Satai Ayam Manado (Celebes) - Chicken Sate

Ingredients

• 500 gchicken thigh or fillet
• 30 ml (2 tbsp)lime juice
• 5kaffir lime leaves
• 2lemongrass stalks
• 45 ml (3 tbsp)oil
• as neededsatay skewers
• 9shallots
• 6curly red chillies
• 5red bird’s-eye chillies
• 1 cmturmeric
• 2 cmginger
• 5 ml (1 tsp)palm sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp)salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken

   Cut the chicken into cubes and toss it with the lime juice.

2. 2

   Make the paste

   Pound or grind the shallots, both types of chilli, turmeric, ginger, palm sugar and salt into a paste.

3. 3

   Fry and marinate

   Heat the oil in a pan and fry the paste with the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for 7 minutes. Mix the fried mixture with the chicken and leave it to marinate for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Grill the skewers

   Thread 5 pieces of chicken onto each satay skewer. Grill over charcoal until browned and cooked through.

What is Manado chicken satay?

Satay is a Southeast Asian dish of seasoned meat cooked on skewers, with many regional styles across Indonesia. This version takes its name from Manado, in North Sulawesi, and uses chillies, aromatics and kaffir lime leaves for a lively, fragrant marinade.

Frying the spice paste before it meets the chicken gives the marinade a cooked, rounded aroma, while charcoal grilling adds browned edges.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The chicken supplies most of the protein, while the oil contributes much of the fat; the small amount of palm sugar and the chicken account for most of the carbohydrates. Serve with rice and a generous portion of fresh vegetables for a more complete plate.

The spice paste

Chillies: the curly red chillies and bird’s-eye chillies bring the paste its heat. For a milder result, remove some seeds before grinding.

Aromatics: shallots, turmeric and ginger form the base, while lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves perfume the oil as the paste fries.

Frying the aromatics

Cook the paste with the lemongrass and leaves for the full 7 minutes, stirring so it fries evenly. The method calls for frying, not just warming the ingredients together; keep the heat moderate if the paste starts catching.

Marinating the chicken

Cut the chicken into similarly sized cubes so they cook at roughly the same rate. Tossing it first with lime juice helps distribute the citrus before adding the fried paste.

The recipe gives a 30-minute marinating time. Keep the chicken refrigerated while it rests, then thread it onto the skewers.

Grilling and doneness

Grill the skewers over charcoal, turning them as needed so the chicken browns on different sides. The recipe gives no grill temperature or cooking time, so use colour and doneness cues rather than a fixed duration.

Check a larger piece at the centre: it should be cooked through, with no raw-looking middle.

Serving the skewers

Serve the satay hot, straight from the grill. Rice makes a simple accompaniment, while fresh cucumber or other crisp vegetables can add contrast to the savoury, spicy chicken.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into even cubes for more consistent grilling.
• Grind the paste finely so it clings more evenly to the chicken.
• Stir the paste while it fries to help prevent it catching on the pan.
• Soak wooden skewers before grilling if they need protection from scorching.
• Leave a little space between chicken pieces so heat can reach their sides.
• Turn the skewers during grilling to brown the chicken evenly.

Variations

• Reduce the heat: remove some chilli seeds before grinding the paste.
• Add extra lime: serve with lime wedges for a brighter finish.
• Use chicken breast: cut it evenly and watch it closely to avoid drying it out.
• Grill indoors: use a hot grill pan and turn the skewers until browned and cooked through.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven pieces: cut the chicken into similarly sized cubes so they cook at a similar pace.
• Scorched paste: stir it regularly and lower the heat if it begins to catch.
• Short marinating: allow the chicken the full 30 minutes specified in the method.
• Crowded skewers: leave small gaps between pieces so they brown rather than steam.
• Guessing doneness by colour alone: check a larger chicken piece to make sure it is cooked through.

How to store

Refrigerate cooked chicken satay in a covered container and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, using an oven or pan; the chicken may be less juicy after reheating.

Frequently asked questions