Easy Oven Baked Chicken Skewers Recipe (Juicy Kabobs)
This chicken skewers recipe makes juicy, nicely charred satay chicken under the broiler, so you can make it any time of year. The flavorful curry peanut sauce doubles as a marinade and dipping sauce. Serve the skewers as an appetizer or with lettuce cups for a light meal.
Hello friends! Today I’m here to hype you up about these satay chicken skewers. It is important for me to tell you how truly delicious they are and that you must indeed make them ASAP.
They make a gorgeous appetizer or weeknight dinner with very minimal prep time (although there is a bit of marinating time, so beware). The tasty green curry peanut sauce doubles as a chicken kabob marinade and dipping sauce—I love a recipe that does the heavy lifting for you!
It is actually the marinade ingredients that are key here. Peanut butter, green curry paste, brown sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice are simple ingredients, but together they hit every single taste bud and give the chicken so much flavor.
These chicken skewers are also great potluck food. They’re delicious hot or at room temperature and are an easy way to feed a crowd. If you’re going the dinner route, serve them with lettuce cups, sliced cucumber, and steamed rice—yum!
What Are Satay Chicken Skewers?
Satay are Asian-style chicken kabobs. They are strips of skewered meat (usually chicken) that are marinated, skewered, and grilled. The grilled chicken is then served with a peanut sauce. It originates from Indonesian cuisine (spelled sate there) but has become popular all over Southeast Asia.
My version is more Thai-style thanks to the green curry paste, fish sauce, and lime. Many recipes call for chopped lemongrass, ginger, and other aromatics, but using curry paste is a great way to get those flavors without spending a lot of time chopping.
Why These Are My Best Chicken Skewers
- No need to fire up the grill. You can make these year-round under the broiler in the oven. That being said, you can totally grill them too if you’d prefer (see the FAQ’s below).
- The flavors are insane: savory, sweet, and even a bit spicy from the pepper in the curry paste.
- Crispy and lightly charred on the outside, but juicy and tender on the inside.
- Short cooking time—only 8 minutes!
- Healthy! Excellent source of protein, low in saturated fat, calories, and cholesterol.
Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter. I like to use JIF natural creamy peanut butter. It creates the rich base for both the simple marinade and dipping sauce.
- Fish sauce. Three Crabs brand is the best.
- Lime juice or lemon juice or a combination of both also works and adds brightness to the marinade ingredients.
- Light brown sugar or honey.
- Green curry paste. Look for Thai green curry paste in the Asian section of your grocery store.
- Garam masala. This adds a nice warm spice element that is popular in Malaysian satay recipes.
- Garlic cloves. For that aromatic punch. Never too much garlic in my opinion.
- Chili garlic sauce. Sambal is a common brand or make your own with this recipe I created for California Grown (it’s really easy).
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts for nice long strips. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer darker, richer meat.
- Cilantro for sprinkling over the top (optional).
- Metal or wood skewers. See FAQ’s below for details.
How To Cut Chicken Breasts For Skewers
Long, thin strips are best for skewers. Lay the chicken breast on a cutting board and first remove any bone, gristle, or fat. Slice the chicken breast lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick strips trying to make them as long as possible. The ones on the edge will be smaller but you can double those onto one skewer.
How To Make This Recipe (with step-by-step instructions)
step one
Blend the sauce/marinade. Combine the peanut butter, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons curry paste, garam masala, garlic, and chili-garlic sauce in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. You shouldn’t need any extra salt, but give the sauce a taste and then add some kosher salt or soy sauce if necessary.
step two
Coat and marinate the chicken. Save 1 1/2 cups of the sauce for dipping. Add the chicken strips to the remaining sauce and toss until the marinated chicken is well coated. Thread the pieces of chicken onto skewers, place them in a baking dish, and spoon any remaining marinade over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for even more bold flavor.
step three
Broil the chicken. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and place skewers on the rack. Broil until chicken is lightly charred, golden brown, firm, and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
step four
Serve. Place the juicy chicken skewers on a platter, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve with the reserved curry peanut dipping sauce as an appetizer or main dish.
