Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Turmeric- and coconut-marinated chicken skewers grilled until charred at the edges, with a creamy lime peanut sauce and a crunchy quick cucumber pickle.
Nutrition per serving
3 skewers + sauce and cucumbers- Net carbs
- 7.9g
- Calories
- 450kcal
- Protein
- 40g
- Fat
- 29g
- Total carbs
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 2.2 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Shrimp satay: Jumbo shrimp in the same golden coconut marinade, grilled in minutes and dunked in the peanut sauce.
- Marinate the shrimp just 20–30 minutes, then thread them through both ends so they lie flat.
- Grill 2 minutes per side, until charred in spots and pink and opaque throughout.
Beef satay: Thin strips of flank steak take the marinade beautifully and char fast on a hot grill — a popular street-food version.
- Marinate the beef 1–24 hours. Grill over high heat 1½–2 minutes per side, until charred at the edges; strips this thin pass 145°F (63°C) almost as soon as they brown.
Peanut-free (almond butter): Smooth almond butter makes a sauce that is just as creamy and a little milder — for peanut allergies (it does contain tree nuts).
- Make the sauce with almond butter instead of peanut butter, and top the skewers with toasted sliced almonds or sesame seeds instead of peanuts.
- Chicken satay
- Peanut sauce
- Cucumber pickle & garnish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Chicken satay
- Peanut sauce
- Cucumber pickle & garnish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Chicken satay
- Peanut sauce
- Cucumber pickle & garnish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Chicken satay
- Peanut sauce
- Cucumber pickle & garnish
-
2 tbsp roasted peanutsleave out - Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $10.36 for 4 servings ($2.59 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Whisk the ¼ cup coconut milk, 1 tbsp tamari, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1½ tsp allulose and the ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
-
If using wooden skewers, soak 12 of them in water for 30 minutes. Thread the chicken strips onto the skewers in a loose S-shape, leaving a little space between the folds so they cook evenly.
-
For the peanut sauce, warm the peanut butter, ½ cup coconut milk, tamari, lime juice, allulose, garlic and pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking 2–3 minutes until smooth. Thin with water until it pours like heavy cream. Our Thai-style peanut sauce makes a bigger batch.
-
For the pickle, toss the cucumber and onion with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt and let it sit while the chicken cooks.
-
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high and oil the grates. Grill the skewers 3–4 minutes per side, until charred at the edges and 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece.
-
Serve the skewers with the warm peanut sauce and the cucumber pickle, scattered with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Add cauliflower rice for a bigger meal.
Tips for success
-
Peanut butter is the main carb source here, so choose one that lists only peanuts and salt. Sweetened brands add sugar fast. - Thighs stay juicy over high heat. With breast, cut slightly thicker strips and pull them right at 165°F (74°C).
- No grill? Broil the skewers 4 inches (10 cm) from the element for 8–10 minutes, turning once.
Nice to have, not needed
- A grill gives the smoky char satay is known for — a grill pan or the broiler works well too.
- A stalk of fresh lemongrass, finely minced into the marinade, makes it taste more like street-stall satay.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Warm the skewers in a skillet or microwave 1–2 minutes and rewarm the peanut sauce with a splash of water; serve the cucumbers cold.
Prep tip: Freeze the raw chicken in its marinade; it finishes marinating as it thaws overnight in the fridge.
Refrigerate the chicken and peanut sauce up to 4 days and the cucumber pickle up to 2 days, in separate containers. Cooked skewers freeze up to 3 months. The sauce thickens as it chills; loosen it with warm water.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosShrimp satay
ProteinJumbo shrimp in the same golden coconut marinade, grilled in minutes and dunked in the peanut sauce.
- boneless skinless chicken thighs → jumbo shrimp
7.9 g net · 389 kcal · 40 g protein · 23 g fat · ≈$4.84 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Beef satay
ProteinThin strips of flank steak take the marinade beautifully and char fast on a hot grill — a popular street-food version.
- boneless skinless chicken thighs → flank steak
7.9 g net · 525 kcal · 42 g protein · 36 g fat · ≈$5.60 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Peanut-free (almond butter)
DietSmooth almond butter makes a sauce that is just as creamy and a little milder — for peanut allergies (it does contain tree nuts).
- natural unsweetened peanut butter → unsweetened almond butter
- no roasted peanuts
6.5 g net · 452 kcal · 39 g protein · 29 g fat · ≈$2.85 per serving (−1.4 g net carbs vs the original)
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