Chicken Satay Bites
An appetizer that takes the deliciousness of chicken satay and turns it into bite size flavor bombs. Skewered marinated chicken bites and fresh veggies are topped with a creamy peanut sauce. So good!
There are two ingredients in today’s recipe that, depending on where you live, can create a bit of confusion – coriander and cilantro. The marinade used to flavor the chicken breast in this recipe calls for coriander and the garnish that tops this delicious appetizer is cilantro. So, what’s the difference between these two seasonings and why the confusion?
First things first, coriander and cilantro come from the same plant (Coriandrum sativum). Outside of the U.S., the term coriander is used to describe the entire plant. The leafy green part of the plant is referred to as coriander leaves or fresh coriander, and coriander seeds refer to the dried spice. In the U.S., coriander typically refers to just the dried seeds of the plant and cilantro is the term used to describe the fresh leafy greens and delicate stems of the plant.
Sticking with the U.S. terminology, coriander is a spice that can be purchased as whole seeds or ground. The taste is unique and often described as warm, woody, citrusy, and slightly sweet. It’s used in stews, soups, roasted vegetables, curries, sauces, spice blends, and marinades like the one for this chicken satay recipe. Dried coriander seeds are about the size of black peppercorns and are light brown in color. Ground coriander looks very similar to ground cumin with a light orange hue.
Cilantro is traditionally used in Asian, Mexican, Indian, and Middle Eastern cooking. Its flavor is bright, lemony, earthy, and slightly peppery. Interestingly, this leafy herb is rather polarizing, and chances are you either love it or hate it. Those who are cilantro adverse often describe the flavor as bitter and soapy. Cilantro adds a pop of freshness to so many things – salsas, guacamole, salad dressings, chimichurri, and rice dishes. It’s also a popular garnish for street tacos, tortilla soups, huevos rancheros, and these delicious chicken satay bites.
Even though coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, they cannot be used interchangeably. There are, however, certain dishes where both ingredients are used to maximize flavor. Today’s chicken satay appetizer is a perfect example. The ground coriander in the marinade adds a warm, almost smoky taste to the chicken, and the chopped cilantro sprinkled on top of these satay skewers brings a bright, citrusy tang.
To your health,
Darlene
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CHICKEN SATAY BITES
Yield: 12 servings
Serving Size: 3 satay skewers
Prep: 25 minutes
Ready: 50 minutes (not including marinating time)
INGREDIENTS
Chicken and marinade
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 36 bite-size cubes
1/3 cup sliced green onion
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (such as Huy Fong Foods Chili Garlic Sauce)
1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as avocado oil or canola oil)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger root
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Huy Fong Foods Chili Garlic Sauce)
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger root
Remaining ingredients
1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as avocado oil or canola oil)
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, cut into 36 bite-size pieces
1 small cucumber, cut into 36 bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons chopped peanuts
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 small lime, cut into wedges
DIRECTIONS
To prepare chicken and marinade, place cubed chicken pieces in a zip-top bag and set aside. To a small bowl, add green onion, lime juice, soy sauce, dark brown sugar (2 tablespoons), chili garlic sauce (1 tablespoon), oil (1 tablespoon), garlic, ginger root (2 teaspoons), coriander, cumin, and turmeric and whisk to combine. Pour marinade into bag with chicken, seal bag, and allow chicken to marinate at least 4 hours or overnight.
To prepare peanut sauce, add peanut butter, rice vinegar, brown sugar (1 1/2 tablespoons), hot water, chili garlic sauce (2 teaspoons), and ginger root (1 teaspoon) to a small bowl. Gradually stir until combined and refrigerate until ready to use.
To cook marinated chicken, heat oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove chicken cubes from marinade and add to hot skillet, discarding marinade. Cook, moving chicken pieces around skillet, until chicken is cooked through; about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove cooked chicken from skillet and allow to cool.
To assemble satay appetizer, thread one piece of red pepper, one chicken cube, and one piece of cucumber onto a skewer. Repeat process until 36 mini-satay skewers are assembled. Place chicken satay skewers on a serving platter. Drizzle satay skewers with peanut sauce and sprinkle with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Garnish platter with lime wedges and serve. Each serving consists of 3 skewers.
Nutrition Information per Serving
120 Calories, 6 g Total fat, 1 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 24 mg Cholesterol, 97 mg Sodium, 5.5 g Total carbohydrate, 1 g Dietary fiber, 3.5 g Total sugars, 2 g Added sugars, 11 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 15 mg (2%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 158 mg (4%) Potassium
© 2025 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
