Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Tender and juicy Chicken Satay marinated in the most delicious peanut ginger sauce and grilled to perfection for the perfect easy weeknight dinner!  Serve over rice or salad and drizzled with my homemade peanut sauce.

You guys seriously CANNOT pass this recipe up.  Juicy, tender chicken marinated in the most flavorful peanut ginger sauce and served over brown rice or salad all drizzled with my creamy peanut sauce!  So dang good and super easy to make too.  Chicken satay is a favorite in our family and this recipe is made healthier without using any refined sugars. Feel free to add some veggies onto the skewers for added nutrition and a more filling meal!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• So. Much. FLAVOR.
• Perfect summer grilling recipe.
• Can easily be prepped ahead of time for a simple, quick dinner.
• This marinade can be used for fish, shrimp, veggies or even salad dressing!
• Finger licking good!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• chicken – this recipe is for 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are cut into 1-inch pieces, but you could use boneless chicken thighs as well.
• peanut butter – I used all-natural creamy peanut butter which is unsweetened so if you use regular processed peanut butter you may want to leave out the honey as it might make the marinade too sweet.  You could also use almond butter or sunflower butter if there are peanut allergies.
• soy sauce – I recommend using low sodium soy sauce as I personally think regular soy sauce makes dishes too salty, but feel free to use what you have on hand!  You can also swap the soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari to make this gluten-free.
• rice vinegar – adds a touch of acid to this marinade, but you could also use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or even a little more lime juice.
• sesame oil – gives the sauce a delicious nutty flavor!
• lime juice – fresh lime juice is always best as bottled lime juice can have a bitter taste and you’ll need one tablespoon which is about half of a lime.  You could also use lemon juice for a different flavor.
• honey – this adds a little sweetness without using refined sugars, but feel free to swap the honey with maple syrup or you could even use brown sugar.
• garlic + ginger – fresh garlic and fresh ginger are definitely best in this marinade, but you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon each of dried garlic and dried ginger if that’s all you have on hand.
• red pepper flakes – adds a kick of spice!  You could also add in some sriracha, chili garlic paste or other spices for more heat.
• peanut dipping sauce – creamy and delicious dipping sauce for the chicken easily made in less than 5 minutes!

How to Make Chicken Satay

1. Marinate the chicken.  Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and place them in a bowl or large ziplock bag.  In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients for the marinade and pour 3/4ths of it over the chicken, reserving some of the marinade to brush on when grilling.  Cover and place the chicken in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
2. Make the peanut sauce.  While the chicken is marinating, this is a good time to whip up the delicious peanut dipping sauce!  Simply whisk all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a medium bowl and set aside until ready to serve.
3. Prep the skewers.  If using wooden skewers, make sure to let them soak in warm water for 30 minutes to an hour to prevent them from charring too much on the grill.  Thread the chicken onto the skewers (about 5 pieces per skewer) and preheat the grill or grill pan on medium-high heat making sure to spray the grill grates with non-stick to spray to prevent the chicken from sticking.
4. Grill and serve. Place the chicken skewers on the grill and cook them about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, brushing with the reserved marinade until the chicken is cooked through.  The internal temp should read 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer.  Top with chopped cilantro and green onions, if desired, and drizzle on some of that peanut sauce.  Enjoy!

Don’t Forget to Soak the Skewers

If using wooden skewers for the chicken, it is important to soak them in warm water for 30 minutes to an hour or so to prevent them from sticking to the grill and keep them from getting too burnt during grilling.  You could also use metal skewers which are great because you can wash and re-use them, but they will get extremely hot so make sure to use tongs or have gloves on when handling them on the grill.

Can I Bake the Chicken Satay Skewers?

Of course! To bake these, simply place the chicken skewers on baking sheet lined with foil or non-stick spray and bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the skewers halfway through. You’ll know the chicken is done when the juices run clear and the internal temp of the chicken reads 165 degrees F.

How to Serve Chicken Satay

• As a main dish over brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice to keep this a low carb dish.
• With grilled vegetables (you can even add veggies on the skewers with the chicken!)
• Over a salad drizzled with the peanut sauce as a dressing.
• As an appetizer with other Thai-inspired dishes.

Prepping and Storage

To Store:  Chicken satay skewers can be stored in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.  Store the peanut sauce in a separate container in the fridge for up to 4 days as well.  To reheat, remove the chicken from the skewers and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until chicken is heated through or you can warm them up in the microwave.

To Freeze:  Let the chicken cool completely and freeze the chicken and peanut sauce in separate containers for up to 3 months.  Let the chicken thaw completely before re-heating.

More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

Hope you all enjoy these Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!