Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Chicken satay is a popular Southeast Asian dish known for its tender, marinated
chicken skewers and a tangy peanut dipping sauce. This recipe combines aromatic
spices, tender grilled chicken, and a creamy peanut sauce for a delicious chicken
satay experience. The secret to this dish lies in the extended marination period for
the seasoned chicken thighs.

Print Pin

Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Chicken satay is a popular Southeast Asian dish known for its tender, marinated chicken skewers and a tangy peanut dipping sauce. This recipe combines aromatic spices, tender grilled chicken, and a creamy peanut sauce for a delicious chicken satay experience. The secret to this dish lies in the extended marination period for the seasoned chicken thighs.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Satay:

• 16 oz 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into half-inch strips
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemongrass (minced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 10 Wooden skewers (8-inches long, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes)

For the Peanut Sauce:

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp red curry paste
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• ½ tsp ginger (minced)
• Water (as needed to thin the sauce)

Instructions 

For the Chicken Satay:

• Season the chicken strips lightly all over with Kosher salt.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the fresh lemongrass, minced garlic,
• minced ginger, ground coriander, ground cumin, and ground turmeric to create the marinade base.
• Add in the soy sauce, fish sauce, vegetable oil, and chicken strips. Mix well to combine.
• Add the contents to a large freezer-safe Ziplock bag, and allow the contents to marinate in the fridge for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
• *You may want to place the bagged contents into a mixing bowl, to avoid potential leakage in the fridge.
• After the chicken has marinated, soak your wooden skewers in some cold water.
• Once the skewers are soaked, carefully thread the marinated chicken strips onto the wooden skewers. Arrange the skewers in a shallow dish.
• Preheat your grill (preferably charcoal) until it is hot, or around 450F.
• Scrub the grill grates clean, and then brush the grates with a bit of oil to prevent sticking.
• Grill the chicken skewers for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and slightly charred.
• Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken strips.
• *Use a meat thermometer or cut into the chicken to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches roughly 163-165F and the meat is fully cooked.

For the Peanut Sauce:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and red curry paste.
• Stir well until the ingredients are fully combined.
• Add the minced garlic and minced ginger to the saucepan.
• Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the garlic and ginger are aromatic.
• If the sauce seems too thick, gradually add a teaspoon or two of water until you achieve your desired consistency.
• *Stir constantly to prevent sticking.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat, and allow the peanut sauce to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

The chicken is best when given at least 6-8 hours to marinate. I generally try to
marinate the chicken strips the night before I intend to cook the chicken, giving the
strips roughly 12-16 hours of time in the marinade before they go on the grill.

You can make this recipe using a gas grill, although if you have the time and
equipment, charcoal is preferable.

For the peanut sauce, you can make this as spicy, salty, or sweet as you like. I
enjoy mine with an added half teaspoon of red pepper flakes!