Satay chicken and broccoli is a combo of juicy battered chicken breast coated in a creamy peanut sauce, served alongside a dish of freshly steamed broccoli. This Thai-inspired chicken dish is a family-friendly recipe that can be whipped up in no time - making it perfect for busy weeknights!
I'm so excited to share my latest Thai-inspired chicken recipe with you. This satay chicken and broccoli is Tasty with a capital 'T'! Not only that, this easy chicken recipe takes only half an hour to prepare and cook.
The chicken pieces are marinated for a few minutes in a mixture of soy sauce and cornflour to ensure they are as tender and juicy as possible. Then they are combined with an egg to form a simple batter before the chicken is shallow fried until it is crispy and golden.
The peanut sauce is made in minutes by heating all the ingredients in a saucepan until they form a creamy sauce. The main ingredient is peanut butter, which gives the sauce its delicious creaminess.
While the chicken is frying, the broccoli is steamed in oyster sauce and a couple of tablespoons of water until it is tender, but still retains its crispness. The oyster sauce adds a ton of flavour to the broccoli and complements the chicken perfectly.
What I love about this satay chicken is the fact that the peanut sauce and chicken are cooked and served separately which means that:
- the chicken retains its crispy coating, and
- you can have as much or as little sauce as you prefer.
And that's it! Add a bowl of white rice or noodles, garnish with chopped peanuts and spring onions and dinner is served!
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If you enjoy Asian-inspired food, you might like to try this delicious Szechuan chicken recipe too. It's a little spicier than this satay chicken, but just as tasty.
So let's get on with the recipe!
Ingredients
This recipe is sufficient for 4 people, but you can scale it up or down depending on how many people you are feeding.
- Chicken - you can use either chicken breasts or skinless chicken thigh fillets for this recipe. The chicken should be cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Soy sauce and cornflour - these are used to marinate the chicken pieces. You may know cornflour as cornstarch. The soy sauce is also used as an ingredient in the satay sauce.
- Egg - this is mixed into the chicken once it has marinated. It combines with the marinade ingredients to form a batter.
- Peanut butter - it doesn't matter whether you use smooth or crunchy peanut butter for this recipe. I used smooth, but crunchy peanut butter will give you the addition of extra peanuts.
- Sherry - you could use Shaoxing rice wine, but sherry is easier to find.
- Rice vinegar - this cuts through the sweetness of the peanut butter and adds a touch of sharpness to the sauce.
- Sugar - the sugar is optional and adds extra sweetness. I suggest you make the sauce first, taste it and then add a little sugar only if you think it needs it.
- Water - (not pictured) - helps to thin the sauce to a pourable consistency. You could substitute this with coconut milk.
- Broccoli - fresh not frozen broccoli is preferable because fresh has a better texture. The broccoli should be separated into individual florets.
- Oyster sauce - for steaming the broccoli.
- You will also need a small amount of sunflower oil for frying the chicken.
I haven't included salt as an ingredient. I would advise you to taste as you go and add salt only if necessary. The soy and oyster sauces may provide sufficient seasoning.
**You can get the ingredient measurements to make this satay chicken and broccoli on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and mix them with the soy sauce and cornflour in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes or so to marinade.
While the chicken is marinating you can make the satay sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients except the sugar in a saucepan and stir on low heat until you have a smooth sauce. Taste and add sugar if you think it needs it. Keep the sauce warm until ready to eat.
Break an egg into the chicken mixture.
Stir well until the mixture comes together in a thick paste. Note - it will look quite messy at this stage!
Heat the sunflower oil to moderate heat and add the chicken pieces in a single layer. The oil should sizzle gently when you add the chicken.
Allow the chicken to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn it and cook the other side until it is golden brown.
Broccoli
Combine oyster sauce and water in a saucepan then add the broccoli florets. Cover the pan with a lid and leave to steam for 3 to 4 minutes on moderate heat until the broccoli is fork-tender or cooked to your liking.
Stir occasionally to ensure the broccoli picks up the flavour of the oyster sauce.
If the liquid hasn't all evaporated, drain the broccoli before serving.
Serving
Serve this satay chicken either piled on white rice or noodles with broccoli on the side.
Keep the peanut sauce in a separate bowl so everyone can help themselves to the amount they prefer.
Add bowls of chopped spring onions (scallions or green onions) and chopped peanuts for extra garnish.
For a different variation of this dish you could even serve the sauce on its own as a dipping sauce for a bowl of deep-fried crispy chicken balls.
Tips for a perfect outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your satay chicken turns out perfectly:
- Prepare and measure out all your ingredients before starting to cook. This dish comes together in minutes and it's much easier if everything is to hand.
- When frying the chicken let the oil get hot enough to sizzle when you add the chicken (test by adding a drop of marinade to the oil - if it doesn't sizzle, heat the oil for longer).
- Let the marinade drop off the chicken before placing the chicken pieces in the frying pan.
- Don't overcrowd the pan - if you have too much chicken for a single layer, cook the chicken in batches. If you add too much chicken all at once it will lower the temperature of the oil and the chicken will release moisture and boil rather than fry.
- Don't let the pan get too hot or the chicken will burn on the outside before it has cooked through.
