Satay skewers: the benchmark of authentic Thai food! Think deeply marinated chicken with a peanut sauce that’s so good, everyone will be begging for the recipe. Serve this with steamed jasmine or Coconut Rice. Or go all out with a Thai restaurant banquet complete with Thai Fried Rice , Pad See Ew or Thai Chilli Basil Stir Fry!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Thai Chicken Satay skewers
At the risk of sounding totally obnoxious – this is a recipe for Chicken Satay skewers with Thai Peanut Sauce that truly stacks up to your favourite Thai restaurant.
When it hits the stove, the smell is SO GOOD you will just know they are going to taste amazing.
Then you have a taste of the peanut dipping sauce…… and you’ll just shake your head, wondering how the heck can something so simple taste so good??!!
Or you might be thinking – OMG, I finally cracked it, this tastes EXACTLY like the authentic Chicken Satay I had in Thailand!!! Oh wait, maybe that’s just in my head. 😂
What goes in Chicken Satay and Thai Peanut Sauce
It might surprise you how few ingredients go in Chicken Satay and the peanut sauce! Here’s what you need:
The BEST Thai Red Curry Paste
Thai Red Curry paste is a “secret ingredient” in both the marinade and the sauce. You just need about 2.5 tbsp which doesn’t sound like much, but we don’t want this to taste of red curry. We’re just using it as a flavour enhancer.
While I’m an advocate of homemade curry paste for Thai Red Curry and Green Curry, for recipes like this that use a smaller quantity, I use store bought.
I use Maesri Thai Red Curry Paste which I think is the best by a long shot. I also use this same brand for Green Curry and Red Curry for quick midweek curries.
It also happens to be the cheapest, at around $1.30 per can at major supermarkets like Coles, Woolies and Harris Farms.
How to make Thai Peanut Sauce
Thai Peanut Sauce is almost unbelievably simple to make. It’s literally just a 5 minute plonk-and-simmer job:
coconut milk
red curry paste
cider or white vinegar (not lime juice!)
pure peanut butter (see below for more info)
soy sauce
sugar
cooking salt / kosher salt (halve the quantity if you only have table salt which is finer. So 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt = 1/2 tsp table salt).
For the BEST Thai Peanut Sauce, use natural peanut butter
While commercial peanut butter spread is ok, if you want a really great authentic Thai Peanut Sauce that truly stacks up to your favourite Thai restaurant, use pure peanut butter. You’ll find it in the health food section of most supermarket nowadays.
Pure peanut butter is made with JUST peanuts – no sugar, oil or other additives – so the peanut flavour is stronger.
Also, natural peanut butter is thinner than commercial peanut butter spreads (see below) which means you need less water to thin the sauce = better peanut flavour in Thai Peanut Sauce!
Ahead of publishing this recipe, I tried the Thai Peanut Sauce with natural pure peanut butter vs commercial peanut butter (Kraft, now Bega) side by side to confirm this!
I’m a firm believer that Chicken Satay skewers should be tasty enough to eat on their own and the peanut sauce just takes it over the top. So I like to marinade the chicken to make it extra tasty.
Chicken Satay Marinade
Here’s what you need for the Thai Chicken Satay Marinade:
Chicken pieces – chicken thighs yield the juiciest chicken skewers but breast or tenderloin are fine
Red curry paste – see above for my recommended brand Maesri
Curry powder – any is fine here
Coconut milk
sugar
cooking salt / kosher salt – halve the quantity if you only have table salt which is finer. So 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt = 1/2 tsp table salt.
It’s best to marinade for at least 3 hours but even 20 minutes is long enough.
Cooking the Chicken Skewers
Chicken satay is a summertime favourite to cook on the BBQ. But I usually cook it on the stove for convenience.
For a really authentic Thai experience, cook the Chicken Satay over charcoal like it’s done in Thailand!
Thai Chicken Satay is a popular starter on Thai restaurants menus along with Thai Fish Cakes. But it’s also ideal served as a main. Serve it with steamed jasmine rice – or with fluffy Asian Coconut Rice (it’s amazing!). Or go all out with Thai Fried Rice or Pineapple Fried Rice!
For a fresh side salad, try this Asian Slaw, or use this Asian Sesame Dressing for a fresh salad or steamed vegetables.
