65 min
Indonesian-Style Gado-Gado with Tofu, Eggs & Peanut Sauce
Crisp-edged tofu, tender potatoes, blanched vegetables and eggs turn into a complete meatless platter under a warm, tangy peanut dressing.
Photo: likesilkto / Unsplash · Unsplash License
High Protein
Grilled Turmeric Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce & Cucumber Salad
Golden, lightly charred chicken skewers pair with a warm chile-peanut sauce and a crisp cucumber-red onion salad for a practical Southeast Asian-inspired dinner.
Directions
Soak the skewers and make the marinade
Cover bamboo skewers with water and weigh them down for 30 minutes; skip this step for metal skewers. In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the oil, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger, turmeric, coriander and black pepper.
Marinate the chicken safely
Add the chicken strips to the marinade and turn until every surface is yellow and evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Keep this raw-chicken marinade separate from the peanut sauce and discard it after threading; do not use it as a baste.
Quick-pickle the cucumber salad
While the chicken marinates, whisk the rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lime juice and the salt in a shallow bowl. Add the cucumbers and red onion, toss well and refrigerate. Toss once more before serving so the crisp vegetables stay visibly dressed but not submerged.
Simmer the peanut sauce
In a small saucepan, whisk the peanut butter, 3/4 cup coconut milk, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, red curry paste, remaining garlic clove, remaining 1 teaspoon ginger and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking, until glossy and gently steaming. Thin with hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until it pours slowly from a spoon; keep warm without boiling.
Thread flat, even skewers
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high, about 425 to 450°F at the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let excess drip back into the bowl. Thread each strip onto a skewer in a loose accordion, keeping the meat in a single flat layer; divide the chicken evenly among 12 skewers. Discard the used marinade.
Grill to a golden char and 165°F
Clean and lightly oil the hot grates. Grill the skewers in an uncrowded layer for 3 to 4 minutes per side, closing the lid between turns, until the edges are lightly charred. Check the thickest folded section on several skewers with a clean instant-read thermometer; every piece must reach 165°F. Transfer cooked skewers to a clean platter, never the raw-chicken tray.
Plate to match the finished dish
Arrange three golden skewers per person. Spoon the warm brown peanut sauce into a wide shallow bowl for dipping and serve the drained cucumber-red onion salad separately, matching the visible components in the photograph. Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and the salad is crisp.
Why this works
Why it worksCoconut milk carries turmeric, coriander, garlic and ginger across the chicken while its fat protects the thin strips from drying on the grill.
Why it worksFlat accordion folds expose more surface to direct heat than compact cubes, producing the browned edges shown in the photograph while still cooking quickly to 165°F.
Why it worksNatural peanut butter and coconut milk create a cohesive sauce, while lime and red curry paste cut through its richness without hiding the roasted-peanut flavor.
Why it worksA brief vinegar pickle keeps cucumber and red onion crisp and sharp, giving the rich skewers and sauce a cool counterpoint.
Why it worksMaking the sauce in its own saucepan avoids cross-contamination from the raw-chicken marinade and lets its consistency be adjusted precisely with hot water.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on AmazonFlat bamboo grilling skewersFlat-sided skewers help the thin chicken strips stay facing the heat instead of spinning when they are turned.See current options →
Compare on Amazon12-inch cast-iron grill panA broad ridged pan provides a reliable indoor route to charred edges when an outdoor grill is unavailable.See current options →
Compare on AmazonThin-probe instant-read thermometerA slim probe checks the thickest folded chicken section for 165°F without relying on yellow color or grill marks.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use boneless skinless chicken breast in the same weight, slicing it across the grain into 1-inch-wide strips. Begin checking at 5 minutes total because breast meat dries faster than thighs.
- For a fish-sauce-free version, replace the fish sauce with 2 teaspoons additional soy sauce. The flavor will be less briny but the marinade will still season the chicken.
- Use sunflower-seed butter for a peanut-free sauce and verify the curry paste, soy sauce and seed butter are produced without peanut cross-contact.
