Satay skewers: the benchmark of authentic Thai food! Think deeply marinated chicken with a peanut sauce thatโs 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 Riceย , Pad See Ew or Thai Chilli Basil Stir Fry!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook โDinnerโ!
Thai Chicken Satay skewers
At the risk of sounding totally obnoxious โ 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 willย just know they are going to taste amazing.
Then you have a taste of the peanut dipping sauceโฆโฆ and youโll just shake your head, wonderingย how the heck can something so simple taste so good??!!
Or you might be thinking โย OMG, I finally cracked it, this tastes EXACTLY like the authentic Chicken Satay I had in Thailand!!! Oh wait, maybe thatโs just in my head. ๐
What goes in Chicken Satay and Thai Peanut Sauce
It might surprise you how few ingredients go in Chicken Satay and the peanut sauce! Hereโs what you need:
The BEST Thai Red Curry Paste
Thai Red Curry paste is a โsecret ingredientโ in both the marinade and the sauce. You just need about 2.5 tbsp which doesnโt sound like much, but we donโt want this to taste of red curry. Weโre just using it as a flavour enhancer.
While Iโm 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, atย around $1.30 per can at major supermarketsย like Coles, Woolies and Harris Farms.
How to make Thai Peanut Sauce
Thai Peanut Sauce is almost unbelievably simple to make. Itโs 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 aย really great authentic Thai Peanut Sauce that truly stacks up to your favourite Thai restaurant, useย pure peanut butter.ย Youโll find it in the health food section of most supermarket nowadays.
Pure peanut butter is made with JUST peanuts โ no sugar, oil or other additives โ so theย peanut flavour is stronger.
Also, natural peanut butter is thinner than commercial peanut butter spreads (see below) which means you needย less water to thin the sauce =ย better peanutย 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 confirmย this!
Iโm 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
Hereโs what you need for the Thai Chicken Satay Marinade:
Chicken pieces โย chicken thighs yield the juiciest chicken skewers but breast or tenderloin are fine
Red curry paste โ see above for my recommended brandย Maesri
Curry powder โ any is fine here
Coconut milk
sugar
cooking salt / kosher salt โ halve the quantity if you only have table salt which is finer. So 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt = 1/2 tsp table salt.
Itโs 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 itโs done in Thailand!
Thai Chicken Satay is a popular starter on Thai restaurants menus along with Thai Fish Cakes. But itโs also ideal served as a main. Serve it with steamed jasmine rice โ or with fluffy Asian Coconut Riceย (itโs amazing!). Or go all out withย Thai Fried Riceย orย Pineapple Fried Rice!
For aย fresh side salad, try this Asian Slaw, or use this Asian Sesame Dressing for a fresh saladย 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,ย 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 Iโve made this recipe so itโs accessible to everyday cooks โ without compromising! ๐
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 / 6.5โณ long (Note 1)
Marinade:
- 600 g / 1.2lb chicken thighs , boneless skinless, cut into 2cm/4/5โณ 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 โ 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 โ 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 โ 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,ย Peanut Noodle Saladย or Sesame Noodles
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
He thought I said PELICAN satayโฆโฆ
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! ๐๐ผ๐๐ปโค๏ธ
Tried this last night it was delicious thank you for this easy and yummy recipe! ๐๐ผ๐๐ปโค๏ธ
This is the easiest and tastiest satay Iโve ever made
Thankyou , you are my go to on a regular basis for recipes for tasty easy meals for my family x
Hi Nagiโฆ another success thanks to youโฆ 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 โstuff 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!!! ๐๐๐
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 didnโt 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!!! โบ๏ธโ Nxx
Well chicken was awesome, rly full of taste, but how much I love peanut butter I didnโt like sauce ๐ 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 disappointedโฆ 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!!!!!
First time making satay โ yummy! Didnโt bother with skewers. Sauce tasted a bit too spicy on testing but was perfect with the chicken & rice. Iโm a Vietnamese who never cooked any Asian until I discovered your site Nagi. Thank you for all your hardwork & easy recipes. x
So no shame. I have literally put this sauce on everything.. even fries and my hamburger!!! You are a magical food goddess. Period.
I finally got a chance to make the Thai Chicken Satay and it was so good that even my daughters told me to make sure I saved the recipe. The most picky, didnโt even use the peanut sauce we made. I made it with Ramen noodles and chicken recipe (without the chicken) and it worked just fine as a side dish though not as good as when Iโd previously made it as a main course. Thanks a lot for the amazing recipes.
Thatโs awesome to hear Gordon!
This was incredibly deliciousโฆ.my husband craves Thai food, and he begged me to put this recipe on the โkeeperโ list!! Iโll be making this again and again!! Thank you!
Terrific Lee Ann!