If you want to go all out with a homemade Thai Banquet, serve this Chicken Satay as the starter with Thai Chilli Basil Stir Fry, a curry (Massaman Curry, Green Curry or Red Curry) with Coconut Rice as the mains. Or Pad See Ew! ~ Nagi x
Recipe source: An original creation but the roots of this recipe are from various Thai cookbooks and renowned Thai food experts like David Thompson and Sujet Saenkham (owner of the famous Spice I Am restaurants). Except I’ve made this recipe so it’s accessible to everyday cooks – without compromising! 🙂
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 400 g/14oz coconut milk (1 can), full fat
- 13-16 bamboo skewers , 16cm / 6.5″ long (Note 1)
Marinade:
- 600 g / 1.2lb chicken thighs , boneless skinless, cut into 2cm/4/5″ pieces (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp curry powder (Note 3)
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp red curry paste (Note 4)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (sub 1/2 tsp table salt)
Thai Peanut Sauce:
- 2 tbsp red curry paste (Note 4)
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, smooth (Note 5)
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 6)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (sub 1/2 tsp table salt)
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar (Note 7)
- 3/4 cup water
Serving:
- 2 tbsp peanuts finely chopped
- Lime wedges (optional)
- Coriander / cilantro leaves and sliced red chilli (optional)
Instructions
- If cooking on a BBQ or over charcoal, soak skewers for 2 hours in water.
Thai Chicken Satay Skewers:
- Mix together the chicken and Marinade with 1/4 cup of coconut milk, then set aside for at least 20 minutes, or overnight.
- Thread onto skewers – I do 4 to 5 pieces each.
- Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan over medium high heat.
- Cook skewers in batches for 3 minutes on each side until golden.
Thai Peanut Sauce:
- Place remaining coconut milk and Peanut Sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium low heat.
- Stir to combine then simmer, stirring every now and then, for 5 minutes.
- Adjust consistency with water – it should be a pourable but thickish sauce.
- Cover with lid and keep warm while cooking skewers.
Serving:
- Pour some sauce into a bowl. Sprinkle with some peanuts – stir some through if you want.
- Pile satay skewers onto a platter, sprinkle with remaining peanuts, coriander and chilli.
- Serve with sauce on the side for dipping. Add a side of Jasmine Rice or Thai Fried Rice to complete the meal!
Recipe Notes:
- Sauce for for rice, noodles, veggies (raw or steamed)
- Make a simple Gado Gado with steam veg, hard boiled eggs and rice
- Dip for prawn crackers and vegetables
- As the dressing for this Chinese Chicken Salad, Satay Noodle Salad, Peanut Noodle Salad or Sesame Noodles
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
He thought I said PELICAN satay……
I like your food I will try to cook chicken with peanut sauce !!!
I hope you love it Gloria!
Tried this tonight, never havingade anything like this before. Absolutely stunning, and fighting my husband for the leftovers!
Absolutely loved this satay!! The sauce was amazing and the kids devoured it!! Plan to bulk cook it again this weekend and wondered does the sauce freeze well?
I’m so glad you loved it Katie!
This was delicious! It really hit the spot. I pretty much doubled the sauce and made a stir fry and served over coconut rice. It was delicious. Thanks again for another amazing dinner meal.
Perfect Miri!
I made this in bulk on the weekend for a grand final party and everybody absolutely loved them! I had to send out the recipe to everybody the next day. Thanks for all your amazing recipes nagi, I am obsessed with your website!!
That’s so great Shelley!!
Hi there! If I were to use sweet soy sauce instead of dark soy, should I use less sugar? If so how much?
Hi Kelsey, yes you’ll need to reduce the sugar to about 1 tbls and then just adjust according to taste – N x
Hi! It says that it is coconut milk in the marinade but in the list over ingredients it doesn’t say coconut milk… I’m confused..
🙂
I thought the same!
This should definitely go in your notes. I read this the first time I made it and it was perfect. Made it a second time n used the full amount of sugar. Mines way too sugary.