- For gluten-free satay, use certified gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce and check the fish sauce, curry paste and peanut butter labels.
- No outdoor grill is required: cook the skewers in batches on a lightly oiled cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat, using the same 165°F doneness test.
Cook notes
- Natural peanut butter can separate in the jar. Stir it completely smooth before measuring so the sauce does not develop oily pockets.
- Red curry paste brands vary in heat, salt and allergen content. Start with 2 teaspoons for a milder sauce, then add the final teaspoon after tasting.
- If the chicken sticks, it is not ready to turn. Give it another 30 seconds so browned proteins release naturally from clean, preheated, oiled grates.
- Bamboo tips can still darken even after soaking. Keep the bare ends over a cooler grill zone or place a folded strip of foil beneath them; never leave the grill unattended.
- Calories and cost include three skewers, one quarter of the peanut sauce and salad per serving; actual values vary with chicken trimming, sauce consumption and local prices.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked chicken skewers, peanut sauce and drained salad in separate airtight containers within 2 hours. Keep the chicken and sauce up to 4 days; the salad is best within 2 days. Reheat chicken on a covered sheet pan in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes and the sauce in a small saucepan with a splash of water, bringing both to 165°F. Freeze cooked chicken off the skewers for up to 2 months; do not freeze the cucumber salad.
Questions
Can I marinate chicken satay overnight?
Yes. Cover and refrigerate the chicken at 40°F or below for up to 8 hours. Longer marinating is unnecessary for thin strips and can make their surface soft. Thread the skewers shortly before grilling and discard the raw marinade.
Why did my peanut sauce become too thick or split?
High heat and rapid boiling can tighten or separate peanut sauce. Keep it at medium-low, whisk continuously and add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time. If it looks oily, remove it from the heat and whisk in another spoonful of warm coconut milk or water.
How do I know thin chicken skewers are safely cooked?
Color and grill marks are not reliable. Insert a clean instant-read thermometer sideways into the thickest folded section on several skewers. Each must reach 165°F; check more than one because strip thickness and grill hot spots vary.
Peanut sauce dinner methods
Choose a peanut-based dinner by texture and cooking method
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Grilled Turmeric Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce & Cucumber Salad
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1. Soak the skewers and make the marinadeCover bamboo skewers with water and weigh them down for 30 minutes; skip this step for metal skewers. In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the oil, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger, turmeric, coriander and black pepper.
2. Marinate the chicken safelyAdd the chicken strips to the marinade and turn until every surface is yellow and evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Keep this raw-chicken marinade separate from the peanut sauce and discard it after threading; do not use it as a baste.
3. Quick-pickle the cucumber saladWhile the chicken marinates, whisk the rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lime juice and the salt in a shallow bowl. Add the cucumbers and red onion, toss well and refrigerate. Toss once more before serving so the crisp vegetables stay visibly dressed but not submerged.
4. Simmer the peanut sauceIn a small saucepan, whisk the peanut butter, 3/4 cup coconut milk, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, red curry paste, remaining garlic clove, remaining 1 teaspoon ginger and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking, until glossy and gently steaming. Thin with hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until it pours slowly from a spoon; keep warm without boiling.
5. Thread flat, even skewersHeat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high, about 425 to 450°F at the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let excess drip back into the bowl. Thread each strip onto a skewer in a loose accordion, keeping the meat in a single flat layer; divide the chicken evenly among 12 skewers. Discard the used marinade.
6. Grill to a golden char and 165°FClean and lightly oil the hot grates. Grill the skewers in an uncrowded layer for 3 to 4 minutes per side, closing the lid between turns, until the edges are lightly charred. Check the thickest folded section on several skewers with a clean instant-read thermometer; every piece must reach 165°F. Transfer cooked skewers to a clean platter, never the raw-chicken tray.
7. Plate to match the finished dishArrange three golden skewers per person. Spoon the warm brown peanut sauce into a wide shallow bowl for dipping and serve the drained cucumber-red onion salad separately, matching the visible components in the photograph. Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and the salad is crisp.