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This Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce brings the sizzle right to your kitchen with minimal fuss. Marinated chicken gets a quick cook in the air fryer, emerging perfectly charred and ready to dip into a homemade, creamy peanut sauce.
Easy Air Fryer Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce
Let’s get cooking with one of my favorite quick dinners, my beloved Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce, made even easier with an air fryer! This recipe packs a powerful punch of flavors, blending spices like turmeric and cumin with the zesty kick of lime juice, all marinated into tender chicken pieces that cook to perfection in just minutes.
And let’s not forget the peanut sauce—it’s creamy, it’s dreamy, and it perfectly complements the smoky hints of the chicken. Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a casual get-together, this dish is sure to impress and satisfy!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For The Chicken Satay
- Chicken breasts: I use boneless and skinless chicken breasts but of course you can use thighs as well.
- Soy sauce: Opt for a low sodium soy sauce to reduce the sodium in the dish. For a gluten-free option, you can use tamari. You’ll need this for both the marinade and the peanut sauce.
- Brown sugar: To sweeten the marinade and help caramelize the chicken when cooking. You can substitute with honey or maple syrup. We also need some for our peanut sauce to sweeten it.
- Garlic: Fresh is best and use as much as you like.
- Ground turmeric: For a warm, earthy taste and to give a beautiful color to the chicken.
- Ground cumin: This brings a nutty and spicy flavor to the marinade.
- Lime juice: Adds a fresh, citrusy zing to the marinade and sauce.
For The Peanut Sauce
- Peanut butter: I like to use a smooth peanut butter for this sauce but if you have allergies, try almond butter or tahini.
- Sriracha sauce: It gives a spicy kick to our peanut sauce. You can adjust the amount to control the heat level or use any hot sauce you have on hand.
- Cilantro and lime wedges: I’m using these for garnish, to add a fresh and zesty finish.
Marinate the Chicken
Start by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, ground turmeric, ground cumin, and lime juice in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl, ensuring they’re well coated with the marinade. For the best flavor, I like to let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or overnight.
Prepare the Air Fryer
While the chicken is marinating, prepare your air fryer. Preheat it to 360°F (182°C). Take this time to soak your bamboo skewers in water too, if you haven’t already done so, to prevent them from burning during cooking.
Cook the Chicken
Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the bamboo skewers. Arrange the skewers in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don’t overlap.
Cook for about 4-5 minutes, then flip the skewers and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and has a nice char on the edges. Depending on how big your air fryer is, you might need to do this in batches.
Make the Peanut Sauce
While the chicken is cooking, grab a saucepan and combine the creamy peanut butter, water, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, sriracha sauce, and minced garlic over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed.
Serve and Enjoy
Once everything is ready, arrange the cooked chicken satay on a serving platter. Drizzle the warm peanut sauce over the skewers or serve it on the side for dipping. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges to add a fresh, zesty finish.
How To Serve
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce is fabulous on its own, but you can pair it with a variety of side dishes. Here’s what I recommend:
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use if I don’t have an air fryer?
If you don’t have an air fryer, no worries! You can easily grill the chicken satay on a barbecue or cook it in a grill pan over medium-high heat on your stove. Just make sure to oil the grill or pan lightly and cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked and nicely charred.
Can I make the peanut sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely, the peanut sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just give it a good stir or a quick warm-up to bring it back to a smooth consistency before serving.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes, to make this dish gluten-free, ensure that the soy sauce used is a gluten-free variety, such as tamari. Also, double-check that all other ingredients, like sriracha and peanut butter, are certified gluten-free.
Expert Tips
- Soak your skewers: If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken. This prevents them from burning during the cooking process.
- Uniform pieces: Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces to ensure they cook uniformly and finish at the same time.
- Adjust the heat: Taste and adjust the heat level in your peanut sauce to suit your preference. Start with less sriracha and add more as needed after tasting.
Storage
To store leftover Chicken Satay, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. If you’d like to freeze it, wrap the cooked and cooled satay tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. It can be frozen for up to 2 months; just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Discover More Chicken Recipes
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Chicken And Leek Pie
- Lemon Garlic Spatchcock Chicken
- French Chicken Casserole
- Roasted Red Pepper Skillet Chicken
- Chicken Vindaloo
- Chicken Adobo
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
For the Chicken Satay:
- 1½ pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
For the Peanut Sauce:
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
For Garnish:
- cilantro chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, turmeric, cumin, and lime juice in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss ensuring they're well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (182°C). Thread the marinated chicken strips onto the bamboo skewers that have been cut to fit your air fryer.
- Place the skewers in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and slightly crispy on the edges.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together peanut butter, water, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili paste, and garlic until smooth. Add more water if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Once cooked, place the chicken satay on a platter. Serve with the warm peanut sauce either drizzled over the skewers or on the side for dipping.
- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and accompany with lime wedges.
Tips & Notes:
- Marinade Matters: For best results, marinate the chicken overnight to deepen the flavors.
- Peanut Sauce Adjustments: Feel free to adjust the amount of sriracha in the peanut sauce to suit your heat preference.
- Grilling Options: If you don’t have an air fryer, you can grill the chicken skewers on a barbecue or in a grill pan on the stove.
