Chicken Satay with Chili Sauce

I’ve been meaning to try this recipe for a while, and finally, here it is! The original called for a whole roasted chicken, but for me, that was too much, so I opted for drumsticks. You can also use other bone-in chicken pieces. This dish is incredibly aromatic and hails from Malaysia and Indonesia. In these countries, satay refers to skewered meat that’s either grilled or pan-seared. This recipe is one delicious variation.

Note: Both the chicken and the marinade are prepared a day in advance.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• About 1 kg chicken drumsticks or other bone-in pieces

• ½ tbsp turmeric

• ½ tbsp ground cumin (or freshly pounded in a mortar)

• A handful of unsalted roasted peanuts

• 1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped (only the soft inner part)

• ~2 cm piece galangal, grated (a type of Thai ginger)

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed

• 200 ml coconut milk

• 3 tbsp ketjap manis (sweet Indonesian soy sauce)

• 1 tbsp dried chili flakes (optional)

• Zest of 1 lime

For the chili sauce:

• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 2 chili peppers, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 50 ml white wine vinegar

• ½ tbsp corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp water

• Juice of 1 lime

• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken:
   In a small bowl, mix turmeric and cumin with a little water to form a paste. Rub the chicken thoroughly with the spice paste, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prepare the marinade:
   Blend the peanuts, galangal, lemongrass, and garlic into a smooth paste. Add coconut milk, ketjap manis, chili flakes, and lime zest. Cover and refrigerate overnight along with the chicken.

3. Bake the chicken:
   The next day, preheat the oven to 120ºC (250ºF). Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour over the marinade. Bake for 2 hours, turning the chicken halfway through.
   After 2 hours, increase the oven temperature to 200ºC (390ºF) and roast for another 20 minutes. Be careful not to burn the chicken; you can add a little water during cooking if needed. Remove from the oven once done.

4. Make the chili sauce:
   Blend the bell pepper, chili peppers, garlic, sugar, and vinegar. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the corn starch mixture and stir well. Cook until the sauce thickens, then remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Allow to cool.

5. Serve:
   Serve the chicken pieces with rice and the chili sauce on the side.

This satay is rich, fragrant, and packed with bold Southeast Asian flavors. Perfect for a weekend dinner or whenever you want something exotic and comforting!