Who doesn’t get down with chicken on a stick? Anything on a stick is usually delicious, but I have got to say, hubby RAVED about my simple chicken satay and honestly, they were truly rave-worthy! And honestly, how could you not win with tender chicken breasts or thighs marinated with shallots, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and a whole bunch of seasonings. You can let this hang out for as little as 20 minutes or let it go overnight for optimum flavor. Then just thread the chicken onto wood or metal skewers and grill these chicken satay skewers outdoors or on a grill pan until the chicken is done. Lately, I’ve been making this a complete meal by making a batch of my coconut rice and popping these skewers right on top. I’ll use the peanut sauce to dip the chicken satay skewers in, but I’ll also use the peanut sauce to toss some shredded cabbage and fresh cilantro in. You could even add some thinly sliced red onions to give it more flavor. Hit it with a little more lime and you’ve got a peanut sauce slaw that’s perfect to serve with this. You could always opt for a cucumber salad if you aren’t a fan of cabbage slaw. I can’t imagine that would be anything short of delicious either. And hey, while we’re at it, have you tried my Thai mango salad? I’m planning on serving these chicken satay skewers with that the next time I make it!
Ingredients for Thai Chicken Satay:
Chicken: Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts for this recipe. You’ll want to cut the chicken into rectangular pieces that you can thread twice onto a skewer.Aromatics: You’ll need shallots, garlic, and ginger. I like to use a shallot but you could also use a 1/4 of a red onion if that’s what you have on hand. You won’t really be able to taste the difference. Use a handful of garlic cloves and a small knob of ginger. Many stores also sell ginger paste in a tube, and that would make a decent substitute for this recipe. You’ll also need lemongrass. Most Asian grocery stores sell lemongrass in many forms. I like to use the paste version that comes in a tube. But you could certainly mince up some fresh lemongrass for this recipe as well.Cilantro: We’ll add this to the chicken satay marinade. You’ll also want some extra on hand for garnish.Spices: You’ll need cumin powder, turmeric, and coriander. These spices add a lot of the same flavors you’d find in a curry powder (minus the actual curry leaf, of course.) All this to say, you could use these three ingredients in the marinade for a teaspoon of curry powder if you’d like.Sauces: You’ll need some oil, fish sauce, and low-sodium soy sauce for this recipe. The good thing about this marinade recipe it that you just toss it all into a blender or food processor and give it a whirl!Brown Sugar: We’ll use this in the marinade to help balance the savory and salty elements we’re using.
How to Make Chicken Satay:
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Original recipe shared May 2016, updated with new images and post May 2023.
Chicken: I sliced my chicken lengthwise into thin rectangles that were 1 inch in width.Indoor option: If you don’t have an outdoor grill, this can be made in a grill pan, an electric grill, or a cast iron skillet indoors as well. Be sure to oil the pan and you may need to cook the chicken for longer than what’s written in the original recipe. Chicken is done when it is firm to the touch.Wooden skewers: If you’re grilling these outdoors and using wooden skewers, let the skewers soak in water for 1-8 hours in advance. The sticks don’t burn and disintegrate as quickly if they are wet.
