There are certain foods eaten while on holiday overseas that were so good, we never forget them. For me, it’s chicken skewers with peanut satay sauce. A mainstay of my street food-based diet on numerous trips to Thailand, the punchy flavours never disappointed. Or, if I’m honest, it was more like me fist-pumping the air & silently screaming ‘yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssss!” every time I ate it.
I’ve tried many restaurant versions of this dish here at home, but none have been as good as this recipe. Not only does it taste amazing, but it’s super-easy to make from basic supermarket ingredients. If you’re not up for making chicken skewers, never fear- this meal is very adaptable. The sauce itself is very quick to make, and can be used as a cook-in sauce with vegetables, as a dipping sauce and even as a salad dressing.
Tropical summer veggies make for excellent garnishes to this dish-in fact, you can easily put together a little side salad from your veggie garden. Think cucumbers, chillies, finger limes, lemons, summer spinach or lettuce and snake beans.
Here’s How to Make It
Make up the chicken skewers. Try to cut the chicken in to similarly shaped pieces & not too thick so that it cooks evenly and quickly. If you have time the day before, soak the skewers in water overnight. This isn’t strictly necessary, but removes any ‘woody’ taste seeping in to the food and prevents the ends from burning.
Make up the marinade and marinate the chicken skewers. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Once the skewers have finished marinating, make the peanut sauce and cook the skewers. Meanwhile, cook the rice & slice the chillies, lime, and cucumber.
Best-Ever Peanut Satay & Chicken Skewers
Equipment
- 1 griller or BBQ or stove
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 Knife
- 12 bamboo skewers
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 rice cooker or saucepan (for rice)
Ingredients
Marinade
- 400 grams coconut milk
- 1 kilogram chicken thighs, cubed
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp red Thai curry paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil, if frying
Peanut Sauce
- 3 tbsp red curry paste
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup white sugar use palm sugar for a more authentic taste
- 3 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup lime juice or cider/rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
For Serving
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- 2 small red chillies, sliced
- 1 cup steamed rice
- lime wedges
- 1/2 cup white rice
Instructions
- Mix the marinade ingredients together with 1/4 cup of the coconut milk.
- Thread the chicken on to the skewers, then cover with marinade. Set aside in the fridge for at least 3 hours (overnight is fine).
- Cook the chicken skewers. You can do this in a frying pan with a bit of oil, on the griller or on a BBQ. Cook them over a medium heat until golden. You can do this in batches of 3 or 4 at a time. Turn every few minutes as required.
- Meanwhile, make the peanut sauce. Simply place the remaining coconut milk & sauce ingredients in a saucepan over low-medium heat.
- Stir to combine the ingredients, then bring to a gentle simmer, stirring continually, for 5 minutes.
- Let the sauce thicken a little- you can add a bit more water if you want it thinner.
- While the skewers and sauce are cooking, steam or boil the rice.
- Serve with steamed rice & dress with cucumber, lime wedges, & chilli slices.
