Thai Chicken Skewers

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Thai Chicken Skewers that taste as good as take-out but can be made at home on the grill. Served with a simple homemade peanut sauce, these Thai chicken skewers are a healthy dinner option your whole family will love.

292 CAL 13g CARBS 8g FAT 39g PROTEIN
7 Comments

These healthy Thai Chicken Skewers are marinated using yogurt and Thai curry paste and then paired with the best homemade peanut sauce. This healthy dinner is one kids and parents love and with under 300 calories and tons of protein, it's a meal you can feel good about. We also love this Sheet Pan Thai Cashew Chicken or Peanut Chicken Stir Fry.

Whenever we go out for Thai food, we inevitably end up ordering at least two orders of chicken satay. There is nothing better then these sweet and savory Thai chicken skewers, and let's be honest, we are all fighting over every last drop of the peanut sauce. Today's recipe is inspired by a traditional chicken satay but made with ingredients that most people can find in their local grocery store.

The key to adding Thai flavors to this recipe without needing a long list of hard to find ingredients is to reach for Thai red curry paste. It already has lemon grass, galangal (like ginger), chili, and Thai spices built right. This eliminates the need to add all of these ingredients to the marinade but ensures you still get all their flavor. One important note about curry paste. It can really vary in terms of flavor and strength. Start with the amount recommended in the recipe but adjust to suit your tastes. You may need to add more, especially if you like things spicy.

Thai Chicken Skewers with cilantro and crushed peanuts on a white plate with a blue linen napkin.

To cook these, I recommend heading out to the grill or grabbing a grill pan. They are traditionally prepared this way and grilling adds a nice smokiness to the skewers. However you can also cook these Thai chicken skewers in the oven. Broiling them works best since it still adds some nice caramelization and browning.  They will take between 3-4 minutes per side, about the same as grilling. I like to cover the baking sheet in foil to make for easier clean up.

Can I make these Thai Chicken Skewers with coconut milk?

If you want to add some coconut flavor to your chicken skewers, you can take two simple steps. First, use coconut milk instead of the greek yogurt for the marinade. You could also use coconut yogurt. Secondly, use coconut milk in place of the chicken broth in the peanut sauce. You can also sprinkle some shredded coconut on top before serving.

How do I make these Paleo?

To make this chicken skewers work for a Paleo diet, you will want to make a few substitutions.  The first is to swap in full fat canned coconut milk for the yogurt. Next, you want to use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. This also works for a gluten free option. You will also need to find a paleo friendly curry paste. Luckily most store bought curry pastes are naturally paleo friendly. Just make sure to check the label and make sure it doesn't contain soy. Lastly, you will want swap in a different nut butter. You could use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter.

Tips and Tricks 

  • Using yogurt as a marinade is a great way to ensure that your chicken breasts stay moist and juicy. However, if you are worried about dry chicken or prefer chicken thighs, they work great for this recipe as well. 
  • The peanut sauce turns out delicious using all kinds of different nut butters. I make it with almond butter and cashew butter as well.
  • These skewers are great for meal prep. I use leftovers for salads, lettuce wraps, and rice bowls for lunches during the week.
  • If you like things spicy, consider adding some Sriracha or sambal olek to the peanut sauce or marinade. 

Thai Chicken Skewers close up with cilantro and peanut sauce and a white background.

Looking for side dish ideas?

I love serving these skewers with coconut cauliflower rice, this Thai mango slaw, or with some steamed rice and stir fried veggies. They also make for some really delicious lettuce wraps. Usually I set out cooked rice noodles, shredded carrots, edamame, chopped mango, cilantro, cucumber, and red onions. Then everyone can build their own lettuce wraps. It is one of our favorite summer meals. It is light, refreshing, and always a hit for parties.

Here are some tools and products I used when cooking this recipe:

  • If you don't have a gas or charcoal grill at home, a grill pan is a great option for grilling indoors. I used one for years when I lived in an apartment that didn't allow grills. The two that I use most often are this nonstick version and this cast iron version. The nonstick is great for easy clean-up but the cast iron will give you deeper grill marks and more smoky flavor.
The Recipe
Thai peanut chicken skewers with green onions and peanut sauce on a plate.

Thai Chicken Skewers

292 CAL 13g CARBS 8g FAT 39g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 4 Hours
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 4 Hours, 15 Min
7 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1.33 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
  • 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (or canned coconut milk for Paleo)
  • 2 tbsp cilantro
  • 1 tsp red curry paste (for sauce)
  • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (for sauce, or coconut aminos)
  • 1/2 tbsp lime juice (for sauce)
  • 2 tsp honey (for sauce)
  • 1/4 cup fat free chicken broth (for sauce)
  • 3 tbsp peanut butter (for sauce)

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Instructions

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1

Combine the yogurt, cilantro, curry paste, soy sauce, lime juice, and honey. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

2

When ready to cook, thread the chicken on skewers, letting excess marinade drip off. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through.

3

Make the peanut sauce by combining the chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, curry paste, and honey.

4

Serve the skewers with the peanut sauce drizzled on top or on the side.

5

Broiling option: Place the chicken skewers on a baking sheet covered in foil. Broil for 3-4 minutes on each side until chicken is cooked through.

Diets:
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 skewers
Amount Per Serving
Calories 292
Calories from Fat 67
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g
11%
Saturated Fat 1g
6%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 74mg
24%
Sodium 520mg
23%
Total Carbohydrate 13g
4%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 10g
Protein 39g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
† We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
7 Comments
On Thai Chicken Skewers
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Christi B
March 18, 2019 - 09:18
I was making this for tonight's dinner but it's missing some key info. It says to include tumeric in the marinade but not an amount and it notes "for sauce" on several of the ingredients but does not say how much goes in the sauce and how much goes in the marinade??? Is it the same amount in both (marinade and sauce)? I have already put the amount in the marinade so I am hoping it's the same for both and will just add a little tumeric since it doeesn't have an amount but would love to make this a "keeper" recipe by having all the info. Thanks!
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March 18, 2019 - 20:24
Sorry Christi! Not sure why the recipe is combining the ingredients. Here are the proper amounts. I am working on fixing this.

1.33 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (or canned coconut milk for Paleo) (for marinade)
2 tbsp cilantro (for marinade)
1 tbsp red curry paste (for marinade)
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos for Paleo, GF) (for marinade))
1 tbsp lime juice (for marinade)
1 tbsp honey (leave out for low carb, or Stevia) (for marinade)
1/4 cup fat free chicken broth (for sauce)
3 tbsp peanut butter (for sauce)
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (for sauce, or coconut aminos)
1/2 tbsp lime juice (for sauce)
2 tsp honey (for sauce)
1 tsp red curry paste (for sauce)
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Rose
May 10, 2018 - 09:49
That would be TURMERIC :)
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Rose
May 10, 2018 - 09:48
Sorry but I don't see the numeric in the ingredients....how much? Sure looks delicious!
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Cory
May 3, 2018 - 07:58
Add a Rating:
5
Delicious, easy recipe. Marinated the chicken an extra day because plans changed and it was so flavorful and moist. I heated the peanut sauce a little bit because it was so thick and that worked out perfect. I served it with cauliflower rice and snow peas. Family loved it, no leftovers.
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Geetha French
May 1, 2018 - 14:57
Do these nutritional facts include the peanut sauce? If so what is the quantity that would be allowed.
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May 2, 2018 - 14:00
It does include the sauce. It would be a serving size of about 2 tablespoons.
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