Description
Delicious Thai Chicken Satay Skewers marinated in a flavorful blend of curry powder, red curry paste, and coconut milk, grilled to perfection and served with a rich, creamy Thai Peanut Sauce. This dish is perfect as a starter or main course and pairs wonderfully with jasmine or Thai fried rice.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 400 g/14 oz coconut milk (1 can), full fat
- 13-16 bamboo skewers, 16 cm / 6.5 inches long
Marinade
- 600 g / 1.2 lb chicken thighs, boneless skinless, cut into 2 cm / ¾ inch pieces
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp red curry paste
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (or ½ tsp table salt)
Thai Peanut Sauce
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- ¾ cup natural peanut butter, smooth
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (or ½ tsp table salt)
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- ¾ cup water
Serving
- 2 tbsp peanuts, finely chopped
- Lime wedges (optional)
- Coriander / cilantro leaves (optional)
- Sliced red chili (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Skewers: If cooking on a BBQ or over charcoal, soak bamboo skewers in water for 2 hours to prevent burning.
- Make Marinade and Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, mix chicken pieces with marinade ingredients – 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsp red curry paste, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ cup of coconut milk. Combine well and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes or preferably overnight for enhanced flavor.
- Thread Chicken onto Skewers: Thread 4 to 5 pieces of marinated chicken onto each bamboo skewer.
- Cook Chicken Skewers: Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the skewers in batches for 3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
- Prepare Thai Peanut Sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the remaining coconut milk with peanut sauce ingredients: 2 tbsp red curry paste, ¾ cup natural peanut butter, ¼ cup white sugar, 2 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp cider vinegar, and ¾ cup water. Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Adjust water quantity to achieve a thick but pourable sauce consistency. Keep the sauce warm by covering with a lid while cooking chicken.
- Serve: Pour peanut sauce into a serving bowl and sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. Arrange the cooked satay skewers on a platter, sprinkle with remaining peanuts, coriander leaves, and sliced red chili if using. Serve with lime wedges and extra peanut sauce for dipping. Add jasmine or Thai fried rice to complete the meal.
Notes
- Soaking bamboo skewers prevents them from burning on the grill or pan.
- Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs keeps the meat juicy and tender.
- Natural peanut butter without added sugar or oil yields the best peanut sauce flavor, but regular peanut butter works fine.
- Marinating overnight intensifies the flavor but 20 minutes is sufficient for quick prep.
- Adjust the peanut sauce thickness by adding more or less water according to preference.
- Optional garnishes like lime wedges, coriander, and red chili add fresh and spicy notes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Thai