Tips For Juicy, Flavorful Chicken Skewers
For juicy oven chicken kabobs, cut the chicken into even strips so they cook at the same rate. Broil for about 8–10 minutes, checking the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer; it’s done at 165°F.
Don’t rush the marinating time either. At least 2 hours in the curry peanut marinade gives you much more flavorful chicken and helps keep the meat tender.
What To Serve With Satay Chicken Skewers
- Lettuce cups and cucumber: A fresh, crisp option that keeps the meal light.
- Steamed jasmine rice: Perfect for soaking up the extra curry peanut sauce.
- Sautéed broccolini: A simple vegetable side dish that pairs well with the bold flavors.
- Vegetable kabobs: Thread red onion, sweet bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes onto skewers, season with salt and black pepper, and broil until lightly charred.
- A simple salad: A crunchy cabbage or cucumber salad makes a refreshing contrast.
These are all great options when serving the skewers as a main dish.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
For easy meal prep, marinate the chicken overnight and cook it the next day. Store leftover chicken and peanut sauce separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat and serve with rice, lettuce cups, or a grain bowl.
Satay Chicken Skewer FAQ’s
What are the best skewers to use? I prefer to use metal skewers because they don’t need soaking, are reusable, and don’t catch fire. If you opt for wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for at least 30 minutes before skewering.
What goes with satay chicken skewers? Sautéed veggies like broccolini. Or you could make veggie skewers to cook along side the chicken ones. Thread red onions, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes on to skewers, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper and broil.
Do I have to skewer? Do I have to skewer the chicken? Not at all. Cut the chicken into chunks or chicken cubes and broil them on an aluminum foil-lined sheet pan until cooked through.
Can I use chicken thighs? Yes, but they will make smaller skewers or you can double up the strips on one skewer.
How do I grill them? To grill the skewers instead, heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Clean the grill grates and brush them with olive oil. Place the skewers on the grill and cook until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until the grilled chicken skewers are firm and cooked through. Alternatively, you can also cook them on a grill pan.
Fans of these chicken skewers may also like:
- Vinegar and Spice Baked Baby Back Ribs
- Pasta with Vegan Bolognese with Eggplant
- Lemon-Broiled Cod
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Double Pork Pork Burger
- Zucchini Pasta with Pine Nuts
- 16 Easy and Delicious Vegan Lunches
Watch The Video
Comforting and Fresh!
I love it when dinner is exciting and comforting and fresh all at the same time. I think you will really love these chicken skewers. When you try them, let me know how it went! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @katesbestrecipes so that I can see. Or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)! Also, sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter so you never miss a thing.
CHICKEN SATAY WITH CURRY PEANUT SAUCE RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice or a combination of both
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons green curry paste
- 2 tablespoons Garam Masala
- 2 teaspoons Sambal or other chili garlic sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Reserve 1 1/2 cups sauce for dipping and drizzling in a separate container, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Add chicken strips to remaining sauce and toss to coat. Thread one or two strips (if small) onto a skewer (you want each skewer to have approximately the same amount of meat) and place in a large plate or baking dish. Drizzle any remaining sauce over skewers, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours in advance.
- Turn on broiler and adjust rack to middle. Place a rack on top of a baking sheet and place skewers in a single layer on rack (you may need to do this in batches). I like to face some going in one direction and others going in the opposite direction to get them all to fit (see video).
- Broil skewers until chicken is firm, cooked through and crispy brown in some parts, about 8-10 minutes. Repeat with remaining skewers if doing in batches. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot or room temperature with reserved dipping sauce.
Notes
- Dipping sauce: This recipe makes a lot of sauce because I like to have a lot to set aside for dipping and drizzling. Serve extra sauce alongside the skewers. It also makes amazing peanut noodles.
- Make ahead: You can marinate these skewers up to a day in advance and broil when you are ready to eat. Leftover skewers are good cold or room temperature—great for work lunch!
- Fish sauce: My favorite brands of fish sauce are Three Crabs and Red Boat. You can find them at Asian markets or at some Whole Foods stores.
- Broiling: Make sure your oven rack is in the middle of the oven and not too close to the broiler or you will burn the outside of the skewers before they are cooked through.
Video
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