Easy Thai Chicken Satay
Thai Chicken Satay is a popular Thai appetizer of marinated chicken skewered and served with a creamy Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Salad.
Visit any Thai Restaurant in the states and you’ll find Chicken Satay on the appetizer menu. However in Thailand, Satay is a popular street food eaten as a meal with Sticky Rice or with spicy Papaya Salad.
Satay can be made with Chicken, Pork, or Beef, but restaurants here typically do Chicken. For a Pork skewer version try this recipe for Moo Ping.
Ingredients for Chicken Satay
- Chicken Breast or Thighs
- Full Fat Coconut milk
- Curry Powder
- Turmeric
- Garlic
My recipe is an easy version since it does not consist of grinding spices and aromatics to make a paste, which is how authentic satay marinade is made. Simply mix all the ingredients together with the chicken and allow it to marinate overnight or for a few hours.
The coconut milk helps tenderize the chicken and give it a sweet taste, while the curry powder mimics the flavors of traditional spices used, and the turmeric gives the satay a nice yellow hue and added benefits.
How to make the Peanut Sauce
The peanut dipping sauce is also very popular when eating satay. I’m warning you, this stuff is addictive! I can pretty much put this on top of anything, but its perfect for dipping meat and even raw veggies.
In a small saucepan add coconut milk, peanut butter, fish sauce, curry powder, rice vinegar, and honey. Whisk everything together and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Once the sauce is smooth, remove from heat and pour it into serving dishes.
Leftover peanut sauce can be stored in a container in the fridge for a few days. Reheat the sauce on the stove or microwave.
While the Satay is marinating you can make a simple cucumber salad consistent of diced cucumbers, red onion, jalapenos and peanuts. The dressing is just rice vinegar and sugar. I actually prefer the salad with it sits in the refrigerator for at least an hour for the flavors to devleop.
What to Serve with Chicken Satay
If you plan on serving the satay as an appetizer, here are some delicious pairing options:
Chicken Satay Recipe
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Equipment
- Wooden Skewers
- Grill or Stove
Ingredients
Chicken Satay:
- 2 pounds Chicken Breast or Thighs cut into 1 inch cubes.
- 8 ounces Full Fat Coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon Curry Powder
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced, or use a garlic press
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Peanut Sauce:
- 8 ounces Full Fat Coconut milk
- ½ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter spray a measuring cup with oil to help release the peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce Add more if needed
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Siracha Sauce Optional for spice
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Sugar or Honey
- 1 teaspoon Curry Powder
Cucumber Salad:
- 1 cup Cucumbers small diced
- 2 tablespoon Rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Diced red onions
- 1 tablespoon Diced Jalapenos
- 1 tablespoon Crushed Peanuts
Instructions
Chicken Satay
- Cube Chicken breast into 1 inch pieces, around the same size for even coking.
- In a large bowl mix coconut milk, curry powder, turmeric, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least an hour, but overnight is best.
- If using a grill, 30 minutes prior to grilling, soak wooden skewers in water.
- Thread chicken pieces onto skewers and place in a dish or pan, the chicken will be a little messy so you'll need something sturdy to transport to the grill. The turmeric will stain your hands yellow, so use gloves for protection.
- Grill both sides of chicken skewers until fully cooked, about 8 minutes a side. Use a meat thermometer to check chicken is at 165 degrees.
Peanut Sauce
- Place all ingredients for peanut sauce into a small sauce pan, bring the heat to a simmer, whisk until it becomes smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and place into serving dish. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a few days. Reheat the peanut sauce on the stove or microwave for 20 seconds and stir each time.
Cucumber Salad
- Dice cucumbers, red onions, and jalapenos. Dissolve sugar with vinegar and mix in with all ingredients. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Can be stored up to 2 days.
- Serve Chicken satay hot with warm peanut sauce and cold cucumber relish.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
