Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Chicken satay is the dish that turns up at every Thai restaurant table, and for good reason. Strips of chicken are marinated in a fragrant blend of coriander root, turmeric and coconut milk, then threaded onto skewers and grilled until lightly charred at the edges.

The peanut sauce is really the star here though, thick, glossy and just the right balance of sweet, salty and a little spicy from red curry paste. It's worth making a double batch because it disappears fast.

These are perfect for a backyard barbecue or a casual dinner party starter, served with the classic cucumber relish on the side to cut through the richness.

Servings
4
Prep Time
75
mins
Cook Time
10
mins
Ingredients
16
Total Time
85
mins

Pantry bits

  • Bamboo skewers
  • Barbecue or chargrill pan
  • Small saucepan for sauce
  • Small saucepan for relish
  • Mixing bowls
  • Tongs

Ingredients

  • 600g chicken breast or thigh fillets, sliced into thin strips
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons yellow curry paste
  • 2 coriander roots, cleaned and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 cup (250g) crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 cup (250ml) coconut milk, extra
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind puree
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar, extra
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced, and red shallot, for relish
  • Bamboo skewers, soaked in water

Instructions

  1. Combine the chicken strips with the coconut milk, yellow curry paste, coriander root, turmeric, sugar and fish sauce in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.
  2. Thread the marinated chicken strips onto the soaked bamboo skewers.
  3. For the peanut sauce, combine the peanut butter, extra coconut milk, red curry paste, palm sugar and tamarind puree in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 5-8 minutes until smooth and glossy, adding a splash of water if it's too thick.
  4. For the cucumber relish, combine the vinegar and extra sugar in a small saucepan and heat gently until dissolved, then cool and toss through the sliced cucumber and shallot just before serving.
  5. Heat a barbecue or chargrill pan to medium-high heat.
  6. Grill the skewers for 3-4 minutes each side, until cooked through and lightly charred.
  7. Serve the skewers hot with the warm peanut sauce and cucumber relish alongside.

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