If you love Thai food then you will love this super juicy and super flavorful one-pan Chicken Satay. The chicken is marinated in a Thai coconut-peanut sauce for the most authentic flavors, then grilled to perfection. Finnish up with a bubbly delicious sauce right in the same pan. The smell is amazing and you will be astonished how quick and easy this meal comes together! Paleo, Keto, and Whole30 friendly!

Thai Chicken Satay is one of my favorite dishes to order when eating out. It usually comes cut up on skewers, which is esthetically pleasing. However, if you are like me and want to make an amazing dinner that is simplified without hunting down specialty ingredients, or have no time to soak and thread the skewers, then this is for you! The chicken is super tender, and together with the sauce tastes earthy, a little sweet, tangy, and with a perfect amount of spice. This dish goes perfectly with basmati rice to scoop up this incredible sauce.

Watch this short video of how I make my Thai Chicken Satay!

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SATAY

Traditionally fish sauce is used for the marinade and the sauce. But to be honest I don't like the taste of it. A good substitute without altering the flavor of this dish is to use a 50/50 mixture of soy sauce and worcestershire sauce. However, if you want to use Fish sauce you may swap it out with the same measurements noted below. I added a teaspoon of cayenne chili powder to my finished sauce to make it a bit more spicier. That is completely optional.

MARINADE:

• 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tbsp red thai curry paste
• ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce
• ½ tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• pinch salt
• ¼ cup coconut milk (from a 14 oz or 400 gram can)
• 1 lbs boneless & skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed off (4 thighs)

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN "RED THAI CURRY PASTE":

• 4 red chili de arbol
• 4 garlic cloves
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp lemongrass (paste, or finely minced white part only)
• 1 tsp ginger (paste, or finely minced fresh ginger)
• 1 tbsp chili in garlic sauce
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp curry powder

PEANUT SAUCE:

• 3 tbsp butter, for sauteeing the chicken
• remaining coconut milk from the can
• 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 ½ tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp red thai curry paste
• tiny pinch salt, only if needed!
• garnish with red chili slices, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges
• ½ cup water, for thinning out the sauce (if you want the sauce a little thinner. You can even go up to a cup if reheating the dish.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Note: If you are making your own red thai chili sauce, you can add all the ingredients into a mortar and grind it with a pestle to a paste, making sure that you don't have big chili pieces left. Alternatively, you can pulse the ingredients in an electric bullet.
• Make the Marinade:In a shallow bowl add the peanut butter, thai curry paste, worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Whisk to combine the paste a bit. Now add a tiny pinch of salt, then pour ¼ cup of coconut milk. Whisk until smooth. Add your chicken thighs to the marinade and coat them on both sides. Set to chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes (if time allows it).Meanwhile, you can cook some basmati rice.
• Making the Dish:To a skillet add 3 tablespoons of butter. Heat over medium/high heat. Once the butter has melted place your marinated chicken and cook for 4 minutes on each side. The chicken should have a nice golden-brown crust. Turn off the heat, and remove the chicken onto a plate. Add the 3 tablespoon of peanut butter, 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon red thai curry paste to the pan. Whisk together, then pour the remaining coconut cream into the skillet. Add back to the flame and cook on medium heat until sauce comes together, just for a minute, then add the chicken back to the pan with their juices. Cook for another minute, then turn the chicken and cook again for two minutes. Note: Depending on the brand of coconut cream you are using, you might want to add some water to make the sauce thinner. You can add about anywhere from ½ to 1 cup of water, and it will not change the taste of the sauce. It will actually thicken again while heating. This will be nice for soaking up the rice with this delicious sauce. Check to see if you want to add a tiny pinch of salt, but should be fine as is.Garnish this dish with some chopped cilantro (coriander), some chili slices, and some lime wedges. It tastes great with a little squeeze of lime juice.I hope you enjoy this dish! I would love for you to leave a comment to see how it turned out for you!

Like to support my work? If you would be so kind and have a moment to spare, I would be so happy to hear from you! If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back to comment and leave a 5 -star rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to be the first when new recipes are live!

Recipe