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……
This was scrumptious! I had to broil the chicken because my skewers were too long for a pan, but it worked just fine.
You have the best recipes! Thanks so much.
Great idea Jocelyn!
We had this for dinner tonight with steamed jasmine rice, cucumber slices and a wedge of lime. All I can say is wow, wow, wow!!! This was so delicious. A little spicy for the kids but I love, love, loved it. This recipe is so quick and simple yet has so much taste! I have been asked to add this one to our regular list of dinners also. Thank you for another amazing recipe. Thanks to you, you make my weekly meal planning so much easier. Whenever I am stuck for a dinner ideas, I always come to your website.
Thanks so much Jodie, that’s so nice to hear ❤️
Loved it and so did the rest of the family.
That’s great to hear Elizabeth ❤️
This is the Holy Grail of Satay! I am a satay junkie and this is the most Geniune flavour I have ever had. Made it 4 times in the past 4 weeks & it turns out perfect every time. Bless you Nagi!
I made this last night and absolutely loved it. Finally found a decent peanut sauce recipe. Thanks so much!
Wahoo!
Wow I could not stop eating the sauce!! Imho happy I have a whole container of it left over today. The chicken skewers were to die for. Exactly like restaurant ones. In fact, better than some ive had!
Hi, any non spicy alternative recipe? Looks yum and easy to prepare. I wanted my make some for my son but he is too young (6 y.o.) to take spicy food.
I made this for supper tonight. Loved it. So tasty and authentic. I will definitely be making this again. The red curry paste is pretty spicy for my kids, so I did use less in the peanut sauce and it was delicious!
Hi Nagi, made this last night and we loved it. Very delicious.
Hi Nagi, I tried this last night it was delicious thank you for this easy and yummy recipe! 👍🏼🙏🏻❤️
Tried this last night it was delicious thank you for this easy and yummy recipe! 👍🏼🙏🏻❤️
This is the easiest and tastiest satay I’ve ever made
Thankyou , you are my go to on a regular basis for recipes for tasty easy meals for my family x
Hi Nagi… another success thanks to you… you are amazing. Living now as a volunteer on a very remote Island in PNG I still managed to put this together. Without your notes it would not be possible as we are totally reliant on what comes off the container ships and I can tell you when its good ‘stuff we buy it by the bulk as we may not see if for 6+ months ha ha
Tonight I am using the left over sauce to use with noodles as you suggested
Thank you again, loved cooking your recipes when I lived in Adelaide now enjoying it in PNG
Jane
Making this AGAIN tonight. Made it last week for my family and they loved it!!!! Another Nagi hit. Thanks!!
YES!!! 🙌🙌🙂
I made this, it was fantastic. Everyone loved it. I will be taking this to our next barbie.
I try the recipe it was Very yummy
I made this tonight for my family and it was delicious but too spicy for my 9yo Son. Definitely making it again and will be using the leftover sauces to make your Sesame noodle recipe tomorrow for lunch.
Oh my gooooodness! I have made some amazing things from you, and this was also totally delicious! It smells of Thailand to me. I made this for friends last night and everyone raved and raved about it! It really is so scrumptious. I didn’t change a thing and we cooked them on skewers over a charcoal barbecue. This is being added to regular rotation. Thank you!
Nagi, this was amazing !! Tasted the same, if not better than my friends Thai restaurant in Erskineville, Sydney!!
Wahoo! Thanks for the props Jason!!! ☺️– Nxx
Well chicken was awesome, rly full of taste, but how much I love peanut butter I didn’t like sauce 🙁 it was flat for me (by it self and before spicing it up), I did add some spices and was ok, I was rly hyped for this recipe but I was disappointed… Still very good chicken tho!
Nagi, this was fantastic! The sauce was just as good as, if not better than the sauce at my friends Thai restaurant in Sydney. This recipe is a keeper!!!!!