Chicken Satay
by Sommer Collier — on Jul 4, 2025 This wonderfully simple chicken satay recipe includes a rich, sweet and tangy peanut sauce for dipping. Share these juicy, tender, flavorful chicken skewers as an exciting appetizer or fun main dish with your favorite Thai food-inspired sides!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Summertime equals grilling season, and we are here for it! We love fabulous summer recipes that require little effort and are easy to prepare, either quickly on the grill or stovetop. (Because who wants to turn on the oven in this weather?!)
But quick and convenient dishes certainly don’t mean boring! Take our teriyaki grilled shrimp and tandoori chicken tikka skewers… These recipes are simple but bring some seriously bold flavors!
Today’s classic Thai chicken satay recipe features a rich and creamy peanut sauce for dipping, making every bite oh-so-satisfying. It’s perfect for dinners or making ahead to meal prep. You definitely want to add this restaurant-quality dish to your summer recipe collection!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Satay Recipe
- Easy to make – Marinate the chicken tenders in a flavorful blend of classic Thai ingredients, place them on bamboo skewers, and grill for less than 10 minutes.
- Versatile – Chicken satay works great as an appetizer or as the main dish with your favorite Asian-inspired sides, such as fluffy rice or noodles.
- Peanut sauce – This creamy, vibrantly savory, sweet, and lightly spicy peanut sauce is SO good, don’t be surprised if you have to stop yourself from drinking it straight from the dish!
In addition to being absolutely scrumptious, even with marinating time, the tender chicken satay skewers are ready to serve in under an hour!
Ingredients and Tips
- Chicken – Use boneless, skinless chicken tenders, or cut your own pieces from whole skinless chicken breasts. You can also use sliced boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Marinade – We’re using a classic satay marinade mixture made with coconut milk, light brown sugar, and fish sauce, plus just the right amount of ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, and salt.
- Peanut sauce – The fabulously luscious dipping sauce includes creamy peanut butter, minced ginger, honey, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar (or lime juice), sesame oil, garlic, and fiery chile-garlic sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free – Use your favorite GF soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Other sauces – Not a fan of peanut sauce? No worries – enjoy chicken skewers with any sauces you like! Try them with sweet chili sauce, a tamarind sauce, or basic soy sauce for dipping.
- Not spicy – Skip the chile-garlic sauce to make this recipe mild.
Equipment – You need several wooden bamboo skewers to make the satay.
How to Make Chicken Satay and Peanut Sauce
Tip for Success – Marinate the chicken and soak the skewers for 30 minutes prior to cooking. So while the chicken is on the grill for only a few minutes, be sure to plan ahead for this prep time.
Find the full Chicken Satay recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Leftover chicken skewers are a marvelous addition to your weekly meal plan! Cool them completely before transferring to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The sauce can be stored in a separate container and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing – You can freeze the chicken, but I recommend removing it from the skewers first. Then place them in an airtight plastic bag or storage container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating – Remove the bamboo skewers from the meat, and reheat the chicken in the microwave in short 10-20 second bursts on 50% power.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce makes a great appetizer. Serve them before dinner or as a snack at casual gatherings with other apps like BBQ chicken skewers, bacon wrapped chicken, or Korean chicken skewers.
Or serve satay as the main dish with your choice of jasmine rice, traditional Thai fried rice, Thai crab fried rice, or rice noodles. For a pop of freshness, consider sprinkling some fresh, chopped cilantro and pairing the savory skewers with a chilled green papaya salad (Som Tum) or Spicy Cucumber Kimchi (cucumber salad).
Chicken Satay Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken Satay:
- 1-1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Wooden Skewers, soaked
For the Peanut Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, optional
Instructions
- Combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, fish sauce and spices in a large zip lock bag. Shake and add the chicken tenders. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to direct medium heat. Weave each tender onto a skewer and lay on a foil-covered cookie sheet.
- Grill the Thai chicken satay for 3 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, puree all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in the blender and set aside.
- Serve the chicken satay skewers over jasmine rice with spicy peanut sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Leftover chicken skewers are marvelous to include in your weekly meal plan! Cool them completely before transferring to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The sauce can be stored in a separate container and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing – You can freeze the chicken, but I recommend taking them off of the skewers first. Then place them in an airtight plastic bag or storage container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating – Remove the bamboo skewers from the meat, and reheat the chicken in the microwave in short 10-20 second bursts on 50% power.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Totally! Cook the chicken on a grill pan on the stove for a similar flavor and a nice, lightly charred exterior.
Simple 100% peanut butter with no added sugar or oils makes the best, most flavorful Thai chicken satay sauce.
