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Tony Tan’s golden rules to making chicken satay

Chicken satay

If there’s one dish that’s most recognisable from South East Asia, it’s satay. The superstar of South East Asian street-food, these skewers of barbecued meats are incredibly delicious served hot off the grill. Infused with smoke, satays are so popular they’re even served in first-class and business-class cabins of the regional carriers such as Singapore and Malaysia airlines.

A brief history of satay

The home of satay (aka sate) is Indonesia, but no one can pinpoint exactly when it appeared. Some food writers believe it arrived with Arab spice traders who barbecued their meats on skewers for shawarma. Others believe its etymology is derived from the Hokkien words “sa teh”, meaning three pieces; in the absence of historical evidence, I’m inclined to think this is pure conjecture. Other writers have suggested the word comes from the Tamil word “sathai”, meaning flesh, though this also appears unfounded.

Whatever the provenance, the variations of sate in Java and in other parts of the Indonesian archipelago are pretty mind-boggling. Sate buntel, for instance, is made with minced goat and wrapped in caul fat to resemble a fat sausage. It’s served with a sauce of kecap manis mixed with birdseye chillies and shallots. Over in Bali, minced seafood mixed with grated coconut and spices is moulded around stalks of lemongrass to create sate lilit. And in Sumatra, sate Padang is made with boiled beef sliced into cubes for grilling and served with a sauce thickened with rice flour. Just about every kind of meat is used for making sate including turtle, though this is now technically against the law.

Although there are these scores of varieties of sate in Indonesia, the most popular export is the version served with peanut sauce. Some food historians suggest it crossed over to Singapore, Malaysia and gradually worked its way up to Thailand in the 19th century. Whatever the timeline, it became so loved that a motley collection of satay hawkers along Hoi How Road in Singapore back 1940s came to be known as the Satay Club. Today, a new incarnation has opened at Gardens by the Bay.

Over in Malaysia, satay fans flock to the town of Kajang for some of the best satay in the country. According to local food writer Alice Yong, a Javanese satay seller, Tasmin Sakiban, pioneered the business back in 1917. Not long after, other Javanese satay vendors materialised and the town became synonymous with the dish. Served with a spicy peanut sauce, wedges of onion and cucumber as well as ketupat – a kind of rice cake cooked in palm leaf casings – this form of satay became the classic we love today.

The secret to making a great satay, part 1: the marinade

While there are quick permutations to this classic and relatively easy-to-make dish, it pays to give yourself a couple of days to prepare it really well.

The secret to a great satay lies in the marinade, so I marinate my meat overnight to lock in the flavours, and make the peanut sauce the following day.

I use chuck for beef satay and thigh meat with the skin on for chicken satay. The meat is cut against the grain and each piece should weigh no more 10 grams and be no more than 3cm wide. Using chicken with the skin on has the bonus of the fat melting away, leaving a crunchy crisp skin known as garing in Bahasa Malaysia. I prefer to grind my own spices, though you can of course use store-bought. Once the meat is marinated, thread three or four pieces flat on soaked bamboo sticks (originally the skewers were made from the stems of coconut leaves called lidi).

Satay is traditionally cooked on a special grill that’s similar to those used for yakitori . It’s usually filled with slow-burning charcoal and its embers given a boost now and then with a fan made of pandanus leaves called kipas satay; a regular barbecue works a treat too. While grilling, it pays to baste the meat lightly with oil; the best satay is brushed with coconut oil. Even though the morsels of meat are small, it’s best to cook them over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes to develop the charry scent.

Traditionally, satay is cooked on a special grill similar to those used for yakitori, but a regular barbecue works a treat too.

The secrets to making a great satay, part 2: the peanut sauce

The other half of a great satay is the peanut sauce that complements the smoky flavours of the meat. Made properly, it’s quite addictive, filled with deep, spicy flavours and balanced with sweet-salty notes. While freshly roasted, crunchy peanuts are fundamental, fresh lemongrass, galangal and ginger blended with spices make it really shine. Tamarind is often added for acidity; in Malaysia and Singapore, Nonya cooks often add pineapple for a tangy kick. Dried long chillies, rather than the small birdseye variety, are preferred for their earthy and mellow flavour.

