This recipe for Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce is bursting with authentic Thai flavor! Chicken (or tofu) is bathed in a fragrant marinade, then skewered, grilled to perfection, and served with a flavorful satay dipping sauce. Serve it as an appetizer or a meal. Video. Vegan-adaptable!
This chicken satay recipe features tender Thai chicken skewers with a creamy peanut dipping sauce. Easy to grill, full of flavor, and perfect for dinner.
This recipe comes from my Thai friend Suwanee, and I'm so excited to share it with you. We have traveled through Thailand several times, and I'm always inspired by the incredible balance of flavors in Thai cooking-the way sweet, salty, spicy, and bright flavors come together in perfect harmony. This recipe captures that!
It's one of those dishes that feels effortless but delivers so much flavor-perfect for summer grilling, backyard gatherings, or an easy weeknight meal. We recently made a vegan version using tofu ( scroll down for the photo), and it was just as delicious. Serve it with Coconut Rice and our refreshing Asian Cucumber Salad for a complete Thai-inspired meal.
We have a whole collection of Thai recipes on the blog, but this one remains a personal favorite. I hope you give it a try!
Why You'll Love This Chicken Satay Recipe!
- Restaurant-style flavor at home - These Thai chicken skewers are inspired by classic satay, with bold flavors from coconut milk, curry spices, and a creamy peanut dipping sauce.
- Perfectly balanced - The marinade brings together savory, sweet, and aromatic flavors, while the peanut sauce adds richness and a little heat.
- Quick and easy - Once marinated, the skewers cook quickly, making them perfect for weeknight dinners, grilling season, or entertaining.
- A complete meal - Serve with coconut rice and a crisp Asian cucumber salad for a fresh, satisfying dinner.
- Flexible and adaptable - Use chicken thighs, chicken breast, or even tofu for a delicious vegetarian version.
But first, what is Chicken Satay?
Chicken Satay is a traditional Thai appetizer made with chicken breast or thigh, which is marinated in coconut milk and curry powder, threaded onto bamboo skewers, then grilled to perfection and served with a flavorful Thai peanut dipping sauce.
Chicken Satay Ingredients
- Chicken thighs - The best choice for juicy, flavorful satay. Thin slices of chicken soak up the marinade beautifully and stay tender on the grill. Chicken breast works too, just take care not to overcook it.
- Coconut milk - Creates a tenderizing, rich base for the marinade while adding subtle sweetness and depth.
- Curry spices, garlic, and soy sauce - Build the signature satay flavor with warm spices, savory notes, and aromatic richness.
- Brown sugar (or palm sugar, maple, agave, or honey) - Adds a touch of sweetness that helps balance the spices and creates beautiful caramelization on the grill.
- Olive oil - Helps coat the chicken and keeps the skewers juicy while grilling.
- Peanut satay sauce - The star accompaniment! Creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, red curry paste, and lime create a sauce that is sweet, spicy, savory, and completely addictive.
- Fresh garnishes - Lime wedges, crushed peanuts, and cilantro add brightness, texture, and freshness to finish the dish.
- Peanut Dipping sauce – peanut butter -smooth, or chunky, red curry paste , coconut milk -full fat is best, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and fish sauce (or soy sauce)
Ways to Adapt
- Use tamari, fish sauce or coconut amino if you want a gluten-free version.
- Instead of chicken or tofu, try beef, shrimp, tempeh, or vegetables for different protein and vegetable options.
- The best vegetables for satay are: bell peppers, zucchini, onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Thread them like a kabob.
How to Make Chicken Satay
Step one: Soak Skewers. Soak the wooden skewers for 30-60 mins. You can use metal skewers too if you have them.
Step two: Make the Marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a shallow pan. Whisk together until all the ingredients are well blended.
Step three: Marinate chicken or tofu. Add the chicken to the marinade, and make sure both sides are covered with the sauce. Cover the meat, marinating in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the chicken and tofu.
