Chicken Satay with Avocado Sauce is easy to make and super flavorful! Serve these chicken skewers as a delicious appetizer or light meal.
Suitable for gluten free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
It’s not every day that I come across a recipe that is such a big hit with my family and so simple to make! This satay chicken and creamy avocado sauce hit the mark with everyone and disappeared almost faster than I could get it on the table.
This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight supper but also great for entertaining. Since the chicken skewers can be eaten on the go and don’t really require any utensils, it’s the perfect recipe for cocktail parties, tailgating, summer BBQs, game day, and any time you are gathering a crowd of people.
And like my Pineapple Grilled Chicken Kabobs, just be sure to make more than you think you should because this meal is going to disappear fast!
It’s so easy to make these chicken satay skewers in your oven, but you can also cook them in the air fryer or even grill them. All the details are below so get ready to print this recipe. Trust me, friends, you’re going to want to make this one tonight!
Why Make This Recipe
- Incredibly Easy – Simply marinate the chicken, thread it on skewers and cook. Plates are optional but do have a pile of napkins handy.
- Prep Ahead – The skewers can be prepped in advance so you can enjoy time with your friends and family.
- Easy Meal Prep – Make an extra batch so you have lunch ready for the entire week. Chicken Satay is also great cold.
- Flavorful – This recipe knocks it out of the park when it comes to flavor. Both the chicken marinade and the dipping sauce are full of flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Use boneless chicken thighs cut into small pieces. You can substitute chicken breast or chicken tenders.
- Olive Oil – Or any mild cooking oil.
- Garlic Cloves – Use finely grated, fresh garlic.
- Chili Sauce – Often found in the Asian section of your grocery store.
- Tomato Salsa – Just use a bit of your favorite salsa that you keep in your fridge. Or make it your self by roughly blending together 1 tomato, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, and salt & pepper to taste.
- Lemon Juice – For added freshness and brightness.
- Brown Sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness. Use less if you prefer a less-sweet dish.
- Chili Flakes – adds a bit of heat but can be adjusted to fit your tastes.
- Oregano – Dried oregano is just fine. If you use fresh, you will want to increase the amount slightly.
- Tomato Ketchup – or you can use tomato paste instead.
- Dark Soy Sauce – Use low sodium soy or amino acids for a gluten free option.
- Avocado – Look for a ripe avocado. You can ripen an avocado by placing it in a paper bag on the counter for a day or two.
- Salt & Pepper – To taste.
How To Make Chicken Satay in Oven
Get the full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and combine it with the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours.
- While the chicken is marinating, soak wooden skewers in water.
- Thread the chicken onto skewers and place onto a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes in a 350F / 176C oven, occasionally turning the skewers.
- Always check chicken for doneness using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach at least 165F / 74C to be considered safe to eat.
How To Air Fry Chicken Satay Skewers
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and combine it with the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours.
- While the chicken is marinating, soak wooden skewers in water.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F / 200C, thread the chicken onto skewers and place inside the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 13-16 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Check for doneness using a meat thermometer.
How To Grill Satay Chicken
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and combine it with the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours.
- While the chicken is marinating, soak wooden skewers in water.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and cook the skewers for about 4 minutes per side.
- Check for doneness using a meat thermometer.
Tips For Success
- Don’t forget to soak wooden skewers in water before using them.
- Marinate the chicken for at least one hour, or up to 24 hours. The longer it marinates, the more tender and flavorful the chicken satay will be.
- Keep turning the skewers while baking for that perfectly cooked chicken.
- If you are air frying, you may need to cut your skewers or purchase ones that fit in your air fryer.
- Always check chicken for doneness with a meat thermometer to make sure the interal temperature has reached 165F / 74C.
Variations
- Lime – If you prefer the flavor of lime juice to lemon juice you can swap it in both the marinade and the dipping sauce.
- Less Heat – The marinade includes chili sauce, chili flakes and tomato salsa which can all have a bit of heat. You can easily dial back each of these ingredients or omit altogether.
- Fresh Ginger – Add a bit of fresh grated ginger to the marinade for a burst of Asian flavor.
- Cilantro – Sprinkle the finished chicken with fresh cilantro for a bright flavor.