Many versions of peanut sauce served in Australia taste flat because they’re made with store-bought peanut butter. It’s convenient, but try making it from scratch and you’ll see the difference. A peanut sauce should be rich and creamy with a generous scattering of crushed peanuts added just before serving for extra crunch. The satay sauce recipe here makes a generous amount, but it disappears quickly. Should there be any leftover, it’s also fabulous with gado-gado and boiled potatoes.

Make your satay sauce from scratch and you’ll never look back.

What to serve with your satay

Ketupat, the rice cake cut into cubes, is not often served in Australia. Its palm leaf aroma is the perfect foil for the peanut sauce. Sadly, many satay stalls in Malaysia and Singapore now offer nasi impit, a kind of soft, mashed rice cake with none of the elusive aroma of ketupat. Still, if you come across a satay vendor offering this rice cake, give it a go and prepare to be amazed.

Satay is also served with wedges of onion and cucumber; some cooks also offer spicy pickles known as achar. Satay can therefore be a complete meal but it’s also great as a starter with curries to follow.

How do you rate a good satay? It must never, ever be deep-fried as served in some restaurants here. This cooking method robs the integrity of the dish. It should always be grilled to order, and if I’m ever offered pre-cooked satay, I growl and ask for fresh ones.

Satay is perfect for summer and fun to make. Get your barbecue going and the scent of your satay will take you straight to the streets of South East Asia.

For this quantity of chicken you’ll need 30 bamboo skewers; soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them burning. This recipe makes about 30 sticks.

Ingredients

Note Belacan, a shrimp paste, is available from Asian grocers. Notes

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Just a great chicken marinade.

This is such a great Chicken Marinade – it infuses chicken with savoury flavour as well as making it extra juicy! Particularly great for chicken breast though it can be used for any cut.

Use it for a quick 30 minute marinade, though it’s even better if you can leave it for longer!

Chicken Marinade

99% of the time I use this chicken marinade, it’s an emergency  eek, gotta do something with that chicken before it goes off! type situation.

And therein lies the beauty of this marinade. It’s the quick-fix for any cut of chicken, and there’s tons of substitution options so you can make it anytime without having to run out to the shops.

It’s savoury with a hint of sweet, and makes the chicken extra juicy which is especially great for chicken breast.

This chicken marinade is sensational for grilled chicken!

Loads of substitution options

Here are the ingredients for the chicken marinade. I’ve listed some of the obvious alternatives here, but there’s actually substitutions for every single ingredient – even soy sauce (just use salt and water, that’s a basic brine mix).

Don’t you wish there were more recipes as flexible as this where I could still guarantee a great outcome??😂

What chicken to use?

This marinade will work for any cut of chicken (bone in or out, skin on or off) though it’s especially good for chicken breast because it’s a fast acting flavour injector that adds juiciness into this lean cut of chicken.

How long to marinade chicken?

3 hours to overnight is best. But for chicken breast or boneless thigh, even 30 minutes is effective – you’ll be surprised how much extra flavour you get from such a quick marinade!

Cooking options?

You’ll see that I cook it on the stove in the recipe video below, and it’s ideal for stove, BBQ or broiler/grill because you’ll get lovely browning on the chicken.

If you want to bake this, it’s best to finish it off with a blast under the broiler/grill to get some colour on it. Because colour = flavour,  especially for a marinade like this!

How to serve it

Because the chicken sucks up the marinade and makes it extra juicy, you’ll find a good amount of juices pools on the plate as the chicken rests which sort of serves as the sauce. Plus the chicken itself is loaded with juiciness so you’re not going to be missing a sauce here.

Make up a mighty chicken salad, or serve it for dinner with a side salad . It’s pictured below with a Strawberry Spinach Salad that’s coming on Wednesday. One of the best new salads I’ve tried in a while!

Otherwise, try making a big batch of Lemon Potato Salad , Coleslaw , Broccoli Salad or Macaroni Salad that you can keep in the fridge and serve up for days. I’m fond of these because they’re the type of salads that are even better the next day, and the next! ~ Nagi x

My all time Top 5 favourite chicken marinades

It was a hard call, but here’s my Top 5 6…

Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki  – long time reader favourite!

