You will get excellent results with this Thai Chicken Satay recipe.
Juicy chicken, smoky grill marks, and that rich, spicy peanut sauce – this Thai Chicken Satay is Thai street food done right at home.
If you’ve ever wandered the streets of Bangkok or had Thai takeout that left you licking your fingers, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Chicken Satay is one of Thailand’s most iconic street food dishes. It’s simple, bold, and outrageously delicious.
And here’s the good news: it’s incredibly easy to make at home. In the recipe below I use my Doori tandoor to cook the chicken satay but it is traditionally cooked on skewers over fire. Both will work well so use what you have.
Whether you’re feeding the family or firing up the barbecue for friends, Thai chicken satay is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
What is Thai Chicken Satay?
Thai satay is all about skewered, marinated meat, grilled until slightly charred and juicy, then served with a creamy, spicy peanut sauce and sometimes a tangy cucumber relish (ajard). I include my Thai peanut sauce in the recipe card below but you can see step by step photos here. You’ll see versions made with beef, pork, or even tofu, but chicken is the classic – and for good reason.
The marinade is key: a mix of coconut milk, curry paste, and spices that soak deep into the chicken, keeping it juicy and full of flavour.
Traditionally, you would cook Thai chicken satay on wooden skewers over hot charcoal. This time I decided to cook them in my Doori Tandoor Oven and the results were spectacular. Both barbecue and tandoor instructions are in the recipe card below.
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Ingredients
There aren't a lot of ingredients but they all work so well together.
- FOR THE MEAT
- chicken breast or thigh
- cumin seeds
- coriander seeds
- ground white pepper
- lemongrass
- kaffir lime leaves
- galangal.
- cinnamon powder
- coconut milk
- palm or white sugar
- rice vinegar
- salt
- FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE (Optional)
- rapeseed (canola) oil
- Thai red curry paste
- thick coconut milk
- smooth or chunky peanut butter
- Thai fish sauce
- sugar
- Juice of one lime
- tamarind water or more lime juice
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Following you will find step by step photos of how to make Thai chicken satay. It's a simple process. Just let the chicken marinate for as long as you can as the longer marinating time has its flavour benefits.
- Step 1: Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant and warm to the touch. Don’t let the spices smoke. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
- Step 2: Place the roasted cumin and coriander seeds in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. Add the turmeric and ground white pepper and grind it all to a fine powder.
- Step 3: Add the lime leaves, lemongrass and galangal to the spices and blend to a paste.
- Step 4: Whisk the paste with the coconut milk, cinnamon sugar, vinegar and salt.
- Step 5: Add the chicken to the marinade and rub the marinade right into the flesh.
- Step 6: Whisk the paste with the coconut milk, cinnamon sugar, vinegar and salt.
- Step 7: If using a tandoor oven, place the skewers in a roasting hot tandoor.
- Step 8: You can also skewer the chicken onto wooden skewers and cook them on a barbecue. If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before skewering the chicken.
- Step 10: Move the skewers from time to time either in a tandoor or on the barbecue for more even cooking.
- Step 10: Once the chicken is cooked through and charred to your liking, transfer to a board to serve.
How to Marinate Like a Pro
Combine everything in a bowl or ziplock bag.
Give it a good mix to coat the chicken thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you can.
Longer marination = better flavour. Trust me.
Thread the chicken onto skewers (if using wooden ones, soak them in water first for 30 minutes to stop them burning).
Variations
Want to get creative? Try these variations:
- Beef satay: Use thinly sliced sirloin or rump, marinated the same way.
- Vegetarian: Tofu or portobello mushrooms soak up the marinade beautifully.
- Low-carb: Swap the sugar for a keto-friendly sweetener.
And if you’ve got an air fryer or indoor grill, this recipe adapts beautifully.
Storage
You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Final Thoughts
Once you try this Thai Chicken Satay at home, you’ll be hooked. The smoky grilled chicken, the punchy marinade, that creamy peanut sauce—it’s a dish that feels fancy, but is so easy to pull off.
You can make it midweek. You can make it for guests. And once you get the hang of it, you’ll start experimenting with your own flavours.