Step four: Make the Satay Dipping Sauce Make the peanut dipping sauce by adding all the ingredients together in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Whisk the sauce often to mix all the ingredients. Once the sauce thickens, remove it from the pan into a serving bowl, and serve at room temp- and let’s get the chicken on the grill!
Step five: Skewer and grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high and spray the grates with spray oil. Thread all the chicken on the skewers. Don’t throw away the leftover sauce! We will use it to baste the skewers while grilling. This good stuff will help season your chicken satay even more- we cook it down on the stove first.
Grill the chicken satay on medium-high heat at 3-4 minutes per side. Generously brush the leftover sauce on each side when you flip the chicken. (If using chicken thigh, lower heat to low to cook all the way through.) Keep a close eye to avoid burning or overcooking the chicken as the pieces are smaller and can burn quicker, especially in the last few minutes.
Step seven: Serve! Place the skewers on a platter and serve with the peanut dipping sauce. Sprinkle with crushed roasted peanuts and cilantro for garnish and serve with our Asian Cucumber Salad.
What to serve with Satay
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Simply Suwanne’s Sticky Rice
- Perfect Jasmine Rice
- Purple Sticky Rice
- Forbidden Black Rice
Can this be Made Vegan?
Yes! Chicken satay can be made vegan. Substitute high protein tofu ( very grillable!) or extra firm tofu for the chicken and leave out the fish sauce, subbing more salt or soy sauce to taste. Here is the satay made with grilled tofu. So delicious!
Expert Tips
- If basting with the marinade, give it a quick cook on the stovetop to prevent any foodborne illness from the raw chicken.
- Be careful not to overcook the chicken skewers. The pieces are thinner, and the hot flame can easily burn them. Set a timer to help remind yourself to check on the chicken.
- To prevent sticking, make sure to grease the grill well. If your skewers are cooking too fast, lower the heat, and use a very thin metal spatula to help ease the meat from sticking to the grates.
- I love the flavor of Mushroom Soy Sauce, but you can use any soy sauce at home. Adjust the saltiness of your marinating sauce before adding the raw chicken.
I hope you enjoy this Chicken Satay recipe. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Storage & Make Ahead
This chicken satay is a great make-ahead recipe. You can prepare the marinade, slice the chicken, and make the peanut sauce ahead of time, making it easy to get dinner on the table quickly.
To store cooked chicken: Let the skewers cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, grill, or in the oven to keep the chicken tender.
To store Thai peanut sauce: Store the peanut sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will thicken as it chills, so simply stir in a splash of warm water or coconut milk to loosen before serving.
To freeze: Freeze cooked chicken satay in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently reheat before serving.
Make-ahead tip: The chicken can marinate for several hours (or overnight) for even more flavor. The cucumber salad and coconut rice can also be prepared ahead, making this a great option for entertaining.
Thai Chicken Satay Video
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Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 skewers 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Chicken, chicken dinner, dinner idea, grill recipe, summer recipe
- Method: grilled
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, high protein, Vegetarian
Description
This chicken satay recipe features tender Thai chicken skewers with a creamy peanut sauce. Easy to grill, full of flavor, and perfect for dinner. Vegan-adaptable! Allow 30 minutes of marinating time.
Ingredients
- 8 bamboo skewers
- 1 pound chicken thighs (or sub chicken breast) sliced thin and long, 1/4 inch thick x 3-4 inches long. See notes for tofu.
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (stirred)
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder or sub 1 teaspoon each- turmeric, cumin, and coriander plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, palm sugar, agave, maple or honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or try Thai mushroom soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Garnishes: lime wedges, crushed roasted peanuts, cilantro
- 1/3 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky
- 1-2 tablespoons red curry paste (to taste)
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, palm sugar, or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar (or lime juice)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Instructions
Chicken Satay
- Soak 8 wooden skewers for 30-60 mins.