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken   – the flavour in this is outrageously good

Chicken Shawarma (Middle Eastern)   – the smell when this is cooking is unbelievable!

Marinated Thai Chicken (Gai Yang)   – y ou will seriously think you’re in Bangkok…

Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce   – skip the skewers and just use whole chicken pieces!

Honey Soy Chicken –  the glossy serving sauce is the cherry on top

Or browse all Chicken recipes (there’s loads more chicken marinades!)

Watch how to make it

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A great Chicken Marinade (great grilled or pan seared!)

Ingredients.

• ▢ 700g / 1.4 lb chicken breast, tenderloins or thigh (Note 1)

Chicken marinade (subs Note 3):

• ▢ 2 tbsp honey OR brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil (or any oil)
• ▢ 5 tbsp soy sauce
• ▢ 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves , minced
• ▢ 1 tsp dried oregano (or rosemary, thyme, minced herbs)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper , ground

Garnishes (optional)

• ▢ Finely chopped parsley
• ▢ Lemon slices

Instructions

• Recommended: Pound breast to even thickness using a meat pounder, rolling pin, or fist. OR cut large ones in half horizontally to form 2 cutlets (steaks) for each.
• Mix marinade in a ziplock bag (or container in which chicken fits snugly). Add chicken.
• Marinate 3 hours to overnight, though even 30 minutes is effective. (Note 2)
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and cook chicken per times below until deep golden (see video). If browning too quickly, lower heat.
• Transfer to serving plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 3 minutes before serving, garnished with parsley and lemon slices if desired. 

Cook times:

• Whole breast and boneless thighs: 3 - 4 minutes each side (internal temp 165F/75C)
• Cutlets and tenderloin - 2 minutes each side

Recipe Notes:

• Brown sugar - sub 2 tbsp white sugar, 1.5 tbsp honey, maple syrup
• Soy - any normal, all purpose soy or light soy good here, or tamari, mushroom soy sauce. If you have sweet soy or kecap manis, skip sugar. Dark soy sauce not recommended (label will say "dark soy). 
• No soy? Dissolve 1 tsp salt in 4 tbsp water, then use in place of soy sauce.
• Only got DARK soy? Use 2 tbsp then add 3/4 tsp salt and 3 tbsp water instead of 5 tbsp soy sauce.
• Lemon - sub with less sharp vinegars like cider vinegar, white wine or red wine vinegar, rice vinegar. Or 1.5 tbsp other vinegars (normal white vinegar, balsamic)
• Worcestershire - dollop of ketchup or BBQ sauce would be a decent sub there! Say 2 tbsp, then cut down sugar. HP Sauce, steak sauce or other savoury sauces also good.
• Garlic - 3 tsp from jar, or 3/4 tsp dried garlic powder good here. Also 1/4 tsp onion powder would be nice too.
• Dried herbs - anything is the go here, go with what you like. Fresh won't really work here, too delicate unless doing a short marinade. Exception - fresh rosemary is terrific, 1 tsp finely chopped.
• Breast and boneless thighs - bake 18 minutes at 425F/220C oven, or internal temperature is 165F/75C, followed by quick grill/broil on high to brown
• Drumsticks, wings and bone in thighs - 50 minutes at 180C/350F, basting with juices once or twice

Nutrition Information:

Life of dozer.

Reunited after a week apart! It’s only been an hour or so and he’s already so sick of the smoochy hugs 😂

Hi, I'm Nagi !

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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255 Comments

January 2, 2024 at 11:55 am

Loved this. Subs – didn’t have any lemons so used apple cider vinegar and only had thyme for herbs. Used low salt soy as gave to toddlers. Honey instead of sugar. Used thighs. So easy and tastes great.

December 8, 2023 at 2:15 pm

Lastly, wanted to add that when I try a recipe I may need to tweak, add my own flare or combine two or three different recipes. Today, was in hurry so the only thing I did do is double the sauce because we used more chicken breasts. YUMMY! Wow!

🐾 💜 LOVE YOU BOZER! .