- The chicken should be completely cooked by the time it has browned. If you are worried the chicken isn't fully cooked you can test the temperature with a probe thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should register 74C/165F. If you don't have a thermometer, cut a piece of chicken in half - it should be completely white with no pink showing.
- When making the peanut sauce check the consistency. If it is too thick, add an extra splash of water.
- Also, taste the sauce when you make it. Depending on the brand of the ingredients you may need to adjust the rice wine vinegar, sherry or soy sauce slightly.
- Keep your eye on the broccoli and don't allow it to cook until it is mushy (unless you like it that way 🙂 ). The broccoli should still have a slight 'bite' to it.
Variations
You can vary this recipe in various ways:
- Make it spicy - if you prefer a spicier version of this satay chicken, add either cayenne pepper or dried chilli flakes to the satay sauce ingredients. Add the chilli to your taste.
- Make it garlicky - add a teaspoon of garlic paste or garlic powder to the sauce. I wouldn't recommend using fresh garlic because the pieces of garlic wouldn't have sufficient time to cook properly.
- Add a coconut flavour - swap the water in the recipe with the same quantity of coconut milk and optionally stir a spoonful of coconut cream into the sauce.
Storage
Leftover sauce can be frozen for up to three months. To use, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a saucepan. If the sauce has thickened, you can thin it down with a splash of water.
Chicken pieces can be frozen (separate from the sauce) in a suitable freezer container. To use, place the frozen chicken pieces on a baking tray and heat in a moderate oven (150C / 300F) for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken pieces) until heated through.
Leftover chicken and satay sauce can be stored in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the hob or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Satay chicken actually originated in Indonesia although it is a popular dish at most Chinese restaurants.
Velveting is a way of tenderising meat by marinating it in an ingredient that increases the alkalinity. In the case of this recipe, that would be cornflour. The increased alkalinity breaks down the protein fibres in the meat, making it more tender.
Satay sauce is traditionally made with crushed peanuts and is also known as peanut sauce. It is a popular sauce to serve with Indonesian skewered grilled meat (known as satay) which is where the name satay comes from.
Save for later
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📋The recipe
Satay chicken and broccoli
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Frying Pan
- 2 Saucepans
Ingredients
Chicken and marinade
- 1 pound / 450 grams chicken breasts or boneless thighs
- ⅓ cup / 40 grams cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 small egg
Satay sauce
- ⅓ cup / 80 grams peanut butter
- ¼ cup / ml grams water
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sherry or Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vineger
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Broccoli
- 1 small head broccoli broken into florets
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- 2 - 3 spring onions (green onions)
- 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and mix them with the soy sauce and cornflour in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes or so to marinade.1 pound / 450 grams chicken breasts or boneless thighs, ⅓ cup / 40 grams cornflour (cornstarch), 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- While the chicken is marinating you can make the satay sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients except the sugar in a saucepan and stir on low heat until you have a smooth sauce. Taste and add sugar if you think it needs it. Keep the sauce warm until ready to eat.⅓ cup / 80 grams peanut butter, ¼ cup / ml grams water, 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sherry, 1 tablespoon rice wine vineger, 1 teaspoon sugar
- After 15 minutes, break an egg into the chicken mixture. Stir well until the mixture comes together in a thick paste. Note - it will look quite messy at this stage!1 small egg
- Heat the sunflower oil to moderate heat and add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer. The oil should sizzle gently when you add the chicken.
- Allow the chicken to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn it and cook the other side until it is golden brown.
Broccoli
- Combine oyster sauce and water in a saucepan then add the broccoli florets1 small head broccoli, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons water
- Cover the pan with a lid and leave to steam for 3 to 4 minutes on moderate heat until the broccoli is fork-tender or cooked to your liking.
- Stir occasionally to make sure the broccoli picks up the flavour of the oyster sauce.
- If the liquid hasn't all evaporated, drain the broccoli before serving.
- Serve the chicken on a pile of white rice or noodles with broccoli on the side. Serve the sauce in a separate dish so everyone can help themselves to the amount they would like.
- Garnish with chopped spring onions and peanuts if desired.2 - 3 spring onions (green onions), 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
Notes
- Prepare and measure out all your ingredients before starting to cook. This dish comes together in minutes and it's much easier if everything is to hand when you need it.
- When frying the chicken let the oil get hot enough to sizzle when you add the chicken (test by adding a drop of marinade to the oil - if it doesn't sizzle, heat the oil for longer).
- Don't overcrowd the pan - if you have too much chicken for a single layer, cook the chicken in batches. If you add too much chicken all at once it will lower the temperature of the oil and the chicken will release moisture and boil rather than fry.
- Don't let the pan get too hot or the chicken will burn on the outside before it has cooked through.
- The chicken should be completely cooked by the time it has browned. If you are worried that it isn't fully cooked you can test the temperature with a probe thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should register 74C/165F. If you don't have a thermometer, cut a piece of chicken in half - it should be completely white with no pink showing.
- When making the sauce check the consistency. If it is too thick, add an extra splash of water.
- Also, taste the sauce when you make it. Depending on the brand of the ingredients you may need to adjust the rice wine vinegar, sherry or soy sauce slightly.
- Keep your eye on the broccoli and don't allow it to cook until it is mushy (unless you like it that way 🙂 ). The broccoli should still have a slight 'bite' to it.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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