Juicy grilled chicken satay skewers served with peanut sauce for dipping is a delicious, easy dinner recipe perfect for summer nights.
Ingredients needed
Full recipe + amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs. Boneless + skinless.
- Ground turmeric.
- Curry powder.
- Soy sauce. Use tamari or coconut aminos if you need this recipe to be gluten free.
- Fish sauce.
- Garlic.
- Ginger.
- Brown sugar.
- Lime juice.
- Peanut butter.
- Coconut milk.
How to make chicken satay
- Marinate the chicken: Chop skinless boneless chicken thighs into bite-size chunks and place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine oil, garlic, ginger, curry powder, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and salt and whisk together. Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix to coat the chicken. Cover and allow to marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours. While the chicken marinades, soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Assemble the skewers and cook: To cook the chicken satay skewers, thread the marinated chicken onto soaked bamboo skewers or metal skewers. Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat then cook the chicken skewers for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through and golden brown all over.
- Make the peanut sauce: To make the peanut sauce, combine peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, coconut milk, lime juice and a pinch of brown sugar and mix well. Serve the cooked chicken with peanut sauce, lime wedges and crushed toasted peanuts.
Can you cook chicken satay in the oven?
Yes, you can. The oven has a tendency of drying out chicken that is not on the bone so make sure to preheat the oven to its hottest setting (using the broiler/grill in your oven is a good idea). Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
Is chicken satay gluten free?
Because this recipe contains soy sauce, it is not gluten free. To make it gluten free, use Tamari or Coconut Aminos instead of soy sauce. Make sure the peanut butter you use for the dipping sauce is gluten free (some are produced in factories where gluten-containing food is processed). These satay skewers can easily be turned into a low carb or keto recipe, simply leave out the brown sugar and serve with a dipping sauce made with almond or cashew butter.
What to serve with chicken satay
- Soy honey noodle salad
- Asian noodle salad with peanut ginger dressing
- Sliced cucumber, carrots or radishes.
- Ginger rice – Steam rice with fresh ginger.
Chicken skewer recipes
Easy chicken satay with peanut sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken satay
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp curry powder
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil (Use olive oil or avocado oil for low carb)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (Use Tamari or Coconut Aminos for gluten free/low carb)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tsp crushed ginger
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 800 g (approximately 2 pounds) boneless skinless chicken thighs cubed
For the peanut sauce
- ½ cup peanut butter (use almond or cashew butter for low carb or keto)
- 1/3 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari or Coconut Aminos for gluten free/low carb)
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 tsp crushed ginger
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- salt, to taste
- 2-3 tbsp hot water to thin out the sauce
To serve
- lime wedges
- toasted crushed peanuts
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl and whisk well.
- Add the cubed chicken. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours.
- If using, soak bamboo skewers in hot water for at least 30 minutes before use.
- Combine all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- To cook the chicken satay, thread the marinated chicken onto soaked bamboo skewers or metal skewers.
- Heat the grill or stovetop grill pan over high heat then cook the chicken skewers for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through and golden brown all over.
- Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the peanut sauce, lime wedges and toasted, crushed peanuts.
Delicious!
OMG! I’ve been craving for chicken satay! My sister ordered the same at feastbox yesterday and it is so flavourful! ??????
Perfect dinner for these hot days were having. Served the satay skewers with noodle salad and it was a wonderful dinner.
So happy you loved it Erica.
So juicy and loved the peanut dipping sauce. Made a great appetizer.
Thanks Molly!
How much coconut milk is called for?
A third of a cup. The 1/3 symbol doesn’t seem to work. 🙂