These tender and juicy chicken skewers are covered in a flavorful marinade and then grilled to perfection! Serve them alongside this quick peanut sauce for dipping and garnish with cilantro and lime! Great as an appetizer or for dinner, this chicken satay recipe is both easy and delicious!
This chicken satay recipe is one of our favorite easy summer dinners! While you do need to marinate the chicken for at least half an hour, the rest of the meal comes together in less than 20 minutes. Grilling recipes like these chicken skewers and this easy carne asada are our go-to solution for busy days when we want to enjoy the summer weather and spend less time in the kitchen!
chicken satay
While chicken satay is thought to have originated in Indonesia, it’s also popular in other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. This version of satay is more Thai-inspired, as I use coconut milk, soy sauce and turmeric in my marinade and add a bit of Thai red curry paste to the peanut sauce.
I used boneless skinless chicken thighs in my satay recipe, but chicken breasts would work just fine, too. In fact, satay just means meat-on-a-stick, so you could even mix it up by making skewers with pork or beef. However you decide to make your version of this popular street food, don’t forget to whip up a side of peanut sauce for dipping!
peanut sauce
The delicious peanut dipping sauce is ready in just five minutes! The recipe consists of just six main ingredients: natural unsweetened peanut butter, coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, red curry paste and lime juice. Add a bit of salt to taste and a splash of water to thin the sauce if needed and that’s it!
You can definitely play around with the ingredients to suit your tastes. I often add a bit more red curry paste depending on the brand and heat level. And if we only have sweetened peanut butter on hand, I just decrease the amount of brown sugar or leave it out completely. While this peanut sauce is excellent with chicken, it’s also great to drizzle on shrimp, use as a dipping sauce for summer rolls, or even to eat with raw veggies like cucumbers!
ingredients
chicken satay
- bamboo skewers 10-15
- (soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes)
- chicken thighs 2 lbs (1 kg)
- (boneless skinless)
- garlic 3 cloves
- ginger 1 inch (2.5 cm)
- coconut milk ⅓ c (80 ml)
- brown sugar 1 tbsp
- soy sauce 1 tbsp
- turmeric 1 tsp
- salt to taste
peanut sauce
- peanut butter ¾ c (200 g)
- (unsweetened natural)
- coconut milk ⅓ c (80 ml)
- brown sugar 3 tbsp
- soy sauce 1 tbsp
- red curry paste 1 tbsp
- salt to taste
- water ¼ c (60 ml)
- lime juice 2 tbsp
garnish (optional)
- - cilantro
- - lime
- - chopped peanuts
instructions
- To make the marinade, mince the garlic and ginger and combine with the coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, turmeric and salt.
- Roughly chop the chicken thighs into one inch chunks (2.5 cm) and add to the marinade. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.
- While the chicken is marinating, make the peanut sauce. Combine all ingredients (except the lime juice) for the peanut sauce into a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes or until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more water until you reach your desired consistency. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Set aside.
- Thread the chicken onto the skewers and preheat the grill to 400F (200 С).
- Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until cooked through, turning occasionally. It should take around 12-14 minutes.
- Serve the chicken skewers with peanut sauce and garnish with cilantro, lime and chopped peanuts.
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