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Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce

Chicken satay with peanut sauce featuring tender grilled chicken strips brushed with a coconut-caramel marinade. The peanut sauce is creamy and tangy, thinned to a pourable texture with a touch of warm water.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 37 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and skewers
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs cut into thin strips
  • 1 wooden skewers soaked in water
Satay marinade
  • 0.5 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk divided
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 clove garlic minced
Peanut sauce
  • 0.5 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk remaining half
  • 0.5 cup peanut butter
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 4 tbsp warm water to thin, use 3–4 tbsp as needed
To serve
  • 1 cucumber slices
  • 2 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. In a bowl, combine half the coconut milk with soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and garlic until the mixture looks evenly blended. Marinate the chicken strips in the bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Make the peanut sauce
  1. In a bowl, whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sriracha, garlic, and the remaining coconut milk until smooth and thick. Add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until the sauce is pourable.
Soak skewers and assemble
  1. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don’t scorch. Thread marinated chicken strips onto the skewers with even spacing for consistent cooking.
Grill and serve
  1. Grill skewers over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side, until char marks appear and the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately with peanut sauce, cucumber slices, and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: for the smoothest peanut sauce, whisk peanut butter with the liquids first, then stir in remaining coconut milk before thinning with warm water. Refrigerate leftover chicken skewers and peanut sauce separately in sealed containers for up to 3 days; reheat chicken gently. Freeze chicken satay for up to 2 months (peanut sauce is best made fresh after thawing). For a dietary swap, use tamari instead of soy sauce if you need gluten-free.