What To Serve With Chicken Satay
If you’re thinking about serving up a Chinese inspired feast for your next fakeaway night at home, you might be thinking about your options for what to serve with chicken satay.
It’s a super popular dish consisting of juicy chunks of chicken, marinaded in a selection of spices then skewered and grilled.
A popular dish from both takeaways and restaurants, it’s well loved and mild but flavoursome enough to be a hit with the whole family.
To turn your chicken satay into a fabulous banquet – or just a satisfying midweek meal – here are the side dishes and accompaniments that you might like to consider…
1. Peanut sauce
Peanut sauce is absolutely essential for serving with chicken satay!
It adds such a nutty, creamy flavour, and it also helps to ensure that your dish isn’t slightly too much on the dry side.
You can make your own, of course, but I personally like to cheat a little sometimes and buy a supermarket version!
It’s a much quicker and easier option, especially when you’ve had a busy day, and there are plenty of high quality choices out there.
Check out my chicken satay recipe, which includes a quick and easy peanut sauce hack!
2. Coconut rice
Coconut rice is both savoury and slightly sweet, and tends to be either cooked in coconut milk or with coconut flakes.
Other ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and fresh lime zest are often added too, which really make that tropical flavour come to life!
This easy coconut rice recipe is creamy and sticky, and you can even freeze any leftovers or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Just be mindful to always ensure that you’re following food safety guidelines when it comes to reheating rice.
A fluffy mountain of coconutty rice makes a beautiful bed for your chicken satay skewers!
3. Cucumber salad
A fresh and vibrant makes a tasty side dish for chicken satay, especially in the warmer months when you’ll be looking for something a light and refreshing.
Simply cut your cucumber into ribbons, by using a vegetable peeler to shave off long, thin pieces.
Alternatively you can use a sharp knife, but do ensure that you’re extra careful!
Next, toss with fresh red chilli, a little sesame oil, honey, and soy sauce, and decorate with sesame seeds.
This is such an easy option to make when it comes to what to serve with chicken satay, but it has such a bold and punchy flavour that it’ll soon become one of your favourite sides when serving Asian food.
4. Egg noodles
Savoury and silky, egg noodles are so much fun to eat!
Keep things simple and straightforward by boiling them and using as a bed for your chicken satay.
If you want to get a little more advanced, imagination is your only limit. Once cooked, add to a hot wok and combine with fresh peppers and mushrooms, soy sauce, ginger and chilli, or even a little coconut milk.
Don’t be scared to get experimental to find the taste and texture combinations you really love.
When I’m serving egg noodles with chicken satay, I also make sure that I’ve got plenty of lime wedges to squeeze over for that satisfying zesty punch.
5. Banana rice
If you’ve never tried banana rice before, you’re in for a real treat!
It’s full of fibre and many essential vitamins, and it’s uniqueness makes it a great talking point when you have friends over for a meal or you’re hosting a dinner party.
This sticky banana rice recipe is my favourite, and it’s really easy.
If you’re anything like me, the combination of banana rice and chicken satay might open your mind to other sweet and savoury pairings that you previously wouldn’t have considered.
I’m a big lover of a banana curry, with apple chunks and sultanas.
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
6. Prawn crackers
Prawn crackers are such a fantastic accompaniment to any Asian inspired dish.
That satisfying crunch, that light and airy texture… It’s impossible to just eat one!
If you’re cooking for a crowd, serve your prawn crackers with welcome drinks, to give you a little breathing space for getting everything organised.
7. Mango and chilli salad
The sweet creaminess of a mango salad makes a wonderful option for serving alongside chicken satay with that rich, nutty sauce.
Just chop up your mango, and add veggies of your choice such as diced red onion and red pepper.
Squeeze over some fresh lime juice, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
This is a great accompaniment for all kinds of grilled chicken recipes, so it’s likely to become a regular feature on your meal plans if you enjoy a fruity salad.
8. Broccoli
A steamed green vegetable is a tasty option for what to serve with chicken satay, particularly if you’re trying to be health conscious and cut down on unnecessary calories.
If you want to add some extra flavour, stir fry in a wok instead, and add a few splashes of oyster sauce and sesame oil.
For some extra presentation points, serve sprinkled with some sesame seeds.
What’s your favourite option for what to serve with chicken satay?
Have you tried these dishes?
Or do you have any of your own recipes that you love to serve as a side dish for chicken satay?
Leave a comment below and share your ideas – I love to hear about what you’ve been up to in the kitchen!
If you love chicken recipes, you might also want to take a look at what to serve with balsamic chicken.
