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GET IT NOWMy Chicken Satay Recipe Tastes Like Your Favorite Thai Place At Home
This chicken satay always reminds me of Thai restaurants, because it was how I first dipped my toes into this cuisine. It’s the perfect balance of bold Asian flavors and the familiar vibe of grilled chicken thighs. But here’s why my chicken satay recipe is so much more than “just chicken”:
- Flavorful marinade with simple ingredients – It’s got it all — spiced, savory, umami, tangy, and sweet. But unlike most versions, mine has a relatively short ingredient list. There’s nothing processed, no refined sugar, and no need for a trip to a specialty store.
- Ultra juicy, tender chicken – Partly because it’s chicken thighs, partly because of my cooking tips, and most of all because of the marinade where nearly every component has a tenderizing effect.
- Irresistible peanut dipping sauce – It’s creamy, sweet, nutty, and I wouldn’t have chicken satay without it (although my kids do, ha).
- Easy, breezy grilled main dish or appetizer – This was made for summer grilling! The prep is pretty quick and you mainly do it in advance. But I’ve also got options to cook inside if you need them.
If all this isn’t reason enough, food on a stick is always more fun. Make this chicken satay with me and recreate this Asian-inspired experience at home!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken satay recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken thighs, which are the juiciest, but boneless skinless chicken breast is fine, too. Since you’ll be threading it on skewers, bone-in cuts won’t work.
- Coconut Aminos – This makes up the base of the chicken satay marinade. I like it because it’s a mix of umami and a little sweet, but low sodium soy sauce or tamari also works.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk – Provides richness, creaminess, and a fuller flavor to the marinade while tenderizing at the same time. Yogurt would make a pretty good alternative.
- Fish Sauce – Adds an umami flavor. I love this brand, which is gluten-free and has no artificial ingredients or sugar. If you need a substitute, Worcestershire sauce will work, but the flavor is different.
- Lime Juice & Zest – The acid helps to tenderize the chicken and also adds a subtle tangy flavor. Lemon juice and zest are fine instead, but the flavor of lime is a better match for chicken satay.
- Aromatics – Minced garlic and grated ginger! Although you can swap in 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and a pinch of ground ginger, it’s just not the same.
- Curry Powder – I used this organic yellow curry powder, which is a blend of coriander, turmeric, mustard, cumin, fenugreek, paprika, cayenne, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Any kind you like is fine.
- Olive Oil – For brushing right before grilling. This helps lock in moisture and prevents sticking. Avocado oil is good, too.
- Optional For Serving – I highly recommend serving chicken satay with peanut sauce! To make it, you just need peanut butter, coconut aminos, garlic, honey (I use this sugar-free honey), and vinegar. Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and chopped peanuts are great for serving, too.
How To Make Chicken Satay
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos (or soy sauce), coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and zest, garlic, ginger, and curry powder.
- Marinate the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs lengthwise into long, thin strips. Place them in a zip lock bag or glass dish. Pour the marinade on top, mix to coat, and seal or cover.
- Assemble the chicken skewers. Shake off any excess marinade and thread the chicken onto the skewers lengthwise. To do this, I skewer through the end, then fold and skewer the opposite way, like a wave. Continue for the entire length of each chicken strip. See my picture below for a visual! Place the skewers on a baking sheet, and brush with oil on all sides.
- Grill the chicken satay. Preheat your grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken skewers, turning halfway, until lightly charred and cooked through. See my tips below for alternate cooking methods!
My Recipe TIps
- Slice all the chicken strips to the same thickness. This ensures that they cook at the same rate. I usually aim for 1-inch-thick strips, about 4 from each chicken thigh.
- Marinate chicken satay for at least an hour, but no more than 24 hours. Overnight is the easiest option. After 24 hours, the chicken starts to get mushy.
- Want extra sweetness or heat in your marinade? When I want sweet, I prefer to add Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey instead of the brown sugar that many chicken satay recipes have. And a dash of crushed red pepper flakes is perfect for a kick.
- What about lemongrass? This is a common addition to the marinade in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia where chicken satay originated. I don’t usually add it because it’s too much of a specialty ingredient. If you to make this dish more authentic, mince the bottom part of a lemongrass stalk and add it to the marinade.