So give it a go. Marinate that chicken, fire up the grill or tandoor, and don’t hold back on the peanut sauce. Let me know how yours turns out—and if you’ve got your own satay twist, I’d love to hear it!
Top Tip
Use chicken thighs - They’re juicier, more flavourful, and harder to overcook. Breasts work too—just don’t dry them out.
More pro tips...
Get that char!
Grilling over high heat gives you the classic street food flavour. Don't be afraid of a few blackened edges.
Don’t skip the marinade
It’s not just for flavour—it keeps the chicken moist while it cooks.
Make skimp on the sauce
You’ll always wish you had more peanut sauce. Always.
FAQ
Absolutely. You can marinate the chicken a day in advance, and even cook the skewers a few hours ahead, then reheat them in the oven or on a hot pan. Peanut sauce can also be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes! You can cook it in a grill pan, under the oven broiler (grill), or even in an air fryer. You won’t get quite the same smoky char, but it still tastes fantastic.
For best flavour, marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better. The longer marination time allows the spices and coconut milk to really penetrate the meat.
Pairing
Satay works great as a starter, snack, or main course. Serve with any of the following. If you’re hosting guests, serve the chicken satay skewers on a platter with little bowls of dipping sauces and let everyone dig in.
Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Thai Chicken Satay is hugely popular all over the world. It is really easy to prepare at home and this one of my favourite recipes for it.
Ingredients
- FOR THE MEAT
- 1 kilo (2 lbs) chicken skinless chicken breast or thigh
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp lemongrass - thinly sliced
- 4 kaffir lime leaves - stems removed and finely chopped
- 1 generous tbsp galangal.
- A pinch of cinnamon powder
- 200ml coconut milk
- 2 tsp palm or white sugar
- 1 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE
- 1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 400ml (1 1/2 cups) thick coconut milk
- 200ml smooth or chunky peanut butter
- 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Juice of one limes
- 2 tbsp tamarind water or more lime juice
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.
- In a dry frying pan, toast the cumin and coriander seeds over medium heat until warm to the touch and fragrant but not yet smoking. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and grind to a smooth powder. Add the ground white pepper.
- Now add the kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and galangal to the mortar and pound with the cumin, coriander and pepper into a fine paste.
- Add the coconut milk, cinnamon, sugar and salt and stir well to combine.
- Place the cut chicken in a bowl and pour this marinade all over it. Work the marinade into the meat with one of your hands so that is very well coated. Set aside to marinate. For best results, let the meat marinate overnight but this isn't necessary.
- Now make the peanut sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the red curry paste. Stir it around in the oil for about 30 seconds.
- Add the coconut milk followed by the peanut butter and stir to combine until the peanut butter melts into the coconut milk. Stir in the fish sauce and sugar and check for seasoning adding more fish sauce if you prefer or saltier flavour and/or sugar for a sweeter flavour.
- Add the lime juice and tamarind water. With this the sauce is finished. It will thicken as it cools. To thin it out again, just heat it up.
- TO COOK OVER FIRE WITH WOODEN SKEWERS
- Soak wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes. Then skewer the meat onto each wooded skewer.
- I prefer to build a fire in one half of my bbq and leave the other half without any coals. This way, you can cook the chicken over the heat without burning the skewers.
- Allow the chicken to cook on one side for about five minutes and the flip the skewers over to cook the other side. Continue turning until the chicken is cooked through and you are happy with the appearance.
- Serve the chicken with warmed peanut sauce. I also like to serve this dish with a pickled cucumber, shallot and chilli chutney.
- TO COOK IN A TANDOOR OVEN
- Add about two shoe boxes full of lump wood charcoal to your tandoor and light it. When the tandoor is blazing hot, it's time to cook. I usually wait until it is at least 250°C but the hotter the better.
- Skewer the chicken onto long metal skewers by weaving it through. Don't just stick the skewer straight through or the chicken will slide when it cooks. For extra security, stick a half potato at the end of each skewer.
- Put the skewers in the tandoor and let the chicken cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it is cooked through and charred to your liking.
- Transfer the chicken skewers to a serving platter and serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 547Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1296mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 14gProtein: 28g
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