The ideal blend of savory and nutty, these juicy marinated chicken satay skewers are grilled to golden perfection and paired with a rich and creamy peanut dipping sauce.
Marinate the chicken. Whisk together the coconut milk, salt, curry powder, turmeric, ground ginger, Thai red curry paste, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Make the sauce. While the chicken is marinating, make the sauce by combining the peanut butter, water, red chili paste, soy sauce, honey, and ground ginger in a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Preheat. Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Assemble the skewers. Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked wooden skewers. The chicken pieces should be pressed together.
Grill. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.
Rest. Remove the skewers from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Serve. Serve the chicken skewers hot with peanut dipping sauce on the side.
Chicken: I used chicken breasts here, but you can also use boneless chicken thighs, but they'll need a little more time to cook through - chicken is done when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
Customize: Adjust the spice levels by reducing or upping the amount of curry paste or chili paste in the marinade and the dipping sauce. Feel free to add spices like chili powder or another favorite if you’d like.
Red Chili Paste vs. Red Curry Paste: Red curry paste often includes a mix of spices like galangal, coriander, and cumin. On the other hand, Thai red chili paste focuses primarily on just chilis and maybe garlic. You can use chili paste instead of red curry paste, but it lacks many other ingredients, resulting in a less complex flavor profile.
Marinating: Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Evenly-sized pieces. Cut the chicken into uniform pieces so they all cook evenly and at the same time.
Soak the skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes prior to skewering the chicken. This stops them from burning while on the grill.
Let it rest. Rest the chicken before serving so the juices can redistribute throughout the meat.
To Prepare In The Oven: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place chicken skewers about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 12 minutes and then broil on HIGH for 3 to 4 minutes on each side to get that bit of char on the chicken.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.