- Make the marinade. Mix all the marinating ingredients together in a shallow pan. Whisk together until all the ingredients are well blended- if it seems thick, feel free to add a splash of water to loosen it.
- Marinate. Add the chicken or tofu to the marinade, and make sure both sides are covered with the sauce. Cover the meat and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight, stirring occasionally. The longer it marinates, the more flavor.
- Peanut Dipping Sauce: Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan. Whisk until combined over medium heat, letting it thicken. Taste, and adjust sweetness, salt, and acid to taste. Once the sauce thickens, place it in a small bowl to serve with your chicken satay. Best served warm or at room temp.
- Skewer. Preheat grill to med-high. Thread all the chicken on the skewers. Save any extra marinade; heat the marinade in a small saucepan until bubbling, to kill any bad bacteria from the raw chicken. Use this for basting.
- Grill. Grill the chicken satay on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked all the way through. Baste each side with the cooked marinade.
- Serve on a platter with the Satay Sauce, lime wedges, and sprinkle with crushed roasted peanuts and cilantro.
Notes
Tofu: Use high protein tofu, or extra firm tofu, press gently and blot dry. Cut into 1 inch cubes and pat dry again. Cover in the marinade. Proceed with the recipe.
Chicken: Feel free to cut the chicken into 3/4-1 inch cubes for easier eating. You can also use whole breasts, or whole thighs ( for more of a dinner) adjusting the grilling time.
Chicken or tofu can be marinated ahead up to 24 hours.
To make coconut rice, rinse 2 cups of jasmine rice, drain, add to a medium pot – then measure the remaining coconut milk in the can (you should have about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) then add enough water to the coconut milk to make 4 cups of liquid. Stir this coconut-water mixture with the rice, along with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few kaffir lime leaves or lemongrass ( both optional) Bring to a boil, cover, cook on low heat until all liquid is gone, roughly 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one skewer ( 2 ounces)
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 8.6 g
- Sodium: 526.3 mg
- Fat: 15.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.9 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 16.1 g
- Cholesterol: 41.4 mg
This looks delicious! What can I substitute the red curry paste with for a non-spicy satay sauce? Thank you!
Hi Cindy, besides red chilies the red curry paste has garlic, ginger and lemongrass- flavor that the satay really needs. I don’t find them spicy, but I suppose you could make a paste of the three and perhaps increase the salt. Just guessing here.;)
Great meal for us both, myself being a vegetarian.
Thank you
Glad you enjoyed!
This Chicken was so very moist and tender! I was able to find fresh turmeric. Delicious.
Yay! Glad you liked. 🙂
Delicious! I used chicken thighs and we had Thai inspired rice bowls. When the teenagers like it, you know it is good. Next time I will double it for lunches.
Totally! Great to hear you all enjoyed Cara. Thanks for taking time to review.
I’d like to serve the chicken satay with dipping sauce with your Thai Noodle salad with peanut sauce – serving six – any comments would be appreciated.
It sounds delicious to me! Let us now how it turns out.
These skewers are delicious! They’re on repeat in our house as both appetizers and a meal with some rice!
Great to hear Emily!
Amazing flavours! I opted for the turmeric-cumin-coriander instead of curry powder and found it had so much depth. Another F@H keeper!
Excellent, so glad you enjoyed Erin!
The most authentic thai style satay I have ever made at home! Got a ‘wow’ out of my husband…
Thanks for sharing Sally! This is great to hear. 🙂
The marinade was excellent! I just sautéed the strips in a little olive oil to toss into a Thai Chicken Salad – didn’t do the skewers and grill deal, but so tasty!
You got the same flavors though- sounds tasty!
I made this over Memorial weekend. Made half with chicken and half with tofu. I added red and yellow peppers to the skewers. I don’t have a grill so I baked on sheet pans in the oven at 450° for 15 minutes then put under the broiler for a few minutes to sear the outside. They tasted great! I also doubled the peanut sauce so I would have extra. It’s so good!
