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……
Hi Nagi! I’m making this for supper and I can hardly wait! Can you confirm something for me is “cider vinegar” the same as “apple cider vinegar “??
Madam Google says it the same but want to make sure with the “chef”:)
I absolutely LOVE this Satay
Best Recipe Ever
Great on just plain rice
Try it you won’t be disappointed.
It does have some kick to it so I use a full tin of coconut cream and some real cream.
5 Stars all the way
I absolutely LOVE this Satay
Best Recipe Ever
Great on just plain rice
Try it you won’t be disappointed.
It does have some kick to it so I use a full tin of coconut cream and some real cream.
This gets made at least once a week in my house at least but instead of doing skewers I use diced chicken and throw it all in the slow cooker! Works a treat on noodles or with rice👌😍
I only used the recipe for the marinade and the chicken was delicious..I will be sure to make the peanut sauce next time. Thanks for a great recipe!
This chicken Satay recipe was excellent! Everyone loved it! Thank you! I used chicken tenders and broiled for 5 min on each side. They were perfect.
Truly excellent! And surprisingly quick and easy. So good. Thank you.
Great recipe!
Long time fan of restaurant/take out Thai, newbie home Thai cook. This was incredible, thank you! Husband loved the chicken, I’m vegetarian, loved the peanut sauce and marinade on veggies and tofu. Made a pot of cilantro lime rice and it was a delicious meal that satisfied our itch for Thai take-out!
Decadent. Delicious. Def make again.
Hi Nagi. A long-time follower of your recipes.
I used this recipe recently for a 60+ dinner and it scaled up really well and everyone loved it,
I was a bit skeptical about using cider vinegar vs lime juice but now totally converted and while I think I got the sugar content abit wrong adding some extra ACV to thin it down resolved the sweetness issue.
The very best satay sauce I have had in a long time.
Just a quick advisement if you want to follow up for Oz readers. There is now available in Woolworths from Bega a sugar and salt-free variety that I used. I also used that same in your Gado Gado which was amazing for the dinner as well!
Thanks so much for all the great recipes,
David
Family favourite. I mostly make it with thinly sliced pork fillet. Great balance of flavours. Perfectly happy with maesri curry paste.
Hi. I cooked this yesterday from your cookbook, and there’s an error in the recipe. The body of the recipe says to use coconut milk, but the ingredient list shows 3/4 cup water and no coconut milk. I think it’s only supposed to be coconut milk with a little water if needed. I used both but my sauce was too liquidy.
The coconut milk is listed in the marinade part- you take some for the marinade and use the remainder of the can for the sauce.
It’s at the very top, above the bamboo skewers. You use 1/4 cup in the marinade and the rest of the can in the sauce, plus 3/4 cup of water. Mine thickened up fine but I had to turn up the heat. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi Kyong, 400gm of coconut milk is the first item on the Ingredients list. To be used in the marinade and sauce.
I just made this and yes my sauce wasn’t as thick. I should have added the water little by little until I was happy with consistency. The marinade recipe ingredients doesn’t list coconut milk either however it’s in the steps. I’ll be cooking these tomorrow : )
Ok so at our house we are a bit snobby when it comes to chicken satay sticks
Our local restaurant makes the best ever – that was until we made this – oh my lord do your self a favour and get in the kitchen !!! So quick & easy , we serve with pineapple – & like Navi says use a good quality peanut butter
I’m allergic to peanut, I would love to make a satay recipe. Would some combo of tahini/almond/cashew butter mix work?
Not having tasted peanut butter I’m not sure. Any suggestions for a way to have a close substitute would be appreciated!
So wanted to take credit for this fabulous recipe but my partner knows I use your website and cookbook!
Fab recipes, you are my go to
Does anyone know how I’d convert this in to an actual curry? I’ve got the feeling that if I did it as-is the sauce would be too heavy, and maybe too much of it.
I make this as a curry all the time – more than as skewers. If you bulk up with vegetables, it’s not too much sauce. If you just want chicken, I would probably half the sauce. When I make it with veggies – I get between 4-6 serves, depending on the size. I normally freeze it.
Amazing marinade and sauce 😋
Skewers were amazing , but marinating the thigh fillets (whole) for 24 hours and cooking them the bbq/grill gives it an amazing char. Just add the sauce, coriander, crushed peanuts, sliced Thai chilli and side of rice and boom!
This recipe is AMAZING! Next time I make this I would use less salt in the marinade and chicken breast instead of thighs
OMG just amazing flavour! So tasty!
Sauce made a huge amount so frozen for another batch.