy chicken satay bring so many childhood memories back.
This was my favourite after school snack. I would buy 5 for ฿10 from the market just outside my secondary school, and it was a balancing act to hold the twos dips, satay sticks, school bag and books all at once but it was a good time.
I often see a lot of chicken satay and peanut sauce recipes online, but I've only come across a couple with a Nam Ajad dip and for me, a satay dish is not complete without a nam ajad dip.
You need something a little sour on the plate that can cut through the sweetness of the peanut sauce and nam ajad does exactly that! It is a cucumber relish and it's sharp, a little sweet, a little spicy, crunchy, refreshing and it is absolutely delicious if you don't know already.
Tip for cooking - I recommend that you leave the chicken marinating in the sauce for a couple of hours, even longer if you have the patience, it will maximise the flavours greatly. Also, the peanut sauce and nam ajad, takes about 20 minutes to do, so once you prepared the chicken and left it to marinate, take a break and then come back about 30 minutes before cooking the satay to finish everything off. Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this chicken satay with peanut sauce and nam ajad recipe, please give this post a rating and subscribe for new blog updates and recipes. Follow and tag us @maejumsamunprai on social media for great foodie content and giveaway competitions!
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and Nam Ajad
This street food staple is a must-have dish for a Thai feast or a sunny day!
- Bamboo Skewers Sticks
- Grill Pan Skillet
Chicken Satay
- 500 g Chicken Breast
- 200 ml Coconut Milk
- 1 tbsp Palm Sugar
- 1 tsp Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- Salt
Peanut Sauce
- 80 g Roasted Peanuts
- 1 tsp Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste (Can use Red or Massaman)
- 200 ml Coconut Milk
- 2 tbsp Tamarind (Puree or Juice)
- 2 tbsp Light Soya Sauce
- 3 tbsp Palm Sugar
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
Nam Ajad
- 200 g Baby Cucumber
- 90 g Shallots
- 65 g Mixed Chillies (Medium spice)
- 1 tbsp White Sugar
- 100 ml White Vinegar
- 100 ml Water
Chicken Satay Preparation
Pour coconut milk into a large bowl and add Thai yellow curry paste, turmeric powder and palm sugar. Using a spoon, stir and break down the paste and sugar until the mixture is smooth and all the same colour, then put to one side.
Slice the chicken breast into long thin strips. Then add the chicken to the marinade mixture. Give it a good mix to make sure all the strips are coated and not stuck to one another, then cling film and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Cooking Method for Dips
To make the Nam Ajad, add water, white vinegar and sugar to a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Stir until sugar has fully dissolved, then take off the heat and leave to cool
Slice baby cucumber, chillies and thinly slice the shallots. Mix together and place all into a serving bowl.
Add the Nam Ajad liquid to the serving bowl once it has cooled down, this dip can be left at room temperature.
To make the peanut sauce, heat coconut oil into a saucepan and fry Thai yellow curry paste for 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk, light soya sauce, tamarind and palm sugar. Bring to a light boil and blend until smooth. Simmer for 10 minutes
In the meantime, crush the roasted peanuts into small crumbs. You can quickly blitz in a blender or take it to the pestle and mortar.
Once crushed, add to the saucepan and stir into the sauce. Simmer on low heat until ready to serve.
Cooking Method for Chicken Satay
After 2 hours, take the marinated chicken out of the fridge. Begin to take individual pieces and pierce the bottom of the strip with the skewer and thread the chicken into an 'S' shape onto the skewer stick. Repeat until all chicken is on a stick
Place 4 - 5 satay sticks in a hot grill pan skillet, cook evenly on both sides, at least 3 minutes of each side, longer if you have thicker areas. Repeat until all sticks are cooked.
Take peanut sauce off the heat, and pour into a serving bowl. Now sit down and enjoy a delicious meal! Enjoy!