I have been feeling like Thai for a while, my family doesn’t eat it, they don’t know it. I made this tonight,… IT WAS INCREDIBLE, BLEW MY MIND!!!! I made a mistake with the marinade and remade it. So glad I did! I bribed my son with a Canadian Twoonie ($2) to taste the chicken that had a bit of the peanut sauce, he liked it, he would eat it again and now my husband who was away is willing to try it! Thanks again for another great recipe.
That’s great to hear Becky!!!
Bloody good satay sauce. Tasted exactly like Thai restaurant.
Wahoo, thanks so much Jen!
Amazing!!!! Always wanted to know how to make satay sauce just like our popular local Thai restaurant but unfortunately nothing came even close until I tried your recipe. It is spot on!! Your a legend Nagi. After making this, I’ll never ever buy store bought satay again.
Second time making the sauce… so good. It’s definitely going to become a regular.
Was making the peanut butter and had a thought. If i chuck everything in the blender, I won’t leave any of that precious peanut butter behind. Easy done!
I put the marinade together exactly as listed and it is so runny. I don’t know if anyone else had this issue.
Flavor is great, but bummed it’s not thick.
I had this problem too! Then I realised the water is to get the sauce to the consistency you want your sauce. But I put all the sauce ingredients straight into the pot and had really runny sauce. I doubled the sauce also so very runny. Will just be mixing a bit of water and cornflour to get it thickened up.
Hi Michelle, sorry you had issues here – what kind of peanut butter did you use here? – N x
Hi Nagi, I make this recipe regularly and love it! However, cooking some as appetizers for a large party and wanted to get the prep out of the way – do you think they would freeze well after being marinated?
Your recipes are fantastic, Nagi! I’m making this tonight (your chicken tacos early this week was a hit even with my 3yo). I’m on Ketogenic diet at the moment, I would say 75% of your recipes are easily adaptable and flavour profiles are pretty much align with what I love.
Keep those amazing recipes coming, Nagi! Xx
Thats so great to know Amy!
Hi Nagi! I absolutely LOVE this recipe, it has become a household staple! I was just wondering if it would be possible to substitute the chicken for tofu to make a vegetarian version?
Just awesome
Wahoo, thanks Rickie!
Absolutely brilliant but for some reason the third time I’ve made this it’s more spicy and my toddlers are not having it. How can I make the satay sauce less spicy? I’ve made stacks of it.
Hi Rachel, just omit the chilli powder and cut down on the curry paste – N x
This is incredible!! Hubby and I absolutely loved it. M The marinade was too spicy for the kids, would you suggest to reduce the curry powder or curry paste, or a bit of both? Didn’t buy enough coconut milk for the rice so will do that next time we make it.
Hi Brooke, reduce both for a less spicy version. It definitely goes perfectly with the coconut rice ❤️
Made this for my partner, She said it was Restaurant quality.
Wahoo, that’s awesome Dennis!
Made this a week ago- Simply awesome. Super easy, and beats the Thai restaurant’s for taste, hands down. Even my oldest son was wowed (and he is a professional cook). The Peanut Sauce is the Bomb! Next time I make this, I’m inviting plenty of friends to impress. Follow the recipe, and you can’t go wrong!!!
That’s the best compliment Dave!! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Well, made your chicken satay today on the grill using breast meat and coals to one side. Used Maestri too. Chicken was very tender and peanut sauce was great! Made jasmine cilantro lime rice as a side w/ steamed broccoli. First time doing satay and really liked it. Cracking open that can of Maestri filled the kitchen w/ an awesome aroma, will be using that in the future for sure. Love your site Nagi and Dozer is a a wonderful baby! Just wanted you to know how pleased I am with your work. Hubby says wants the Thai Fish Cakes next. Thank you so much! Patty 🙂
Sounds like you nailed it Patty!I hope you give the fish cakes a go!
Thank you for sharing I will give it a try sounds delicious
I hope you love it Lyn!!
WOW. My husband declared his everlasting love for this when I made it for dinner last week! Said it wouldn’t be out of place in Singapore! It was SO DAMN GOOD! Kidlets wouldn’t eat it – Mr 5 tried it and declared that the chicken was too spicy, so I might try reducing the red curry paste in the marinade next time to make it more kid friendly. And the peanut sauce – it’s a week later and I’m still finding excuses to eat it! Thank you!!
I’m so so SO glad you loved it Bex!!