Indonesian-Style Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

My friend Anita is back with another of their family favorites! 

I love me some satay. There's just something about chicken kebabs and peanut sauce that screams summer. This dish actually reminds me of a restaurant in my hometown. I had this at a friend's house the other day. She used to live in Indonesia. It was so yummy and my kids loved it so much that I decided to try to make it. This is the recipe I came up with after looking at some different ones and tweaking them according to my (family's) taste. I like to pair it with a side of coconut rice and an Asian ramen salad/slaw. It's a nice summery meal option. I hope you enjoy it, too!

Indonesian-Style Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Marinade:
2 Tbsp brown sugar (or more, to taste)
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbsp lime juice (lemon juice works too)
1 1/2 tsp Thai fish sauce
2 Tbsp coconut cream
1 1/2 lbs chicken (about 2 breasts), cut into 3/4" (2-cm) cubes
Skewers (if using wooden be sure to presoak to prevent burning!)

Peanut Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter (or vegetable oil)
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 Cup water (can substitute part of it with coconut milk if you wish)
1/2 Cup chunky peanut butter (or smooth and add some crushed peanuts)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon juice)
Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Extra garnish: cilantro (optional)

Stir marinade ingredients together; add chicken pieces and coat thoroughly. Cover and allow to marinate for 1/2 hour to 2 hours at room temperature (if longer, store in the fridge until you're ready to cook it). 

For the peanut sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add onions and cook until soft, then add garlic and cook about a minute longer. Add water, peanut butter, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Stir in lemon or lime juice and red pepper flakes, if using. Thread chicken pieces onto skewers. To cook the chicken, grill about 5 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro (if you wish) and serve with peanut sauce (for dipping or generously drizzled on top).

I like to serve it with a side of coconut rice and an Asian ramen noodle salad/slaw.

Note: If you don't have a grill or don't want to grill, you can bake these in the oven. They'll just be lighter in color. I just cut the chicken into strips before marinating, spread them on a shallow baking pan and bake at about 400F (200C) for about 5-10 minutes or just until juices run clear.

* FYI: You can store unused coconut milk in the freezer.