The Best Thai Satay Chicken Skewers with Homemade Satay Sauce

The Best Thai Satay Chicken Skewers with Homemade Satay Sauce

The Best Thai Satay Chicken Skewers with Homemade Satay Sauce

WHAT'S SPECIAL!

Spicy Thai style satay chicken skewers with homemade peanut dipping sauce!

Satay chicken skewers are one of the most popular Thai starters and for good reason! Satay chicken is marinated chicken that has been grilled on skewers and served with a delicious peanut sauce called satay sauce. Its rich and flavourful and pairs beautifully with chicken! This tasty chicken starter is quick and easy to make and is sure to put a smile on your face!

Looking for a recipe to cook for your next BBQ, girls night or game day? This crowd pleaser satay chicken skewers should definitely make your table. The recipe calls for marinated chicken thighs that will be loaded onto skewers for grilling in the oven or barbecue. The juicy chicken skewers are then served or smothered in a spicy Thai peanut sauce – a match made in heaven! These skewers will definitely make my bank holiday BBQ table!

chicken stay skewers on a board close up

What do i need?

The key components to this recipe are the chicken marinade and the homemade Thai peanut satay sauce. If you nail these parts you are sure to succeed.

For satay chicken i like to use skinless boneless chicken thighs for maximum flavour. Chicken thighs will take the marinade better and will remain juicy no matter how you cook them. You can also use breast if you prefer but be sure to marinate overnight if using breast.

The Chicken Marinade –

The marinade is simple and made up of very few ingredients which provide great flavour. For maximum flavour marinate your chicken overnight or for at least 1 hour. You will need the following:

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 
  • 2 tablespoons honey; 
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper;
  • Half a teaspoon turmeric;
  • 2 minced garlic cloves; and  
  • Pinch of thyme.

In a bowl or baggy measure out and add all the above ingredients. Add your washed and cut chicken combine well and leave to marinate.

marinated chicken thighs for satay chicken

The Homemade Thai Peanut Satay Sauce –

This Thai peanut satay sauce is the bomb.com! Its flavourful, spicy and peanut packed. What’s not to like? Plus it is super easy to make and keeps in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days! I like to make an extra large batch for keeping in the fridge. Try coating some noodles in this satay sauce for a quick lunch.

  • 1 cup coconut milk ( half the tin);
  • 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste – I use my favourite and the best brand if you ask me, Mae Ploy!
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil;
  • 2-4 drops fish sauce; 
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar as a substitute;
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce;
  • 2 heaped tablespoons of smooth peanut butter;
  • 1 minced garlic clove; and
  • Half an onion diced.

Tips & Tricks

  • When making any kind of skewer recipe, if you are using wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water for at least 1 hour. Miss this step and the skewer will burn and break when picked up!
  • Use metal skewers for easier threading of the chicken. There is no difference to the flavour so don’t worry if you dont have them.
  • Because there is turmeric in the marinade I highly recommend using gloves to thread the chicken to avoid staining your nails. Turmeric will stain white walls and surfaces so be sure to thread in a suitable place.
  • If you are cooking in the oven, I recommend putting the skewers over a grated tray to ensure you get the browned colour and crisp edges. If you don’t have this then load the skewers onto baking paper and be sure to turn the skewers and drain any excess liquid to allow the chicken to crisp up.
  • Halfway through cooking no matter your method (see below) be sure to turn your skewers so you get them nice and browned and crisp on both sides.
  • Make a big batch of the satay sauce and store the leftovers in the fridge for use during the week! You might even want to make satay chicken skewers again!
satay chicken on skewers with condiments in the background

Alternative Cooking Methods –

  1. OVEN- For oven cooking like i did in this recipe, pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees and cook for 15 minutes before turning up the heat to 200 degrees for the last 5-10 minutes.
  2. GRILL – You can use the grill setting on your oven to make these skewers if you want a more charred look and taste to your skewers. I recommend cooking in a 180 oven for 10 minutes before switching to the grill setting for a further 10 minutes.
  3. BARBECUE – Having a barbecue? Simply prepare your barbecue or grill and once ready simply load on the skewers and cook for 6 minutes each side until the chicken has a 165 degree internal temperature.

Satay Chicken Skewers Serving Suggestions –

This recipe is fun and spicy and can be served in a variety of ways!

  1. Party Canapes – Just use smaller skewers to make bite size canape servings that can be eaten on the go! This is perfect for parties where your guests are on the move and want a quick bite size serving of heaven!
  2. Spicy Starter – This is how I had mine. A spicy starter perfect for dunking in the yummy homemade peanut sauce. Try my 30 Minute Thai Red Curry for your main course!
  3. The Star of the Plate – Make a super generous skewer and serve with the homemade dip and some Basmati rice. You can also try it with some stir fried noodles.

Spicy Thai Satay Chicken Skewers with Homemade Satay Sauce

Spicy and sweet chicken skewers served with a super easy Thai peanut satay sauce perfect for dipping!
Servings 3 people
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinade Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Equipment

  • Skewers
  • Oven or grill
  • Bowl or baggie for marinade
  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • Small saucepan
  • Oven tray

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

  • 4-6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce 
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • pinch of thyme

Satay Sauce

  • 1 cup coconut milk half a tin
  • 1 tbsp thai red curry paste
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2-4 drops fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter heaped tablespoons!
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • ½ an onion diced

Instructions

The Satay Chicken

  • Wash and chop your chicken thighs into medium sized chunks. In a bowl or baggie add all of the marinade ingredients, mix well and leave to marinate overnight or for at least 1 hour.
  • Once ready thread the chicken onto the skewers. Place the skewers onto a grated grill tray and grill the chicken in a pre heated oven on fan setting at 180°C for 15 minutes.
  • After 7 minutes turn the skewers over to allow the other side to brown.
  • After 15 minutes turn the oven to the grill setting at 200°C and grill for 5 minutes. Your chicken is ready!

Satay Sauce

  • Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat the sesame oil in the pan then add the chopped onion and garlic and fry until soft – about 2-3 minutes. before adding the Thai paste. Stir together then add the rest of the condiments.
  • Add the thai paste and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the rest of the condiments. Turn your heat to medium and keep stirring.
  • Next add the coconut milk and stir well before adding the peanut butter. Stir constantly until bubbling occurs and the oil has separated from the sauce.  
Author: Daniel Devereux
Cost: £5-7
Course: Dinner, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Keyword: Canapes, Party food, Skewers, Spicy, Thai

Did you make these Satay Chicken Skewers?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @chilliandlife on Instagram and hashtag it #chilliandlife

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