December 7, 2023 at 2:28 am

December 5, 2023 at 7:33 am

October 2, 2023 at 8:29 am

July 5, 2023 at 11:03 am

June 16, 2023 at 11:07 am

Nagi, if noone’s told you today, you are amazing. Loving your recipes. I’ve made hundreds and can’t quit, won’t quit. Congratulations on your success and achievements. You deserve it! x

June 16, 2023 at 11:08 am

June 13, 2023 at 12:06 pm

June 10, 2023 at 2:13 pm

June 10, 2023 at 2:12 pm

May 10, 2023 at 4:15 pm

April 12, 2023 at 5:22 am

February 27, 2023 at 3:32 am

February 21, 2023 at 1:33 pm

February 20, 2023 at 1:47 pm

Wow! Another winner – I had a mix of breast and thigh fillets and ti worked so well, Thnks again!

February 17, 2023 at 2:04 am

January 12, 2023 at 2:06 am

October 25, 2022 at 2:43 pm

October 8, 2022 at 7:13 pm

Hello! Can I leave a whole chicken in marinade for 24 hours?

August 3, 2022 at 6:18 pm

October 12, 2022 at 4:57 am

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Our 18 Best Chicken Marinades

The key to boosting a chicken's flavor lies in the marinade.

Carl Hanson is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes who has been writing about food and wine for nearly 20 years. He enjoys creating content that informs, entertains, and assists busy home cooks get nourishing meals on the table for their families.

DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

When you marinate chicken, the meat is your blank canvas; the marinade is your palette with which you paint on the deliciousness. And there are so many options! From a savory garlic and herb marinade to a tequila-lime flavored one, these 18 marinades boast exciting flavor combinations. 

Greek Chicken Marinade

"An easy Greek marinade for chicken or pork with a bright, lemony flavor," says Denise D.

Grilled Chicken Marinade

Jennifer says this olive oil and red wine vinegar chicken marinade is "simply the best chicken marinade for grilling — or any occasion. It works wonderfully on top of a salad."

Unbelievable Chicken

This apple cider vinegar and olive oil chicken marinade makes the most of cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, and brown sugar. "This unusual combination of common ingredients is fabulous," says LETSGGGO.

Marinade for Chicken

Red wine vinegar and lemon juice add tang while tenderizing the chicken. Vegetable oil is the featured fat here, and soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and parsley provide additional flavorings. Bev raves, "I loved this marinade. I used boneless chicken breasts and marinated them for about 4 hours. The flavor was excellent and the chicken was very moist and delicious."

Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs

This honey chicken marinade is always a sweet success. You'll cube the chicken and combine it with vegetable oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. After a quick soak, string up your kabobs and toss them on the grill or make them in the broiler. "So simple and so delicious," raves Elizabeth.

Garlic and Herb Marinade

Here's an Asian marinade for chicken thighs that's garlicky, sweet, and spicy. Asian chile pepper sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar combine with mayonnaise and maple syrup. Chef John describes the delicious results, "No one flavor dominates this beautifully balanced, all-purpose grilled chicken marinade. I call it 'rusty chicken' to celebrate the color of the marinade and meat."

Korean BBQ Chicken Marinade

This marinade brings the sweet heat, combining hot chile paste, ground ginger, and onion powder with sugar and soy sauce. "This sauce is from the very popular 'chicken bowls' in my hometown," says SASEIGEL. "It's very tasty! Use it as a marinade for chicken, or to baste chicken while grilling. Increase the hot chile paste as desired. Four tablespoons of it is usually as much as anyone can take!"

Grilled Lemon Yogurt Chicken

With this marinade, Chef John combines yogurt with lemon juice to create a tenderizing double-whammy. "There is something special about what yogurt does to chicken in its smoky, sizzling time over charcoal," says Chef John. "It grills to a caramelized dark brown without tasting burnt."

Chicken Teriyaki Marinade for Chicken Thighs

This delicious teriyaki marinade for chicken takes just 15 minutes to prep and about 30 minutes to marinate. You'll simmer a mixture of soy sauce, sake, mirin, brown sugar, green onions, ginger, and a touch of vegetable oil, just long enough to dissolve the brown sugar and meld flavors. Cook your marinated chicken thighs under the broiler until they're a gorgeous, shiny mahogany color.