Oh so great Catherine! Thanks for sharing the process.
AMAZING!!! We used chicken thighs for this as its all we had and we marinated for over 24 hours and used our Air Fryer as it was raining!! Everyone asked us for the recipe. It was sooooo good. We served it with some of your other Thai dishes at a party at our house and we will defo cook it again next time on the BBQ!
What a great idea! Glad you all enjoyed. 🙂
Crazy good! Got rave reviews from guests. Followed the recipe exactly and had enough marinade for 2 + lbs. chicken breast sliced thin. Added chili-garlic sauce to peanut sauce for a little heat. Def. making again soon.
We’re so happy you liked this Joyce!
Made the chicken, cucumbers and the rice. The cucumber salad lightened up the heavier sauce. The whole meal was fantastic! I even used lite coconut milk. Will for sure make again. Thank you!
Great to hear Karla!
Could I get the same results cooking this in the oven if I don’t have a grill? Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes!
Hi Paloma- I think so??? But have not tried. I know the flavor would be there- so would just have to gauge the temp.
Delicious! Such a fun easy recipe. Grilled meat strips without skewers and turned out perfect. Great marinade and peanut sauce. Served with grilled cauliflower slices
Perfect Lynn!
Oh wow–so fast and delicious! I marinated whole chicken thighs (deboned, skinless for a day or so), skipped the skewers for speed and then BBQ’s the meat. When done, I sliced the chicken to serve on a vietnamese salad with nuoc cham dressing and it was amazing. I was skeptical when I saw the marinade, but it caramelized beautifully on the grill without causing flare-ups. Loved the crispy exterior and juicy interior of the chicken, and honestly, the chicken was so flavorful it didn’t even need peanut sauce (although I am a huge fan of yours, my hubby and peanuts aren’t friends). Another recipe to keep. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed this Bri!
Fantastic!
I followed the recipes exactly, except used Tamari in place of soy sauce. (Gluten free.) I used whole boneless skinless chicken thighs, marinated for 6 hours – absolutely the best, most tender chicken satay I’ve ever had. The flavor is sublime. The rice is a subtle compliment. Sadly, my peanut sauce was too spicy to eat as a result of a new red curry (vegan) paste I used. As the sauce sat, it just became hotter, and hotter. However, the leftover chicken I nibbled on is the bomb! I’m planning to use it in the Singapore noodle recipe tonight.
Thank you for all the terrific recipes. ❤️
Glad you liked this Diane! Sorry your red curry paste was too spicy. Any way to thin it out with coconut milk?
Fantastic! Made both chicken and tofu satay with coconut rice and Asian cucumber salad. Marinated full 24 hours – both chicken and tofu were so full of flavour! Received rave reviews from all and requests to make again. Thanks for another great recipe!
Great to hear Alison- glad you all enjoyed this!
Do these freeze well?
I bet they would- haven’t tried so guessing here, but seems like it would freeze well.
Yes! (I’ve only tried it with meat and not tofu.) Use ziplock bags to freeze and squeeze out air pockets as much as possible. Before cooking, let it thaw out at room temperature. Will freeze well for up to 4 months.
– Suwanee
Another fantastic burst of flavor from your kitchen to mine. I marinated high-protein tofu and used 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (not 2). This sauteed well with veggies. Skipped the peanut sauce (not a peanut person).
The only adjustment I’ll make next time is longer marination.
Thanks Sylvia!
Thanks Gail! Great to hear!
This looks like an excellent recipe. Is there anything you can recommend to substitute for the coconut milk? My partner is allergic to it and dairy
What if you made a paste with the spices and using a little olive oil?
Made this last night with the cucumber salad and rice. Amazing!
Oh perfect combo, so glad you enjoyed!
Made this for my family last evening. It was absolutely delicious! I served it with roasted sweet potatoes and grilled veggies. Everyone loved it!
Great to hear Jo!
Thanks very much for another wonderful recipe.
Thanks Anne!