Few dishes capture the spirit of Southeast Asia like satay: skewered, marinated meat grilled over coals until smoky and caramelised, eaten hot with cool cucumber and raw red onion on the side. The word itself is thought to come from sa (three) and tay or te (pieces), a nod to the small cuts of meat threaded onto bamboo sticks.
Satay evolved in 19th-century Indonesia from Indian kebabs brought by Muslim and Arab traders, before spreading and adapting across the region. It’s much like how ‘curry’ doesn’t mean one specific Indian dish but a whole category, or how barbecue can mean both a cooking method and the condiment.
Chicken satay quickly became one of the most popular choices, thanks to its ability to absorb spice pastes and marinades – but you can find satay in many forms – with pork, beef, kangaroo and seafood, as well as plant-based options like mushroom, eggplant and tempeh.
Across Cambodia, Suriname and Bali, you’ll find chicken satay transformed with local touches such as curry powder, kaffir lime leaves, molasses or kecap manis, and sauces that swap peanuts for cashews, candlenuts or even skip nuts entirely.
This collection spans party-ready skewers with rich peanut dipping sauces, family marinades passed down through generations and quick weeknight takes.
Host of A Taste Of Island Dreams and owner of the only Cocos Keeling Islands restaurant in Sydney (Island Dreams Cafe), Alimah Bilda honours his home with this dish. Before skewering the meat – which was traditionally threaded on the sharp spines of coconut palm fronds – the chicken is marinated overnight with lemongrass, ginger and ground spices, then basted with lemongrass brushes over hot coals to dial up the flavour. Smoky and fragrant, Alimah recommends serving them with a satay sauce that uses fresh peanuts.
Island Dreams satay skewers. Credit: Tammi Kwok
A nut-free satay, this Cambodian satay leans instead on the cuisine’s essentials – galangal, kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass – in a marinade for chicken skewers that delivers fragrance, depth and delightful caramelisation while cooking. Serve with rice, beansprouts, lime wedges and chilli for freshness.
This shortcut satay sauce brings big flavour with a handful of pantry staples – peanut butter, coconut cream, soy sauce, vinegar and chicken stock powder. Combined in a saucepan and whisked until smooth and the consistency of thickened cream and mixed through juicy chicken thigh pieces, fresh cabbage and chewy Hokkein noodles.
Satay chicken noodles Credit: Jiwon Kim
Raw peanuts are roasted for extra toastiness in this Indonesian satay, building plenty of flavour with a kick from fresh red chillies. Served with lettuce, cucumber and pineapple, these spicy skewers highlight the contrast satay is known for – charred, richly sauced meat against crisp, cooling sides.
Satay chicken skewers Credit: Smith Street Books
For this satay sauce, chef Poh Ling Yeow starts with a base rempah, a Malaysian spice paste of red Asian shallot (or red onion), garlic, chilli and galangal blended together then cooked in oil until the paste caramelises. Poh also chops her peanuts rather than blending, to keep some body and crunch to the seductive dipping sauce.
Malaysian chicken satay. Credit: Adam and Poh’s Malaysia in Australia
While the satay is the star, the marinade for the chicken is essential and varies throughout the world. Comedian Lizzy Hoo shares her family recipe for her dad’s chicken marinade – which, she says he used to cook satay at her school fetes and he “would sell out by midday”. While the satay sauce is a guarded family secret, chef Adam Liaw offers a classic satay recipe that can be paired with the juicy charred marylands.
Barbecued satay chicken Credit: Adam Liaw
Darwin has earned a reputation as Australia’s chicken satay capital, and this recipe shows why. Influenced by waves of migration, largely from across Asia, many Darwin families have a “secret” satay recipe. In news reader Natalie Ahmat’s family version, chicken tenderloins marinated in curry powder, soy, ginger, sugar and chilli.
Darwin-style chicken. Credit: Adam Liaw
This Dutch West Indian take on reflects South Asian and African influences, weaving marinated chicken onto skewers for a fast, spicy grill with a satay dipping sauce that combines peanut butter with chicken broth, fish sauce, ginger and lime for a sharp but balanced finish.
Dutch West Indian kebabs (boka dushi). Credit: Harvard Common Press
At Balinese night markets, sate orob is a favourite: chicken marinated in a paste of candlenuts, chillies and kecap manis, then grilled and garnished with fried shallots. This recipe captures Bali’s street-food spirit with sweet-savoury flavours that balance smoke, spice and citrus.
A cashew butter twist creates a silky satay sauce to pair with juicy chicken breast skewers, paired with a mango, capsicum and coriander salad brings colour and brightness to the table.
Chicken satay with cashew sauce and mango salad. Credit: Mary Makes It Easy
Poh accompanies her satay and peanut sauce with fresh pineapple, cubes of red onions and slices of cucumber: “The accompaniments are often met with surprise, but provided to be dipped in the sauce to give refreshing respite from the richly marinated morsels of satay meat,” says Poh.
Malaysian chicken satay with Nyonya-style peanut sauce. Credit: Poh & Co.