Cornell Chicken Marinade

Dan from Platter Talk

As the saying goes, "Good things come to those who wait." And, even though you'll spend a day making this marinade after you bite into this chicken, you'll realize all your preparation was worth it.

Easy Chicken Fajita Marinade

Here's a marinade for grilled chicken fajitas. Lime juice and honey combine with vegetable oil and spices - chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Marinate strips of skinless chicken breast in a large resealable plastic bag before hitting the grill. Terri says, "It seriously doesn't get any easier than this! And, to top things off, I had all the items in my cupboard."

Key West Chicken

Here's a lime chicken marinade straight from the Florida Keys. "This recipe is the best chicken marinade," says TINA B. "And it only takes 30 minutes from prep till you can grill."

Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breasts

This one does it without a fat — it's balsamic vinegar, minced onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, paprika, rosemary, parsley, chili powder, and oregano. If you want, sneak in a splash of olive oil. "This is a recipe I made up after eating LOADS of bland chicken breasts," says R.Upchurch. "Chicken is so easy to prepare and this recipe makes the chicken breast extra-tender and juicy."

Mediterranean Chicken Marinade

Ready in 10 minutes, this tangy marinade is the perfect way to spice up your meaty filets, kabobs, thighs, and legs. Just check out what Allrecipes Allstar Nicole Russell said, "Made as written and this was excellent! It is lemon forward as others mentioned but it didn't overpower in my opinion. This recipe is a keeper!"

Italian Chicken Marinade

"I don't know what magic occurs when these four little ingredients come together but the results are fantastic. I cooked the chicken in a skillet and it was great." — momabroad

Zippy-Zoo Marinade

Recipe creator Adam Banfield describes this as a "flavorful and spicy marinade that has a Thai-style influence with a ginger kick."

Smokey Tequila-Lime Marinade

"This awesome marinade for chicken, chicken wings or flank steak has a taste of Mexico with a hint of Texas. It's definitely a must for the grill!" — DALEANDESTELL

Krystal's Perfect Marinade for BBQ or Grilled Chicken

"Uhh, this marinade really is perfect! I had four thinly sliced chicken breasts that I marinated in it for about five hours. It was amazing . I was dubious initially, but I was proven very wrong! It grilled up beautifully." — DEIRDRE7

More Inspiration

• 17 Easy Chicken Marinades for Simple Summer Grilling
• 5 Italian Chicken Marinade Recipes for Juicy, Flavorful Chicken
• How to Marinate Chicken Right

You’ll Also Love

Authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice

This post has been through a number of revisions of the years. A few little changes to the recipe as my style of making it changes, as well as additional information added for those who want to know a little bit more about the dish. You can jump ahead to the recipe and video below, but if you want to read on I've now included a bit of background on one of Southeast Asia's most influential dishes.

For those new to it, Hainanese Chicken Rice is a dish primarily attributed to Malaysia and Singapore although versions exist in Thailand (khao man gai) Vietnam (com ga) and Indonesia as well. It was created by migrants from the island of Hainan in China's far south who arrived in Southeast Asia around the turn of the 20th century. My family is Hainanese, and my grandfather arrived in Malaysia from Hainan in around 1915.

The dish itself is based on a traditional Hainanese delicacy called Wenchang chicken. Specific free-roaming chickens from the Hainanese town of Wenchang are fed on peanut bran, coconut and various other things and they are famed for their generous fat, flavourful meat and tender skin. The most prized birds are the capons, huge 3-4 kilogram castrated roosters with incredible flavour. On Hainan, the Wenchang chickens are usually boiled just in salted water with the pure flavour of the bird itself. It's then served with a sauce of some kind, which can vary from establishment to establishment. One popular sauce is made from salt-fermented crushed yellow chillies. The orange-coloured ginger and chilli sauce served with Hainanese chicken rice in Southeast Asia is an adaptation of this.

Wenchang chickens on Hainan. Cooked Wenchang chicken as served in Haikou, Hainan.

Of course, the dish is Hainanese chicken rice is very different from its origins in Wenchang chicken. The elements are generally (1) free-range or kampong chicken poached in a broth This recipe is my own, a combination of what I learned from my Hainanese grandmother (my grandfather passed away before I was born), my Singaporean-English mother, and my elderly cousin who ran a very popular chicken rice stall in Singapore for more than 40 years (it's now closed).