- Swap The Meat – Make this recipe using cubed beef or pork instead of chicken.
Budget-Friendly Tips
- Buy Chicken in Bulk – Purchase chicken in bulk when it is on sale and freeze it for later.
- Use Chicken You Have – This recipe calls for chicken thighs but use chicken breast or chicken tenders if that’s what you have on hand.
- Serve As a Side – Serve rice or noodles, fresh salad or marinated cucumbers as your main dishes and serve the chicken as a side.
- Enjoy The Leftovers – Enjoy the leftovers as they are or toss the chicken into a salad or a stir fry.
Make Ahead And Storage
Prep Ahead – The chicken should marinate for at least 1 hour so you need to prep ahead. You can marinate it for up to 24 hours so make the chicken the night before you plan to serve it. Once the chicken has marinated, you can thread it onto skewers and store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook it.
The dipping sauce can be made up to a few hours in advance.
Store – Cover the leftover skewers tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also remove the chicken from the skewers and store in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.
Freeze – Skewers can be difficult to freeze but you can easily freeze the marinated chicken.
- Combine the chicken and the marinade and pour it into a freezer safe bag.
- Remove as much air as possible and lay flat to freeze.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Thread chicken onto skewers and cook as directed.
Meal Prep
- Cook an extra batch or two that you can eat for lunch or use with other meals throughout the week.
- This meal keeps in the fridge for 3 days which means you can eat it the first day and then store it for 3 additional days.
- Separate leftovers into single serving containers for an easy lunch option all week. Let the chicken cool completely with the lids off before sealing and storing.
FAQs
This popular Asian street food is the national dish of Indonesia. It refers to marinated meat that is skewered and grilled. It is usually served with some kind of dipping sauce.
I make this with boneless chicken thighs because the meat is juicy, flavorful and often less expensive. You can certainly make this recipe with chicken breast or chicken tenders. USe what you have on hand so it’s budget-friendly.
Serving Suggestions
More Chicken Recipes You May Like
- Grilled Buffalo Chicken.
- Grilled Huli Huli Chicken.
- Greek Chicken Meal Prep Bowls.
- Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole.
Weight Watchers Points
There are 7 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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Did you make this recipe? Then I would love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a comment and star rating below. And I really appreciate you sharing this recipe with your family and friends. Enjoy every mouthful 😊🍲 – Bintu
Get The Chicken Satay Skewers Recipe:
Chicken Satay with Avocado Sauce
Ingredients
For Chicken Satay:
- 1 pound (450g) boneless chicken thighs cut into small pieces
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 Garlic cloves finely grated –
- 2 Tablespoons Chili sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato salsa
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Chili flakes
- 1 Teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato ketchup
- 1 Teaspoon Dark soy sauce
- Salt
For Avocado Sauce:
- 1 Large Ripe Avocado
- ½ teaspoon Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
To Make Chicken Satay in the Oven:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, grated garlic, chili sauce, tomato salsa, lemon juice, brown sugar, chili flakes, oregano, tomato ketchup, soy sauce, and salt according to taste. Add the chicken pieces and mix well so the chicken pieces are fully coated.
- Marinate the chicken for a minimum of 1 hour. Thread the marinated chicken on metal or wood skewers.
- Preheat the oven 350F / 180C, then bake for 15-18 minutes. Turn the skewers frequently so that the chicken is well cooked.
To Make Air Fryer Chicken Satay:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F / 200C and add marinated chicken skewers to the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 13-16 minutes, turning halfway through.
To Make Grilled Chicken Satay:
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place marinated chicken skewers on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes per side.
To Make Avocado Sauce:
- In a mixing bowl, combine ripe avocado, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and mash it well using a fork.
Video
Notes
- If you are using wooden skewers, don’t forget to soak them in water before using them.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. The longer it marinates, the more tender and flavorful the chicken.
- Keep turning the skewers while baking for that perfectly cooked chicken.
- If you are air frying, you may need to cut your skewers or purchase ones that fit in your air fryer.
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165F/74C when inserted into the thickest part of chicken breasts.
- Storage – keep in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 3 days.
- There are 7 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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