Chicken Satay
Chicken thigh fillets, red curry paste and ground turmeric come together in this Thai chicken — 65 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so they do not scorch on the grill.
- Slice the chicken thighs into long strips, then toss with the crushed garlic, turmeric, ground coriander, half the fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the oil and 4 tablespoons of the coconut milk, and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the sauce by simmering the remaining coconut milk with the red curry paste for 2 minutes, then whisk in the peanut butter, remaining fish sauce and sugar, and a squeeze of lime until smooth and loosened with a splash of water.
- Thread the chicken strips onto the soaked skewers, weaving each strip back and forth so it sits flat.
- Grill or griddle over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until nicely charred and cooked through to 74C with no pink remaining in the centre.
- Rest the skewers briefly, then serve hot with the warm peanut sauce for dipping and lime wedges on the side.
You'll use: Grill / broiler · Saucepan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Fish Sauce
- soy sauce + a pinch of salt
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
What to serve with Chicken Satay
- Massaman Beef curry Beef
- Pad Thai Seafood
- Drunken noodles (pad kee mao) Beef
- Tom yum soup with prawns Seafood
Tips & common questions
How long does Chicken Satay take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Chicken Satay is an original Thai recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Chicken satay (NYC) May 2023.jpg (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.