I've written about Hainanese Chicken Rice for the Wall Street Journal (Chicken Rice for the Soul) and published versions of this recipe in two of my six cookbooks (my grandmother's "Original Recipe" in Two Asian Kitchens) as well as this updated and version which appears in my latest book Destination Flavour: People and Places, which is a combination of recipes from my SBS television series of the same name.

Cooking time

Ingredients

• 1 large whole chicken (about 1.7 kg), at room temperature
• 5cm fresh unpeeled ginger
• 1/2  tsp monosodium glutamate, or 1 tsp chicken stock powder (optional)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• coriander, to serve
• sliced cucumber, to serve
• eschallots, roughly sliced (or 1 brown onion, roughly sliced)
• 2-3 pandan leaves (optional)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock from poaching chicken
• Chilli Sauce for Chicken
• 4-6 red birds-eye chillies
• 6 thick slices of peeled fresh ginger
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 - 1 cup chicken stock from poaching chicken
• 2 tbsp calamansi lime juice (or other tart citrus juice)
• 2 tbsp rendered chicken fat (or other oil)
• Ginger and spring onion oil
• 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• ½ tsp salt flakes
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced, green tops reserved
• ¼ cup peanut oil
• Chicken Rice
• 3 1/3 cups (675g) jasmine rice
• 1/4 cup (approx.) vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 eschallots, roughly sliced (or 1 brown onion, roughly sliced)
• For the ginger and spring onion oil, pound the ginger and salt to a rough paste with a heatproof mortar and pestle. Add the spring onion and pound lightly to combine. Heat the peanut oil in a small frypan until it is smoking then pour the hot oil over the ginger mixture. Stir, then set aside until ready to serve.
• For the chilli sauce, pound the chilli, ginger, garlic, sugar and salt together in a mortar and pestle until very smooth. Pounding chilli can take some time so to speed up the process you can start it in a blender or food processor and pound to finish, or grate the ingredients into the mortar using a rasp grater. Add the boiling stock to the pounded mixture. You can vary the amount of stock depending on the consistency of the chilli sauce you’re after. Stir in the juice, then adjust the seasoning if necessary so that the balance of sweet, sour and salty tastes is pleasant. Heat the chicken oil in a small saucepan until hot, the pour over the chilli mixture and stir to combine.
• Remove the fat deposits from inside the cavity of the chicken, near the tail. Roughly chop the fat and place in a small frying pan over very low heat to render. Render the chicken fat, stirring occasionally for about an hour until you all the fat is rendered and the solids are crisp. Remove the solids and use them for another purpose. Reserve the chicken oil.
• To begin poaching the chicken, pound the unpeeled ginger in a mortar and pestle and add to a large pot containing about 4 litres of water, along with the tops of the spring onions used for the ginger and spring onion oil. Add the salt and MSG or chicken stock powder (if using) and bring to the boil over high heat. Taste the water and adjust the amount of salt so that it tastes savoury and a little salty. Reduce the heat to very low and add the chicken to the pot. There should be enough water in the pot so that the chicken doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot, as that will cause the skin to tear. Lift the chicken in and out of the water a couple of times to change the liquid in the chicken's cavity. If you have poultry hooks, use them to hang the chickens in the pot (see video below). The water should now be steaming but not bubbling. Keep the heat low at this level and cook the chicken for 45 minutes.
• Using the poultry hook (or slotted ladle), carefully lift the chicken out of the pan, ensuring you don’t break the skin, and plunge into a large bowl or sink of salted iced water. Reserve the stock and stand the chicken in the iced water for at least 10 minutes, turning once. This will stop the cooking and give the skin its delicious gelatinous texture. Remove from the iced water and hang over a bowl or the sink to drain well. Rub the skin all over with the sesame oil. The chicken should be cooked very lightly, pink inside the bones and with a gelatinous skin.
• To make the chicken rice, pound the garlic and eschallot (or onion) to roughly bruise with a mortar and pestle. Combine the rendered chicken oil with vegetable oil to make ½ a cup of oil. Heat in a wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger stir until starting to brown, then strain through a sieve. Reserve the oil and discard the solids. Place the rice in a rice cooker or heavy-based saucepan. Add about 1.2L of the reserved stock from the chicken (strained) and the reserved flavoured chicken oil (or use the proportions as indicated on your rice cooker). Tie the pandan leaves in a knot (if using) and add to the rice. If cooking in a pot, bring to the boil over high heat and continue to boil for about 5 minutes until the level of the liquid reaches the top of the rice, then reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and cook for 12 minutes, then remove from the heat and stand for another 10 minutes.
• For the dressing, combine the ingredients with about half a cup of the stock from cooking the chicken. When the rice is ready, use a cleaver to slice and debone the chicken Chinese-style and pour the dressing over it. Scatter with the coriander sprigs, and serve with sliced cucumber, tomato and serve with the rice and sauces.
• Family-style chicken rice.
• The key to this whole dish is seasoning the stock. If you find the stock, chicken, rice or sauces taste a little insipid, it is because the stock is not correctly seasoned. Taste the stock after cooking the chicken, it should taste like a strongly savoury chicken stock. If it tastes weak, add a little more salt. You can also boost it with a dash of fish sauce if you like, or some MSG if you are not opposed to it. Alternatively, do as I mention in the video and cook 2 chickens at once.
• Please don't overcook the chicken. A slow, gentle simmer for 45 minutes will produce chicken with a very pale pink blush to the meat and the inside of the thigh bones should be bright pink. If they are brown or grey the chicken is over cooked. That's OK, but the texture will not quite be right.
• Often in Singapore this will be served with thick black cooking caramel or kecap manis over the chicken, but I prefer the sesame dressing included here.
• When making the chilli sauce, look for the colour of the sauce, rather than following the recipe exactly. It should be a bright orange, and that colour will give you a good indication of the proportion of chilli to ginger and garlic. The heat of the sauce should depend on the kind of chillies used, not the amount. The flavour of chilli in this sauce is more important than the heat.

