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Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Recipe video above. Thai Chicken Satay Skewers are tasty enough to eat plain but we'd never skip Thai Peanut Sauce for dipping! The essential ingredient for a really great peanut sauce is natural peanut butter with no added sugar or oil. But normal peanut butter will work fine too.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Marinating
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 15
Calories: 235 kcal
Course: Main Course , Appetizer
Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

  • 400 g/14oz coconut milk (1 can), full fat
  • 13-16 bamboo skewers , 16cm / 6.5" long (Note 1)
Marinade:
  • 600 g / 1.2lb chicken thighs , boneless skinless, cut into 2cm/4/5" pieces (Note 2)
  • 1 tbsp curry powder (Note 3)
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 2 tsp red curry paste (Note 4)
  • 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (sub 1/2 tsp table salt)
Thai Peanut Sauce:
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste (Note 4)
  • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, smooth (Note 5)
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 6)
  • 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (sub 1/2 tsp table salt)
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar (Note 7)
  • 3/4 cup water
Serving:
  • 2 tbsp peanuts finely chopped
  • Lime wedges (optional)
  • Coriander / cilantro leaves and sliced red chilli (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If cooking on a BBQ or over charcoal, soak skewers for 2 hours in water.
Thai Chicken Satay Skewers:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Mix together the chicken and Marinade with 1/4 cup of coconut milk, then set aside for at least 20 minutes, or overnight.
  2. Thread onto skewers - I do 4 to 5 pieces each.
  3. Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan over medium high heat.
  4. Cook skewers in batches for 3 minutes on each side until golden.
Thai Peanut Sauce:
  1. Place remaining coconut milk and Peanut Sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium low heat.
  2. Stir to combine then simmer, stirring every now and then, for 5 minutes.
  3. Adjust consistency with water - it should be a pourable but thickish sauce.
  4. Cover with lid and keep warm while cooking skewers.
Serving:
  1. Pour some sauce into a bowl. Sprinkle with some peanuts - stir some through if you want.
  2. Pile satay skewers onto a platter, sprinkle with remaining peanuts, coriander and chilli.
  3. Serve with sauce on the side for dipping. Add a side of Jasmine Rice or Thai Fried Rice to complete the meal!

Notes

  • Skewers used for Asian chicken satay tend to be shorter than Western skewers. I like them because they fit in skillets! Feel free to make giant ones with longer skewers.
  • Chicken - can be substituted with breast or tenderloin but thigh is best for juiciest chicken. Can also sub with beef or pork - use a good, nicely marbled cut suitable for quick cooking.
  • Curry powder - any is fine here. I use Clives or Keens.
  • Red curry paste - The best Thai red curry paste (in my opinion) is Maesri which comes in small cans and also happens to be the cheapest. Sold at large supermarkets (Coles, Woolies, Harris), Asian stores. But any brand will do because it's an enhancer rather than key flavouring.
  • If using homemade Thai red curry paste, double the curry paste, add 1 tsp fish sauce + 1 tsp sugar into chicken marinade, and 2 tsp fish sauce + 2 tsp sugar into Peanut Sauce (homemade doesn't have the seasonings jar paste does).
  • Natural peanut butter is 100% peanuts and has a stronger peanut flavour than commercial peanut butter which has sugar and other additives. It is also thinner so less water is required to achieve the right consistency. Pretty widely available nowadays in the health food section of supermarkets.
  • Can use normal peanut butter spread but the peanut flavour is not as good and sauce will be thicker. Do not be tempted to dilute with too much water - it will dilute the flavour.
  • Sub: 1 cup raw unsalted peanuts blitzed until smooth with 1/2 cup or so coconut milk called for in the peanut sauce (helps make it super smooth).
  • Dark soy sauce adds seasoning and deepens colour of sauce. Can sub with light or all purpose soy sauce but sauce colour will be lighter.
  • Cider vinegar can be subbed with plain white vinegar. Lime juice, rice vinegar or other clear vinegars are an ok substitute but not 100% authentic.
  • Peanut Sauce - makes more than you will need, probably only use 1/3.  Hard to make less, also this recipe uses a whole can of coconut milk. Lasts 1 week in the fridge - or freeze.
  • Use leftover for:
  • Nutrition is VERY overstated. It assumes all the peanut sauce is consumed but only realistically, only 1/3 or so is likely.
  • Sauce for for rice, noodles, veggies (raw or steamed)
  • Make a simple Gado Gado with steam veg, hard boiled eggs and rice
  • Dip for prawn crackers and vegetables
  • As the dressing for this Chinese Chicken Salad, Satay Noodle Salad, Peanut Noodle Salad or Sesame Noodles

Nutrition Information

Calories 235cal (12%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 39mg (13%) Sodium 448mg (19%) Potassium 230mg (7%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 455IU (9%) Vitamin C 0.5mg (1%) Calcium 19mg (2%) Iron 1.6mg (9%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 15Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 235

% Daily Value*

Calories 235cal 12%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 39mg 13%
Sodium 448mg 19%
Potassium 230mg 5%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 455IU 9%
Vitamin C 0.5mg 1%
Calcium 19mg 2%
Iron 1.6mg 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.