Quick and easy, Satay Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce is a family dinner winner! The coconut marinade keeps the chicken tender and the spicy sauce is ready in minutes- perfect for busy weeknights.
Happy New Year! The holidays just whipped on by and now we have a long winter ahead. This is the time of year I try to clean out the cabinets and use up anything I can find just so I don’t have to trek out to the store in the blustery cold weather. It’s quite chilly here in the Northeast right now but the sun is shining which makes it seem like it’s warm outside….until you actually get outside.
So, to minimize trips to the store, I like to keep a fully stocked pantry during the winter months but still try to punch up the flavor of my dinners to make them seem brighter. Kind of like a culinary vacation, if you will. Things like hot sauce, coconut milk, lime juice…anything I can think of to keep meals bright and flavorful.
This Satay Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce makes a frequent appearance on my family dinner table all year long. It’s so easy to make and you can even marinate the chicken overnight for a quick dinner during the week.
And who doesn’t love food on a stick? My kids will, basically, eat anything if it’s served on a stick. Plus, it helps to keep portion control in check if you’re following a healthy diet this year.
I cook the Satay Chicken on a grill pan when it’s too chilly to cook outside but when the weather is warmer, these are fantastic cooked on the grill. Just remember to soak your skewers for at least an hour before hand to prevent them from catching on fire.
The Spicy Peanut Sauce is easy to make and only takes about a minute. You can make it in advance and leftovers are amazing drizzled over a salad or used to dip fresh veggies!
Here are a few more recipes using peanut sauce that you might enjoy:
- Pork Satay with Thai Peanut Sauce
- Shrimp Summer Rolls with Peanut Hoisin Dipping Sauce
- Udon Noodles with Asian Vegetables and Peanut Sauce
If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.
Satay Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
CHICKEN & MARINADE:
- 30 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast, cut lengthwise into 1-inch strips
- 8 ounces light coconut milk
- 1 medium lime (zest and juice)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
SAUCE:
- ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2½ tablespoons honey
- 1 medium lime (zest and juice)
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste or curry powder
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili paste
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 8 to 10 wooden skewers (soaked in water for 1 hour)
Instructions
PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
- Place the chicken in a large zip top bag and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, zest, salt and pepper. Pour the marinade into the bag with the chicken and seal. Marinate the chicken for 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.
PREPARE THE SAUCE:
- In the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the peanut butter, broth, soy sauce, honey, lime juice and zest, garlic, curry, shallot, chili paste and vinegar. Blend to combine until smooth. Set aside.
GRILL AND SERVE:
- Heat grill or grill pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread each chicken strip onto a skewer and set aside. Place the chicken on the grill or grill pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
- Serve the chicken with the peanut sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love coconut milk marinades and this one sounds divine. I can imagine the leftover chicken on a bed of jasmine rice, with scallions. That is, if there were any leftover!