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Tahini Marinated Grilled Chicken

Published: Jun 22, 2021 · Modified: Feb 25, 2024 by RebeccaBlackwell · This post may contain affiliate links

Chicken thighs marinated in lemon, tahini paste, garlic, and herbs are grilled and served over couscous with a chili yogurt tahini sauce. Simple, quick, crave-worthy.

Tahini Marinated Grilled Chicken with Couscous

I am having a love affair with tahini lately. I'm enamored with how versatile it's subtle nutty flavor is. I mean, how many ingredients can you think of that are equally at home in a chocolate tart as they are spooned over grilled chicken?

Tahini is just so  supportive of other flavors while contributing a nutty uniqueness to everything from chocolate to veggies to chicken.

Why it's Important to Use Good Quality Tahini

Tahini is, essentially, sesame seed paste. Or, perhaps we should say, sesame butter. It's smooth, creamy, and nutty, but milder and more savory than most nut butters. Good tahini is like peanut butter - so good you want to eat it by the spoonful.

Low quality tahini is bitter. Sometimes to the point that it tastes like there is vinegar in it. It also lacks luxurious creaminess, feeling chalky and grainy in your mouth.

So what kind of tahini do you buy? My two favorite brands are Pepperwood Tahini and  Soom Tahini , neither of which are available in my local market, so thank the tahini gods for the internet. Both contain nothing but ground sesame seeds and are luxuriously creamy and delicious.

If you're feeling a bit more industrious, you can also make your own tahini. This is article from the Kitchn that will show you how.

Tahini Chicken is One of My Favorite Weeknight Recipes

Put the chicken in the marinade in the morning and leave it in the refrigerator to get happy in all that tahini-lemon-garlic-and-herb yumminess. Then throw it on the grill or pop it in the oven that evening, letting it cook while you whip up the sauce and couscous.

What should you serve with Tahini Chicken?

My favorite things to serve with Tahini Chicken are this simple Cucumber and Tomato Salad and Garlic Naan.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad is seriously the best accompaniment to creamy, savory, slightly spicy tahini chicken. Dressed in a mild rice vinegar dressing, with a hint of fresh mint, the salad offers a cool counterpoint that cuts through the richness of the chicken and the sauce.