- These wooden skewers are the perfect size for chicken satay. Full-sized ones are generally too big.
- Soak the skewers in water for at least 30-60 minutes. This prevents them from catching fire on the grill. I usually do it toward the end of marinating, before threading on the chicken.
- Use a meat thermometer. For best results, I recommend an internal temperature of 170 degrees F for dark meat like these chicken thighs — that’s when they get more juicy. If you’re using chicken breasts, don’t go over 165 degrees F or it will dry out.
- Don’t have a grill or weather not cooperating? You can cook my chicken satay recipe inside. Just use a grill pan or regular cast iron skillet on the stove (time is the same as grilling), air fry at 400 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, or broil in the oven for 8-12 minutes.
Chicken Satay (Easy Recipe)
My easy chicken satay recipe is extra juicy and flavorful, thanks to a simple spiced coconut milk marinade and 5-minute peanut sauce.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Chicken Satay:
Optional For Serving:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, ginger, and curry powder.
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Slice the chicken thighs into long, thin strips, 1” wide. Each thigh can be cut into about 4 strips.
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Place the chicken in a plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 2-4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
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While the chicken is marinating, soak the wooden skewers in cold water for 30-60 minutes. This prevents them from burning on the grill.
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In the last 5-10 minutes of marinating, preheat the grill to medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, or a grill pan with more oil for 2-3 minutes.
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Meanwhile, thread the chicken onto the skewers lengthwise. Brush with olive oil on all sides.
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Cook the chicken satay on the grill for 3-5 minutes on each side, until crispy and internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (77 degrees C). (This temperature is best for dark meat like chicken thighs, but if you use chicken breasts, 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) is better.)
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If desired, serve with peanut sauce, chopped peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2-3 skewers, or 1/6 of entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you cook your chicken satay evenly, a few of my favorite flavor variations, my recommendations for handling the skewers, how to get juicy results, and alternate cooking methods instead of grilling.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: You can marinate chicken satay up to 24 hours ahead, or cook in advance and portion into individual containers for lunch.
- Reheat: I usually pop the skewers in my air fryer to reheat, but the oven works, too. The microwave makes them more dry.
- Freeze: These can be frozen for up to 3 months, either raw in the marinade o after cooking. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Note on nutrition info: These numbers include only 1/3 of the marinade ingredients, because most of it is discarded. It also does not include the optional serving ingredients.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Chicken Satay
Serving Ideas
Aside from the sauce and garnishes I mentioned above, I usually serve chicken satay with a starchy side and a veggie.
My family likes these with fried rice, cauliflower fried rice, or spaghetti squash pad Thai, even though they’re not traditional. For vegetables, my Thai salad, vegetable stir fry, or cauliflower curry pairs well.
More Grilled Skewer Recipes
If you like food on a stick as much as I do (why does it always seem to taste better?), try my other grilled skewers:
12 Comments
Vera Lawson
0Do you have any nut free sauce suggestions to go with the satay chicken?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Vera, You could use sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter in the sauce, or just serve them without sauce.
Kate
0Is there a recipe for the Peanut sauce I seemed to have missed it? Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kate, I linked it several times above, it’s this peanut sauce.
Denise Wynn
0Where can I find the peanut sauce recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, Here is my recipe for peanut sauce.
Lynn
0Lovely recipe. Ideal for my meal plan.
Gina
0Love this healthier spin on chicken satay! The sauce is so delicious, I could eat it on its own and always make more than needed for another recipe later on in the week.
claudia
0This quick meal was so great, I had the satay with the coconut rice for lunch. The peanut sauce added such a nice flavour,I can’t wait to mix it up and have the chicken satay over the Asian inspired cabbage salad next.
Liz
0This was such a great recipe! My dad loved it and my husband said it was his new favorite way to make chicken!
Julianne
0Such a great way to take plain chicken and make it into something special. The combination of flavors were perfect and I loved the peanut sauce!
Shelby
0Ah the coconut milk in this satay gives it such a rich, comforting flavor!