Make chicken satay on the grill with a delicious coconut marinade and a quick turn over fire. This simple recipe gives you smoky, juicy skewers to dunk in a creamy peanut sauce that’ll always go down a hit.
These chicken skewers deliver that addictive mix of sweetness, heat, and spice that pairs perfectly with the homemade peanut dip.
I’ve used chicken thighs for this recipe because they just soak up flavor much better than breast, and their combination of dark meat and fat means that they stay juicy over the grill. The chicken is marinated for several hours in coconut milk, lemongrass, spices and brown sugar to really infuse the chicken with as much flavor as possible before it’s cooked over fire to give it the smoky char we really want.
For the dip, traditional satay uses ground roasted peanuts as its base, but I’ve kept it simple with peanut butter instead, and brightened it with lime and a touch of chili. It still brings that rich, nutty flavor that makes satay so addictive.
The result is an irresistible blend of smoky, charred chicken with a rich, nutty sauce that’s the perfect combination of savory, sweet, and spicy.
I love this recipe. It’s simple, quick to cook, and just boasts the perfect blend of Asian flavors.
Satay is skewered bites of meat soaked in a salty-sweet-spicy marinade, and grilled until lightly charred. Chicken is a classic meat, and is almost always served next to a creamy peanut dip.
The dish took shape on Java, Indonesia, where cooks riffed on kebabs brought by Arab and Indian traders with their own local flavors. From there it spread across Southeast Asia, and you’ll find chicken satay in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Satay’s rich and velvety peanut sauce is its key element. It’s a little tangy, a little hot, and just sweet enough to balance the smoke from the grill. It’s the perfect partner for the juicy, grilled chicken.
Quick Tips
- Set Up for 2-Zone Cooking: Bank your charcoal to one side when firing up your grill. This lets you cook indirectly so the chicken cooks through evenly without burning.
- Pack Them On: Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers close together to keep them juicy.
- Peanut Sauce Too Thick?: Stir in a tablespoon of warm water at a time to help it loosen and become a little creamier.
Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp cooking oil for grill grates
Marinade
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 stalk lemongrass tender part minced
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili flakes
Peanut Sauce
- 4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 red chili ends removed and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 lime juice of
To Serve
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro leaves
- roasted peanuts roughly crushed
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Trim the chicken of any excess strands of fat or gristle. Then, cut the chicken into strips of about 2-3 inches in length (see notes).
- Make the Marinade: Whisk the coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and chili flakes.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the marinade. Toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
- Make the Peanut Sauce: Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, sliced red chili, fish sauce, and coconut milk to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Then, pour the sauce into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the brown sugar, ground coriander, and lime juice, and adjust to taste. Once fully combined, remove from the heat and set aside.
- Thread the Skewers: Skewer the chicken by threading each piece at one end, folding over, and threading through the other. Skewer about 6-8 pieces onto each skewer, bunching them so they’re lightly compressed. Place the completed skewers on a wire rack, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and set aside while you start up your grill.
- Fire Up the Grill: Light a full charcoal chimney, then bank the coals to one side of your grill, setting the grill up for 2-zone cooking. Apply a thin layer of cooking oil to the grates (this will stop the chicken from sticking).
- Grill: Once your grill is at an ambient temperature of 350-400°F (180-200°C), place the chicken skewers on the indirect side of the grill (the side not directly above the coals). Cook for 10 minutes, then flip and rotate the skewers to ensure they all cook evenly. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the chicken hits an internal temperature of 175°F (79°C) and the chicken is golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Sear: Move the skewers directly over the coals to give them a quick charred finish, cooking for 1-2 minutes max.
- Rest & Serve: Rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with cilantro leaves and crushed peanuts. Serve with the peanut sauce and lime wedges.
Notes
- To thread the chicken onto the skewers, we need them in rectangular strips so that we can pierce one end with the skewer, fold the chicken over, and push the skewer out the other side. This will help the chicken thighs keep their shape on the grill as they cook.
