Chicken Satay
Published
Published
Tender, juicy marinated pieces of chicken are threaded on skewers and broiled to lightly charred perfection in this Easy Chicken Satay recipe. Serve with peanut sauce for a restaurant-style Thai dinner at home.
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Today’s chicken satay recipe joins my other favorite Thai recipes including chicken pad Thai to Thai coconut chicken. Tender, juicy, marinated chicken broiled on skewers and served with peanut sauce. So easy and so good!
This recipe requires just a few minutes of prep and cooks very quickly. It does need to marinate for a few hours but the hands-on time is minimal, and since it does need to marinate, you can do all the prep work in advance and just assemble the skewers and pop them in the oven when you’re ready.
What Is Satay?
Generally speaking, satay is skewered and seasoned (or marinated) meat that’s popular in Asian countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand. It’s a common street food and the marinades and spices used vary widely. Chicken satay is a popular Thai dish featuring marinated chicken on skewers. It’s often grilled though in today’s version, we’re using the broiler.
What’s in This Chicken Satay Recipe?
The chicken satay and peanut sauce both use easy-to-find ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.
- Chicken tenders – I like the ease of using chicken tenders since they’re already thin and easier to work with. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
- Soy sauce – I always use low sodium to control the salt.
- Lime juice – Lime juice adds a bit of acidity to the marinade.
- Honey – Sweetens and thickens the satay sauce.
- Sesame oil – For the classic nutty flavor.
- Chili garlic sauce – Adds a bit of heat.
- Salt & pepper – Simple spices to season the dish.
- Peanut sauce – Our peanut sauce recipe includes creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, and water to thin it out.
Tips for Success
- Let the chicken come to room temperature. It may seem counter-counter productive to refrigerate the chicken and then let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes but trust me, it’s worth it. Refrigerating it gives the flavors time to meld and letting it sit at room temperature helps it cook quickly and evenly.
- Don’t burn the chicken. We’re using the broiler for this recipe which adds a nice char but it does mean the chicken cooks quickly. Every oven is different so be sure to keep a close eye on it.
- What skewers should I use? Satay skewers are typically 6 inch skewers, a bit smaller than the ones most people typically use for skewers and kabobs. If you have longer ones, that’s okay – you’ll just end up with fewer skewers and may need to adjust cook time.
- Can I grill chicken satay? Sure. You can easily grill these skewers or, for a more authentic Thai BBQ experience, cook them over charcoal.
- Get the perfect peanut sauce consistency. I recommend the commercial JIF or Skippy brands for the peanut butter. Natural peanut butter will not give you a smooth, creamy texture since the oil tends to separate. I also recommend starting with some of the water and only adding more if needed, depending on how thick you want the sauce to be.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Thai chicken satay skewers with a lime wedge to squeeze over the top and the peanut sauce on the side for dipping. I usually like to pair it with some jasmine rice or even fried rice. Pineapple coconut rice would also be a great side here.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store the chicken satay in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The peanut sauce can be stored in a separate container.
- Reheat. Remove the chicken from the skewers and reheat in the microwave, in a skillet, or in the oven. Heat just until warmed through to prevent the chicken from drying out. Warm the peanut sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Chicken Satay
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- salt and pepper, , to taste
FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, , or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2-3 tablespoons water, (whisked in to desired consistency)
FOR SERVING
- Chopped peanuts
- Fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Cut the chicken tenders in half, crosswise. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, and a bit of salt and pepper.
- Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, then let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler with the oven rack about 5 inches from the heat source.
- Thread the chicken onto 14 (6-inch) skewers. Place the skewers on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Broil until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until chicken registers 165F. (Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.)
- Make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients until well blended (starting with 2 tablespoons of the water. If it’s too thick, add in the third tablespoon.)
- Serve chicken a sprinkle of chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and the peanut sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
This was delicious!