Chicken Satay Skewers
Posted May 06, 2020, Updated Apr 15, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
The best chicken satay recipe! These easy chicken satay skewers are marinated in and brushed with the most delicious peanut sauce, layered with vegetables and grilled!
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:
- Gently warm the ingredients for easier mixing. If the peanut butter you use is solid at room temperature, I recommend gently warming the ingredients in the microwave or on the stovetop until they are easy to mix.
- Only use ¾ for the marinade, and save the rest. This is important, because brushing the extra sauce over the skewers during grilling adds a lot of flavor.
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.
Chicken SatayRecipe FAQs
This chicken satay recipe is not unhealthy at all – it’s actually a great healthy grilling recipe to make for your family and friends. Lean chicken breasts are high in protein and veggies are rich in nutrients.
No, I don’ suggest freezing this recipe.
Yes! You can double (or triple) it to serve to a large crowd!
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!
Chicken Satay Skewers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pouonds boneless skinless chicken
- 4 bell peppers chopped into 1” pieces
- 1 Tablespoon peanut oil
- Garlic salt & pepper to taste
Peanut Sauce Marinade
- 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter (Creamy or Crunchy)
- 2 TBS Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Powdered Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
bamboo skewers, soaked in water
Instructions
- At least one hour before cooking (preferably longer): Soak 12 bamboo skewers in warm water for 1-4 hours.
- Slice chicken breasts into strips about 2” long and ½ “ thick.
- Place chicken pieces into a glass dish that has a lid.
Make the Peanut Sauce
- In a small bowl combine all the sauce ingredients and mix together until smooth. If using thick, solid peanut butter microwave ingredients for 30 seconds before mixing.
Marinate the Chicken
- Pour ¾ of the peanut sauce over the chicken in the bowl and stir until it’s evenly distributed, reserve the rest of the sauce to brush on the chicken while it is grilling.
- Secure the lid and let marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature, or longer in the refrigerator.
Prepare the Vegetables
- Chop peppers into 1” square pieces.
- Place chopped peppers into a microwave safe dish and heat on high in the microwave for 4 minutes, or until they are soft to the touch but not fully cooked.
- Drizzle peanut oil over peppers and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Assemble
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Alternate threading the chicken and peppers onto the skewers until you have used all of the ingredients. Be sure to try to keep the chicken as flat as possible so it cooks evenly.
Grill
- Place the kabobs on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, turning them halfway through cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness (chicken should reach a temperature of 150 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Remove from the grill and serve immediately over rice or a salad!
Video
Notes
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these last night and everybody loved them including my very picky husband and daughter who never like to try new things. Didn’t mention there was peanut butter in the marinade because that would have been a none starter for them. They loved it and said I should make it again. Every recipe I’ve tried has been excellent!
I’m so glad you all liked this recipe Hilary! I totally understand that. Just last night my 6 year old found out I had put shredded zucchini in something she gobbled up moments prior and she said, “Phew, I’m glad you didn’t tell me that until after I was done eating.” hahaha!
I’ve made the skewers a few times before but I’m not going to lie, I’m obsessed with the sauce so now I typically just throw it over a quick chicken and veggie night and pair it with couscous or rice. So. Flippen. Good.
Delicious! My husband loved it. I served it with lime wedges and that was great.