Easy Chicken Satay with "Real" Peanut Sauce

Published: Jul 28, 2023 by Pailin Chongchitnant · This post may contain affiliate links

This recipe is an excerpt from my cookbook Sabai which is all about weeknight friendly Thai recipes.

For years I’ve been preaching about the fact that 99% of satays in Thailand are pork satay, NOT the chicken version popular in Thai restaurants in America. But it occurred to me that if you’re going to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts one way or another, the satay treatment is one of the best things you can do to this otherwise unexciting protein.

A plate of chicken satay with a bowl peanut sauce and a bowl cucumber pickle.

To make it weeknight friendly, I’ve omitted the most dreaded part of making satay, the skewering. Just throw the chicken on the grill if you have one, or cook it indoors using a grill pan or a saute pan. It works as an appetizer or as the main dish. The dipping sauce, which is the "real" Thai peanut sauce, can be made in advance, and will last in the fridge for at least a week.

What is satay exactly?

Satay refers to skewered marinated meats that are grilled and served with a peanut dipping sauce. Satay came to Thailand from Indonesia, and originally it arrived as beef satay. But in Thailand, pork is the more common meat; so eventually pork satay became the most popular and basically the only kind of satay we eat.

But outside of Thailand in Thai restaurants, it's a different story. Pork is much less popular and chicken is king (and the cheapest!). So restaurants overseas chose to use chicken instead, and that's how chicken satay became associated with Thai food; even though you can barely find it in in Thailand!

What is satay sauce? Is it the same as peanut sauce?

The sauce traditionally served with Thai satay is a spicy peanut sauce and coconut milk, flavoured with Thai red curry paste. I call this a peanut sauce, but really it should be called satay sauce because it is a sauce that is ONLY served with satay.

We don't make bottles of this peanut sauce and just put it on random stuff. In fact, there is no such thing as a generic "Thai peanut sauce" made from peanut butter that we use like it were ketchup. Peanut butter is not even a Thai ingredient!

So the next time you see a "creamy Thai peanut sauce recipe" on the internet made with peanut butter and soy sauce, you now know that it's nonsense.

*Note that the Thai satay sauce is different from Indonesian satay sauce - naturally foods change as they travel to new destinations.

No Skewers Needed

Followers of the show may know that I hate skewering. I really do...due in part to my having skewered hundreds of various foods during my years in the catering and restaurant industry.

So because I wanted this to be an easy chicken satay recipe, and not one that requires messy fiddling with bamboo skewers while occasionally stabbing yourself, I have left out the skewering. What's the point of skewers anyway if we're not selling these on the street? I can use a fork, thank you.

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients for chicken satay. It only looks like a long list, but many of these are pantry staples, and there's really not much shopping to do! For amounts, see the full recipe card below.

MARINATED CHICKEN

The chicken can be marinated up to one day in advance; but if you're in a rush, just let them sit while you make the peanut sauce. A minimum of 20 minutes is ideal.

coriander seeds, preferably toasted, but if you're lazy it's fine not to.
cumin seeds, also preferably toasted.
white peppercorns
brown sugar
salt
ground turmeric
ground cinnamon
tamarind paste, store-bought or homemade
coconut milk
boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs. I suggest seeing the video tutorial for a demo for how I cut chicken so it's clear, but for breasts, cut into long ½-inch thick strips diagonally against the grain. For thighs, trim off the fat and any dangly bits, then cut in half lengthwise.
Jasmine rice and/or white toast, for serving, and optional. If you want to serve these as an appy, eating it with white toast is actually a classic in Thailand! But to make this a meal you can serve with rice.

THAI PEANUT SAUCE

This peanut sauce is the real deal. None of that peanut butter-laden stuff; which if you didn't know, is a totally Americanized invention. This sauce will last at least a week in the fridge so make it ahead of time if you wish. It will also freeze beautifully if you want to make a whole bunch.

roasted peanuts, unsalted. I always buy raw peanuts and roast them myself because the flavour is just superior to pre-roasted peanuts. I also buy skin-on peanuts because they, too, taste better despite a lot of work to skin them after. Roast them in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes (timing depends on the size) until they're lightly browned.
coconut milk
Red curry paste, see this post for my review of store-bought brands. You can also make your own red curry paste and freeze!
tamarind paste, store-bought or homemade
Palm sugar
fish sauce

"AJAAD" QUICK CUCUMBER PICKLE (optional)

This is what I call an "instant pickle" that you can serve right after you make it. It is served with satay to help cut the richness of the rich peanut sauce, but it's up to you if you want to leave it out. You can also serve the satay with any other tart pickles you've got in your fridge.

white vinegar, or you can use rice vinegar, Filipino cane vinegar, or any kind of mild-flavoured vinegar.
granulated sugar
salt
cucumber
Thai chilies or another hot pepper (optional)

How to Make Thai Chicken Satay

Here's a bird's eye view of the process. The full instructions are in the recipe card below. If this is your first time, I recommend watching the full video tutorial to ensure success!

Process shots for making chicken satay, steps 1-4

Pound the coriander, cumin and white peppercorns into a powder.
Add all remaining marinade ingredients and mix well. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Cut the chicken breast against the grain, diagonally, into ½-inch thick strips. Once you get to the flat part of the chicken, you can make it wider to even out the size. For chicken thighs, trim off excess fat and any dangly bits and cut horizontally in half. (See video for a visual of how to do this.)
Mix well with the marinade and let sit for at least 20 minutes and up to one day. Meanwhile make the peanut sauce.

Process shots for making peanut sauce for chicken satay, steps 5-8

Grind the peanuts until mealy in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Do not turn them into peanut butter!
Cook ⅓ cup of the coconut milk with the red curry paste until thick, and the coconut oil starts to separate out from the paste.
Add the remaining coconut milk, the peanuts, tamarind and palm sugar and cook for about 5 minutes until it's thick.
Taste the sauce and add fish sauce as needed. If you want to serve with pickles, make the pickling liquid now; instructions are in the recipe card, but you simply have to dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar and let it cool!

Process shots for making chicken satay, steps 9-10

Grill the chicken breast for a few minutes per side with the lid open. If using chicken thighs, you may close the lid as they tend to take longer. You can also pan sear the chicken on a nonstick skillet instead.
If serving with the instant pickle, pour the pickling liquid over the cucumber shortly before serving so the cucumber remains crisp.

FAQ

How can I prep this in advance?

The chicken can be marinated up to one day in advance, and the peanut sauce will last at least a week in the fridge.

Can I use other proteins instead?

See these recipes for pork satay and beef satay. Each protein requires slightly different preparation and cooking, though the sauce and the marinade is basically the same.

Is there a way to make a vegetarian satay?

You can substitute extra firm tofu for the meat and use soy sauce instead of fish sauce. The peanut sauce is so flavourful it will make the tofu super tasty!

How can I cook chicken satay without a grill?

You can pan fry the chicken instead in a non-stick skillet, and the full instructions are in the recipe card. You'll need to do it in batches so as to not crowd the pan. You may also need to wipe the pan with paper towel between batches to prevent any remaining marinade from burning.

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