Chicken Satay Recipe with Creamy Peanut Sauce and Grilled Marinade

This simple grilled chicken recipe is full of Thai-inspired flavor. Tender, juicy chicken satay is grilled on skewers and served with a creamy Thai-style peanut sauce. It’s perfect as an appetizer or a satisfying weeknight dinner.

✔️ Chicken Satay

Making chicken satay at home is easier than you might think. This recipe delivers bright, savory flavors and a tender texture that rivals takeout. It’s a family favorite—kids and adults alike love dipping grilled chicken skewers into a rich peanut sauce.

🔎 What Is Satay?

• Satay (or sate) is marinated meat threaded onto skewers, grilled, and served with a sauce.
• Originally from Indonesia, satay is popular across Southeast Asia. Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines each have their own variations. In North America it’s commonly offered as an appetizer at many restaurants.
• Satay can be made with chicken, beef, pork or other proteins.

✔️ Chicken Satay Ingredients

You’ll need skewers—metal or soaked wooden skewers work well. If using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 20–30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning.

This Asian-style marinade isn’t a strict traditional satay marinade, but it gives the chicken great flavor and tenderness.

• Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breast is used here, though boneless thighs work beautifully for a juicier result.

✔️ For the Asian Marinade

• Garlic cloves – fresh and minced
• Soy sauce – use tamari for gluten-free
• Sake – can be substituted with rice wine vinegar or mirin
• Brown sugar – coconut sugar is an option
• Honey
• Dried mustard – mustard powder
• Sesame oil – toasted/roasted sesame oil
• Lemon juice – freshly squeezed
• Ginger – fresh and finely grated

✔️ Thai Peanut Sauce Ingredients

• Peanut butter – creamy for a smooth sauce
• Coconut milk – full fat yields the creamiest texture
• Red curry paste – adjust the amount to control heat
• Fish sauce – adds authentic umami; use sparingly if you prefer milder flavor
• Garlic – fresh and minced
• Onion – very finely diced for a smooth, non-chunky sauce

🔎 How To Make Satay

1. Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or a resealable plastic bag.
2. Add the chicken, toss to coat, and refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 6 hours.
3. If using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 20–30 minutes before grilling.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
5. Thread the chicken strips onto skewers.
6. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and oil the grates or pan.
7. Grill the skewers about 3–4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 160–165°F (71–74°C).
8. Cooking time will vary with the thickness of the chicken; let skewers rest 5–10 minutes before serving.

🔎 How To Make Thai Peanut Sauce

1. Combine peanut butter, garlic, onion, red curry paste, fish sauce and coconut milk in a bowl and mix until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The sauce will thicken slightly as it chills.

🔎 Why Marinate the Chicken?

• Marinating adds surface flavor and can help tenderize the meat, especially when using ingredients like ginger and sesame oil.
• Acidic marinades (citrus, vinegar) should generally be limited to under 6 hours to avoid changing the meat’s texture.
• Quick guideline: 30 minutes is good, 4 hours is great, and more than 6 hours is fine only if the marinade has little or no acid.

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Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

5 from 2 reviews

Kathy McDaniel

A quick summary: marinate sliced chicken in the Asian-style marinade, thread onto skewers and grill. Serve with the creamy peanut dipping sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1 ½-inch strips

Marinade:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sake (or mirin/rice wine vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½-inch ginger, finely chopped

Peanut Sauce:

• 8 ounces creamy peanut butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 ounces onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 cup coconut milk

Instructions

1. In a large bowl or resealable bag, combine the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken, toss to coat, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to 6 hours.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, garlic, onion, red curry paste, fish sauce and coconut milk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Soak wooden skewers in cold water for 20–30 minutes if using.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade) and thread strips onto skewers.
5. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high and lightly oil the grates. Grill the skewers about 3–4 minutes per side, until cooked through (160–165°F / 71–74°C).
6. Let skewers rest 5–10 minutes, then serve with the peanut sauce.

Notes

• Chicken breast can dry out if overcooked. Use an instant-read thermometer for best results.
• This recipe yields about 1 cup of peanut sauce.
• Nutrition values are estimates and will vary by brand and portion size.

Nutrition

Calories: 339 kcal, Carbohydrates: 10 g, Protein: 31 g, Fat: 20 g

Questions or substitutions? Leave a comment below.