Thai Chicken Satay

4.58 from 7 votes

Tender chicken marinated in coconut milk and aromatics and threaded onto skewers is great grilled or roasted in the oven. Serve the skewers as an appetizer or main dish with Thai Peanut Sauce on the side.

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: Chicken Recipe, easy dinner

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $9.00

Equipment

Half Sheet Pan
Bamboo or Metal Skewers
Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Chicken Satay Marinade:

1 stalk Lemongrass, outer layers discarded (see note)
1 square inch Galangal, peeled (see note)
1 clove Shallots
2 cloves Garlic
5 Tbsp Coconut Milk (regular or light)
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Granulated Sugar
½ tsp Lime zest (just use the outer green peel of the lime)
½ tsp Ground Cumin
½ tsp Ground Turmeric

Chicken Satay:

2 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, sliced into thin strips
16 Wooden / Bamboo Skewers

Instructions

Combine all marinade ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. (Note: If using a blender, you may need to add some more coconut milk to help everything break down.)
Transfer marinade to a bowl and add chicken. Toss to coat. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and preferably 24 hours (or overnight).
Before cooking the satay, soak the skewers in water (this will help to prevent them from burning). If cooking over a grill, heat up the grill. If cooking in the oven, heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Thread the chicken onto the skewers (discard marinade). Set chicken out on a baking sheet. Season the tops of the chicken with some salt and black pepper.
To grill the skewers: Place skewers over direct heat until grill marks appear on both sides. Transfer skewers to indirect heat and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes.
To cook skewers in the oven: Roast skewers in the 400 degree F oven, turning with tongs halfway through cooking, until cooked through, 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken).
Serve with Thai Peanut Sauce for dipping.

Notes

To prepare lemongrass, just use the lower, thick portion of the stalk, ~4 inches or so (this portion should have a hint of purple in the center; some grocery stores now just sell this lower portion of the stalk). Discard the tough, outer layers.

Galangal has a more mild flavor than ginger, but looks very similar. If you can find galangal, it gives the satay a truly authentic flavor. If you can’t find it, just skip this - the satay is delicious without it. Do not substitute ginger in this recipe - the flavor is too spicy / intense and will overwhelm the other flavors.

Nutrition