Description
These Saucy Chicken Satay Bowls combine tender spiced ground chicken with a rich, creamy peanut coconut sauce, served over fragrant jasmine rice and topped with a refreshing cucumber salad and vibrant garnishes. This quick and easy stovetop recipe delivers bold Southeast Asian flavors in a bowl perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 15 ounces coconut milk (1 can, full fat)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup dark soy sauce (or low sodium soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari)
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 2 limes, juiced
- ⅓ cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (or arrowroot or tapioca flour)
Chicken & Aromatics
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, mashed
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cucumber Salad
- 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 pinch sea salt
Base & Garnishes
- 2 cups jasmine rice, cooked
- Pickled onions, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Chopped peanuts, for garnish
- Chili crisp, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, chicken broth, soy sauce, coconut sugar, lime juice, and peanut butter until smooth and fully combined.
- Incorporate the thickener: Add the cornstarch to the sauce and whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside while you move on to the next steps.
- Make cucumber salad: In a small bowl, toss the thinly sliced Persian cucumbers with maple syrup, rice vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir well and set aside to marinate.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add diced onion and mashed garlic; sauté about 3 minutes until onions soften and become translucent.
- Cook the chicken: Add ground chicken to the pan, breaking it into small pieces with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Stir to cook evenly.
- Spice it up: Add curry powder, turmeric, paprika, and kosher salt to the chicken; stir well to evenly coat all meat in the spices.
- Add the sauce and thicken: Pour the prepared peanut coconut sauce over the chicken. Stir to combine and cook for 4–5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken richly.
- Assemble the bowls: Remove pan from heat. Begin with a base of jasmine rice in each bowl, add a generous scoop of the saucy chicken, then top with the cucumber salad.
- Add garnishes: Finish bowls with pickled onions, fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a drizzle of chili crisp to add crunch and heat.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve immediately while warm for a flavorful, satisfying meal.
Notes
- You can substitute ground chicken with ground turkey or pork if preferred.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to control salt content.
- The cucumber salad can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 hour before serving.
- If you don’t have cornstarch, arrowroot or tapioca flour work as good thickening alternatives.
- Adjust chili crisp quantity to your spice tolerance or substitute with sriracha for a different chili flavor.
- For a vegan version, substitute ground chicken with crumbled tofu and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Cook jasmine rice separately according to package instructions prior to assembling the bowls.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southeast Asian
