Satay Chicken Recipe with Thai Almond Sauce | Grilled Summer Appetizer

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

This gluten free satay chicken recipe with Thai almond sauce is a perfect healthy grilled summer appetizer that everyone will love.

I know I’m about to make myself sound like a super white girl (I am pretty pale, to be fair), but chicken satay was the first non-chicken-ball Asian food I ever had. And I was 16. I know- I had a steep learning curve about food ahead of me to get where I am today.

To my defense though, I was raised by two non-foodies and was living in Peterborough at the time. One day, my boyfriend’s parents ordered in from a Thai restaurant and I nervously tried my first order of satay chicken with peanut sauce. Honestly, I’m not sure what I was scared of, but it just goes to show how sheltered I apparently was.

Being a home chef with an arsenal of Asian ingredients in the house at any given time, I thought I would do a chicken satay up my way. I wanted to make gluten free chicken satay for my GF sister (which means tamari, instead of soy), and whip up a delicious Thai almond sauce for a unique twist. It’s not traditional, but I love making it at home.

Why This Recipe Works

This is a perfect pool party or cottage snack because it’s hand-held, dippable and super lean. The chicken is marinated in lite coconut oil to yield a super moist, yet lean source of protein. I then use almond butter in place of the traditional peanut butter to make a nutrient-rich Thai almond sauce. Peanut butter works too, but I just had almond butter on hand.

I love that almonds have a combination of fibre, protein and healthy fats to keep you feeling fuller longer. They’re also packed with vitamin E, B2, magnesium, phosphorus and iron! This satay chicken recipe is nutrient dense and delicious – dietitian and foodie approved.

Key Ingredients

Coconut Milk – Thai flavours can be quite spicy, but the cooling effect of the coconut milk balances it out perfectly. I used lite coconut, which has the same flavour and just enough fat.

Lime Juice – Do not skip the lime. Fresh is best, but pre-juiced works as well. The tangy acidity of the lime juice is essential.

Tamari – We use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep this satay chicken recipe gluten free. I went for a reduced sodium version.

Chicken Breast – This is the base of our satay chicken recipe. Of course, you could use another cut of chicken, but the chicken breast works best for skewers.

Almond Butter – The creamy, nuttiness of almond butter pairs really well with chicken. Peanut butter works as well if that’s what you prefer.

How To Make This Recipe

Step One: Combine the marinade ingredients and transfer to a resealable bag with the chicken. Refrigerate and marinate for 2 hours.

Step Two: Meanwhile, mix together the almond sauce ingredients and set aside.

Step Three: Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Thread the chicken pieces onto long skewers (being sure to soak them first if they are wooden) and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Step Four: Serve with the almond sauce, garnished with toasted almonds and green onions.

Expert Tips

I kept this Thai almond sauce pretty mild because my kids eat it too, but feel free to adjust it based on your own tastes. When I’m feeling a bit of a kick, I add a pinch of red chili flakes or hot sauce.

Recipe FAQs

More Recipes You Might Like

If you enjoyed this satay chicken recipe, try these Thai-inspired recipes next:

• Thai Peanut Hummus Dip
• Chicken Sweet Potato Curry
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
• Rainbow Fresh Spring Rolls with Cashew Sauce

What are some of your favourite grilled appetizers for summer? Have you tried making this satay chicken recipe? Leave me a comment below with some of the crowd favourites in your circles- I would love to try them out!

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce & Sweet Potatoes (Easy Gluten Free Recipe)

This gluten free Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce is a perfect healthy grilled Summer appetizer that everyone will love.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Thai

Prep Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 96kcal

Author: Abbey Sharp

Ingredients

Marinade

• ▢ 1/2 cup lite coconut milk
• ▢ 1/4 cup lime juice
• ▢ 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
• ▢ 3/4 tsp curry powder
• ▢ 1 Tbsp ginger finely grated
• ▢ 2 tsp gluten free reduced sodium tamari
• ▢ 2 tsp fish sauce
• ▢ 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch strips

Sauce

• ▢ 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. natural almond or peanut butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. lite coconut milk
• ▢ 1 tsp gluten free reduced sodium tamari
• ▢ 1 tsp fish sauce
• ▢ 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
• ▢ 1 Tbsp lime juice
• ▢ Sriracha to taste

Garnish

• ▢ Toasted sliced almonds
• ▢ Green onion thinly sliced

Instructions

• Combine the marinade ingredients and transfer to a resealable bag with the chicken. Refrigerate and marinate for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, mix together the almond sauce ingredients and set aside.
• Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Thread the chicken pieces onto long skewers (being sure to soak them first if they are wooden) and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through.
• Serve with the almond sauce, garnished with toasted almonds and green onions.

Nutrition

Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.