This Chicken Satay with Peanut sauce is an irresistibly delicious dish that is full of flavours found in Southeast Asia. Tender morsels of chicken are marinated in coconut milk and fragrant spices, then grilled until lightly charred and served with a delectable peanut dipping sauce.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Marinate20 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Servings: 4(or 8 as appetizer)
Ingredients
For the chicken
2poundsboneless skinless chicken thighssliced into 1-inch pieces
1/3cupcoconut milk
2clovesgarlicminced or grated
2teaspoonsground turmeric
1 tablespoon curry powder
1tablespoon Thai red curry paste *see notes
1tablespoonpacked brown sugar (or coconut sugar, palm sugar, or cane sugar)
1/2teaspoonKosher salt
1/4 teaspoonfreshly ground pepper
For the peanut sauce
1/3cupnatural smooth peanut butter
1/3cupcoconut milk
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
2 tablespoonsbrown sugar (or coconut sugar, palm sugar, cane sugar, honey, or maple syrup)
1tablespoonThai red curry paste *see notes
1/4cupwarm water
Instructions
If using bamboo skewers, soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk the coconut milk, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, red curry paste, sugar, salt and pepper until combined. Add the chicken pieces and use tongs to thoroughly coat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to overnight.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat and clean and oil the grates. Thread all of the chicken pieces snuggly onto the skewers. Transfer any reserved marinade to a bowl, and add 1/4 cup coconut milk. This will be used for basting the chicken as it grills.
Place chicken directly on hot, well-oiled grill. Cook, turning occasionally and brushing with reserved coconut milk mixture each time you flip, until chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes total. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and how hot your grill is.
Remove skewers from grill and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if using.
Peanut sauce: Place all of the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to serve with your chicken satay. The sauce is best served warm or at room temperature.
Serve the chicken satay with peanut sauce and sides of your choice.
Notes
Thai red curry paste - A chicken satay marinade is a lot better when it includes lemongrass, shallots, and galangal. The good news is, you can find all these ingredients (and more!) conveniently packaged in a commercial red curry paste. The only caveat is you have to buy the right brand. My favourite brand is Maesri which is the one recommended by Leela Punyaratabandhu. If you can't find it, Mae Ploy will also work but it is spicier so use a bit less.
To Store. Remove the chicken from the leftovers skewers then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the peanut sauce in a separate container, covered, for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
To Reheat. Place chicken pieces on a small baking sheet and reheat it in 350ºF oven until just warmed through, about 12 minutes. Reheat the peanut sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, adding a few tablespoons of water as needed to thin it out. Remove from heat when warm through.