Thai Chicken Satay Skewers

Name: Thai Chicken Satay Skewers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 serving
Ingredients: 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 tablespoons lemongrass*; 1 large shallot; 2 cloves garlic; 1 red chili pepper; 2 teaspoons ginger; 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 & 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons fish sauce***; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; wooden or metal skewers; salt; more oil

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4.8

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Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Marinating time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings
6
Calories
216 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Thai

Thai Chicken Satay Skewers

Whitney Jenkins

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The best way to bring Southeast Asian flavors to your kitchen is to make these Thai Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce! Marinated chicken thighs seasoned with lemongrass, shallot, and chili are threaded onto skewers and grilled to juicy perfection. It makes a perfect appetizer or main dish when paired with this Thai Cucumber Salad!

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Ingredients

Servings

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons lemongrass* smashed and minced
1 large shallot chopped
2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
1 red chili pepper ** chopped
2 teaspoons ginger grated or minced
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 & 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce***
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
wooden or metal skewers
salt for seasoning chicken before grilling
more oil for grilling

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Instructions

Place the 6 chicken thighs in the freezer for about 20 minutes so that they are easier to chop. Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken thighs into bite size pieces, about 1-2 inches (see photos). Place all the chicken pieces into a large ziplock bag.
Add all the other ingredients to the ziplock bag: 2 tablespoons lemongrass*, 1 chopped shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 1 red chili pepper**, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon coriander, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
Seal the bag and place in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I usually prepare this the day beforehand for a full 24 hour marinade. The longer the better, to bring in all that flavor! Marinate for a maximum as 48 hours. Turn the bag over once or twice, to make sure all the pieces of chicken get nice and flavorful.
If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for a couple hours (or at least 20 minutes) so they don't get burned and charred on the grill.
Preheat your grill to high heat. Mine was at about 550 degrees F.
Place the chicken pieces onto the skewers. See photos. Instead of spacing out the chicken on the whole skewer as you would for normal kebabs, we are packing them together tightly on one end, as is traditional for satay.
Brush each satay lightly with oil so that it doesn't stick to the grill. Sprinkle liberally with salt.
Carefully grease the grill grates. When the grill is very hot, scrub the grates with a grill brush to make sure they are clean. Pour a small amount of vegetable oil into a small bowl. Wad up a paper towel and dip it into the oil with tongs. Use the tongs to brush the grill grates with the oiled paper towel, making sure the paper towel is not so saturated that oil drips into the fire. Close the lid and let it heat up again for another couple minutes.
Turn the heat down to medium, about 375 degrees. Turn off one of your grill burners, or arrange coals off to one side. Arrange the "stick end" of your satay over indirect heat. If the thin wood is placed directly over the flame, it will burn up.
Grill the satay skewers over medium heat for about 7-8 minutes.
Use tongs to flip each satay skewer over. Continue grilling for another 5-8 minutes. If the outside of the chicken is getting overdone but the center is raw, move the chicken to indirect heat.****
Check the meat with a meat thermometer. Take it off the grill when the center of the chicken is at about 160 degrees F.
Remove to a plate, cover with foil and let rest for about 4-5 minutes.
Serve with Thai Peanut Sauce, (not optional!) and also this Thai Cucumber Salad, for a true Thai experience. Toasted or grilled bread is the other side dish you are going to want! See note.

Notes

*I used 2 tablespoons Gourmet Gardens Lemongrass that comes in a tube, sold in the refrigerated section of the produce department. (That's all I could find.) Try an Asian market for fresh lemongrass. If you use fresh lemongrass, make sure you smash it with a meat mallet or a hammer before mincing. This breaks down the cell walls and releases flavor.
**In Thai cooking, Bird's Eye chili peppers are most common. They are very spicy! A red Fresno chili pepper is a decent substitute (it's what I used), or a jalapeno. If you can't find a suitable pepper, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
*** Fish sauce is made from fermented anchovies. Don't let this turn you off! It is the secret ingredient in so many Asian dishes. It brings in tons of unique umami flavor. Don't skip it! You can usually find this in the Asian section at the grocery store.
**** Another tip for grilling: if the ends of your satay skewers are burning, turn off one side of your grill so that the chicken is over direct heat but the ends of the sticks are not.
Grilled Bread: Butter both sides of thick slices of Italian bread or white bread. When the satay is done cooking, place the bread on the grill over indirect heat for about 10-20 seconds, until grill marks appear and they get a little crispy. Flip and toast the other side. Serve with chicken satay and peanut sauce.
Cooking for a crowd: If you want to skip the skewers, here's how to grill the whole chicken pieces:
This recipe is from my brother Eric, who introduced me to Leela's blog, She Simmers. Eric has been making this Chicken Satay for years and doesn't remember where he adapted the original recipe from, but it's possible it was heavily influenced by Leela! But I can't find a Chicken Satay recipe on her blog. My Thai Peanut Sauce recipe is also adapted from Leela. Thank you for sharing your Thai recipes with us!
Preheat your grill to high heat. If you are using wood or coals, make sure you leave an area of the grill with fewer coals. After the initial sear you will be cooking the chicken over indirect heat.
When it’s hot, place the chicken pieces over direct heat. Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes, or until the outside is as crisp as you want it.
Use tongs to flip the chicken and place over the low-heat part of the grill. I have a gas grill, so I just turn off one of the burners. (The chicken should be over the half of the grill that is turned off). Reduce the heat on the other half of the grill to medium-low heat, between 250-275 degrees F.
Cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken, until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 216kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 9g (3%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 107mg (36%) Potassium 387mg (11%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 104IU (2%) Vitamin C 12mg (13%) Calcium 33mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 216 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	216kcal	11%
Carbohydrates	9g	3%
Protein	23g	46%
Fat	10g	15%
Saturated Fat	5g	25%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	2g	10%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	107mg	36%
Potassium	387mg	8%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	7g	14%
Vitamin A	104IU	2%
Vitamin C	12mg	13%
Calcium	33mg	3%
Iron	2mg	11%