This Chicken Satay is quick, easy, and packed with flavor. Tender bite-size pieces of chicken are skewered, grilled, then served with a creamy peanut sauce!
This chicken satay recipe is sure to be a hit! Juicy chicken thighs dipped in a rich, creamy, and flavorful peanut sauce . . . what’s not to love?!What is chicken satay?
Chicken satay is a dish that originated in Indonesia and, over time, became popular across Southeast Asia. It’s made up of small marinated pieces of meat, in this case chicken, that are then skewered and grilled. Chicken Satay is often served with a flavorful peanut sauce—which is what we’re doing today!
Ingredients
- Soy Sauce, Seasoned Rice Vinegar, Honey, Sesame Oil, and Fish Sauce – our marinade for the chicken. The soy sauce adds a savory saltiness, the vinegar adds tang, the honey is sweet, the oil adds depth and richness, and the fish sauce adds that unique, umami Thai flavor!
- Garlic Powder, Ground Ginger, Red Pepper Flakes, and Salt – a simple, spicy, and flavorful seasoning blend.
- Chicken Thighs – use boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces for ultra juicy and perfectly cooked chicken!
- Thai Peanut Sauce – I love to whip up a batch of my homemade Thai peanut sauce.
- Cilantro, Peanuts, Green Onion, and Lime Juice – highly recommended for serving! The cilantro, green onion, and lime juice really brighten up the dish and the peanuts add a great crunch!
How to make
Don’t rush the marinade! It breaks down and flavors the chicken to create a tasty and tender dish.
- Place soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, fish sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes into a bowl and mix until well-combined. Stir in cubed chicken then marinate for up to 8 hours.
- Skewer the chicken onto 4 skewers and sprinkle with salt.
- Place onto preheated grill or grill pan and cook for 4-6 minutes on each side then serve and enjoy!
What chicken to use
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the juiciest result, but if you prefer chicken breasts, feel free! Either way, cut the chicken into 1/2-1-inch pieces for skewering! You’ll need about 1.5 pounds total.
How to make peanut sauce for chicken satay
Peanut sauce couldn’t be easier. Place peanut butter, seasoned rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic powder, and ground ginger in a bowl, then stir to combine. For the full recipe check out my homemade Thai peanut sauce. It takes just 5 minutes and it’s SO GOOD!
What to serve with chicken satay
Chicken satay isn’t chicken satay without an amazing Thai peanut sauce for dipping and cilantro, roasted peanuts, lime juice, and green onions make the perfect garnishes. It’s also delicious with a couple of side dishes. Here are some ideas!
- Asian Roasted Broccoli
- Green Salad with Asian Dressing
- Rice
How to store
Store leftover chicken satay in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then microwave or warm in the oven. Leftover peanut sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. – Jennifer
Chicken Satay
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce use tamari or coconut aminos to make gluten free
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey use agave, brown sugar, or maple syrup if you can't have honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/2 - 1-inch pieces
- salt to taste
- 1 batch Thai peanut sauce for serving
- Cilantro, peanuts, green onion, and lime juice for serving
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Place soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, fish sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes into a medium sized bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Stir in cubed chicken, then cover and marinate in the fridge for 8 hours.
- Grease a grill or grill pan with cooking spray.
- Preheat grill to medium-high (about 350 degrees F) or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Skewer the chicken onto 4 skewers* and season with a touch of salt.
- Place onto the grill or grill pan and cook for 4-6 minutes.
- Spray the tops with cooking spray, then flip and cook an additional 4-6 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Serve with peanut sauce, cilantro, peanuts, green onions, and a squeeze of lime!
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Notes
Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.