Posted May 06, 2020, Updated Apr 15, 2024 This easy Chicken Satay recipe is one of our favorite grilling recipes! Chicken is marinated in the most delicious peanut sauce, then skewered with vegetables and brushed with even more peanut sauce during grilling. These chicken satay skewers are a healthy main dish recipe that our whole family enjoys! Serve over rice or with a salad and you have a simple and nutritious dinner ready in no time!
Chicken Satay Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
Peanut oil/Sesame oil. Olive oil or avocado oil can be used in place of these oils. However, peanut & sesame oils impart an authentic flavor so I don’t recommend this substitution for the best flavor. Soy Sauce. Coconut aminos can be used in place of soy sauce on the occasion that there is a soy allergy in your family. Brown sugar. honey is a great substitute. Powdered spices (ginger, garlic and onion powder). minced garlic, minced ginger and diced onion can be substituted for the powdered spices.
Bell Peppers. Feel free to omit the peppers if you want to make this recipe solely chicken satay (and not chicken + veggies)! Or choose your favorite vegetables such as zucchini, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, etc. Chicken breasts. you can use dark meat if you prefer.
How to Make Chicken Satay
Like I said above, this chicken satay recipe is very easy to make, but I thought we should walk through a few of the steps to ensure your satay success! Don’t forget to watch the video as well!
Make the Peanut Sauce
Simply whisk the ingredients together in a glass measuring cup or small bowl. Here are two tips:
Marinate the Chicken
I recommend marinating the chicken in the satay peanut sauce for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours in the refrigerator. You want to ensure that the flavor fully infuses the chicken before grilling!
Soak the Skewers
If you plan to make this easy chicken satay recipe as an appetizer, or share it with a group of friends at a BBQ, I recommend using individual bamboo skewers for serving purposes! I always soak bamboo skewers for at least 30-60 minutes before grilling in hot water. This helps prevent the skewers from getting really charred.
Or, Use Fire Wire
I love using this flexible fire wire when we make kabobs on the grill. We received this as a gift from a friend, and at first I thought it was totally gimmicky, but it’s definitely not. I love that they are reusable, dish washer safe, and that you can fit a ton of meat/veggies on each one. I prefer to only use this when I’m cooking for just my family. To serve I just use tongs and slide the chicken satay into a large bowl and serve it with a spoon!
Assemble the Satay Skewers
Vegetables take longer to grill than chicken. So this chicken satay recipe calls for pre-cooking the bell peppers for 4-5 minutes in the microwave. This ensures the vegetables will be cooked and not just get charred but still be underdone.
Grill the Chicken Satay
The time it takes to grill depends on the thickness and size of the pieces of chicken. Make sure to flip the skewers halfway through (using tongs so you do not burn your hands). Use a silicone BBQ basting brush to brush the remaining peanut sauce onto the chicken satay kabobs after they have finished cooking on the first side.
Serve
Serve this chicken satay warm over your favorite side dishes or salads. Some suggestions include: cilantro lime rice, wild rice, homemade naan bread, etc.
Store
Store leftover skewers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