The salad takes about 10 minutes to make. It's best to let the salad sit for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, so whip it up before you put the chicken on the grill and you'll be good to go.

And, while a plate full of tahini chicken, couscous, and cucumber tomato salad is a feast to rival anything, soaking up the creamy yogurt sauce with a tender piece of naan is hard to pass up. Aside from being available at your local Indian restaurant, naan is generally available in most major markets.

You can also make naan from scratch - a process that sounds super ambitious, but is surprisingly simple and sooooo good when topped with melted garlic butter with flecks of chopped fresh parsley.

And, if you'd rather serve this dish with rice instead of couscous, this recipe for Indian Style Rice is a delicious compliment to the flavors in tahini chicken.

Consider Making Enough Tahini Chicken for Leftovers

Every time I make this chicken, I make enough to ensure ample leftovers , which then become the basis for at least one more meal later that week. Here are 4 great recipes that will put any leftover Tahini chicken you have to great use:

• Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• 20-Minute Garlic Chipotle Pasta with Chicken
• Chicken Nachos with Chimichurri Sauce (Use tahini chicken instead of the Chili marinated chicken called for in the recipe.)

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If you give this recipe a try, let me know!  Scroll down to rate this recipe, leave a comment, or take a picture and tag it @alittleandalot on Instagram .

Chicken thighs marinated in lemon, tahini paste, garlic, and herbs are grilled and served over couscous with a chili yogurt tahini sauce. This is one of my all-time favorite weeknight meals, especially in the summer.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (89ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup (195g) pure ground sesame tahini paste (*See note)
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3  tsp salt
• 1  ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• ½ cup (13g) fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 6 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 - 3 lbs (32 - 48oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon (½ oz) butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups (226g) dried couscous
• ½ cup (142g) plain, unsweetened yogurt, preferably Greek yogurt
• ¾ teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Instructions

• Make the marinade: Add the olive oil, tahini, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, rosemary, parsley, soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a bowl and stir to combine.
• Put the chicken in a shallow baking dish or bowl. Pour all except ½ cup of the marinade over the chicken. Turn the chicken in the marinade to coat each piece completely. Cover the chicken and the reserved ½ cup of marinade and put in the refrigerator. Let chicken marinate for at least 8 hours, and as long as 24.
• To Grill the Chicken: Heat an indoor or outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade, brushing off excess marinade as you do, and cook the chicken on the grill until no pink remains on the inside and the chicken registers 165 degrees on a kitchen thermometer. Alternatively, cut a pice of chicken in half and if there is no pink inside, the chicken is done.
• To Bake the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade, brushing off excess marinade as you do, and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, the chicken registers 165 degrees on a kitchen thermometer. Alternatively, cut a pice of chicken in half and if there is no pink inside, the chicken is done.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the couscous: Add 1 ½ cups of water to a saucepan. Add the butter and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
• Make the sauce: Remove the reserved marinade from the refrigerator and pour it into a bowl. Add the yogurt and chili garlic sauce and stir to combine. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, honey, chili garlic sauce, if desired.
• To serve: pile some couscous on a plate, top with a piece or two of chicken and a spoonful of sauce.

My favorite brands of Tahini are Pepperwood Organic Tahini and Soom Tahini . Both are made from 100% ground sesame seeds and have great flavor.

Indoor Grilling Tools

If you prefer to grill your chicken rather than bake it but can't (or don't want to) use an outdoor grill, indoor grilling is a great solution. You can either use an elecrric grill or a cast iron grill pan. See the links below to the ones I have in my kitchen.

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June 08, 2018 at 5:02 pm

This recipe is marinating in my fridge right now, but a taste of the marinade tells me this is going to be a knockout! Thanks Rebecca!

RebeccaBlackwell says

June 11, 2018 at 1:19 pm

I love this marinade too! How was the chicken?

June 11, 2018 at 1:44 pm

We all loved it! My son’s friends happened to be at our house when the meal was ready, so they joined us for dinner and one of them used the words “so many layers of flavor” in his full-mouthed compliment! There were no leftovers for subsequent recipes, but I am ok with that because this will be a recipe I make again and again. So good!!

June 16, 2018 at 10:02 pm

I am SO happy to hear that your family - and your son's friends - enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! xoxo

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