Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

5 from 3 votes

Thai Chicken Satay (or Sate) is marinated and grilled spicy chicken skewers that are served with a creamy and rich peanut sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time12

Total Time32

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Diet: Low Lactose

Servings: portions

Calories: 877kcal

Soak the bamboo skewers to avoid them burning while grilling the chicken sate.
Place the curry powder, peanut butter, coconut cream or coconut milk, red curry paste, honey, vegetable oil or peanut oil, all-purpose soy sauce, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk well until all are combined.
Cut the chicken breast into 3 cm (1") cubes and then add them to the bowl. Mix them together until all the chicken pieces are covered with the marinade.
Leave them to marinate for a minimum of half an hour, ideally overnight in the fridge. Don't let them marinate for more than 24 hours as the acid in the marinade will destroy the texture of the meat.

To prepare the peanut sauce, whisk together peanut butter, coconut cream or coconut milk, red curry paste, all-purpose soy sauce, lime juice, and honey in a small pot.
Place the pot on medium heat and gently simmer the sauce until it has thickened, keep it warm until ready to serve.

Thread the chicken onto soaked bamboo skewers. I used 12 small bamboo skewers for this recipe.
The best way to cook chicken satay skewers is by grilling them on the BBQ. Alternatively, you can use your indoor grill oven grill to cook them as well as an oven or an air fryer!
When cooking on the BBQ, make sure the grill is properly hot before you place the chicken skewers on them. Cook for 12-14 minutes or the core temperature of the chicken reaches 74 °C (165 °F).
If you want to cook Chicken Satay Skewers in the oven, preheat the oven grill to 210 °C (410 °F). Place the skewers on a tin foil-lined tray and then cook for 15 minutes or until the core temperature of the chicken reaches 74 °C (165 °F).
If you want to cook Chicken Satay Skewers in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 200° C (390° F). Place the skewers in the air fryer basket without overlapping them. Cook them for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the core temperature of the chicken reaches 74 °C (165 °F).
Serve the chicken skewers with a bowl of peanut butter sauce on the side.

Soak the bamboo skewers in water for an hour to avoid them burning while grilling the chicken sate.
If you want to use frozen chicken, make sure to defrost or thaw it before marinating it.
Marinate the chicken pieces for a minimum of half an hour, ideally overnight in the fridge.
Don't let the chicken marinate for more than 24 hours as the acid in the marinade will destroy the texture of the meat.
When cooking on the BBQ, make sure the grill is properly hot before you place the chicken skewers on them.
The leftovers would keep for up to 5 days when refrigerated in an airtight container. Make sure you keep the peanut butter sauce and chicken pieces separately.
Alternatively, you can freeze the peanut butter sauce and chicken pieces separately for up to 3 months in airtight containers.