This air fryer chicken satay is paired with a spicy peanut sauce that you'll be tempted to eat straight from the bowl, with a spoon! The flavors of the marinade and dipping sauce will transport you straight to your favorite Thai & Indonesian restaurants, without leaving your kitchen! The best part is this chicken comes together in the air fryer, in 10 minutes!

I am going to say this right now - if there's satay on a menu, it's coming to my table. There is something about the bright and punchy flavors of the marinade with that creamy, spicy peanut sauce. To call it the bomb.com is an understatement.
Traditionally satay comes on skewers. As you can see from the photo above, this recipe did not use skewers. Why, you may ask? Because I have no perception of size, and bought skewers that were too big for my air fryer. Needless to say, this chicken satay came out perfect without them!
Chicken satay is generally marinated in a mix of coconut milk, lime, curry powder, with the right amount of salt from soy sauce. The flavors are completely balanced! Make these a meal with some simple chilli garlic noodles, and you're set!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast: This is a matter of preference - you can use thigh meat if you prefer.
- Coconut milk: Canned coconut milk works perfectly for this recipe. I used unsweetened.
- Fresh garlic
- Ginger powder: Fresh ginger works as well.
- Fresh lime: You will want the zest and juice, so fresh lime is ideal.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar provides the necessary balance of flavours between salty and spicy.
- Curry powder: Curry powder is mix of different spices. You can choose to use hot curry powder [madras curry powder] or regular curry powder depending on your spice tolerance.
- Turmeric
- Soy sauce
- Fish sauce
- Sriracha hot sauce
- Crunchy peanut butter
- Sesame oil
- Oyster sauce
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Instructions
START WITH...
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Cut the chicken breast into lengthwise strips. Place the chicken flat on a cutting board, and pound flat with a meat mallet or any heavy object you can use to pound the chicken.
Mix together the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Add the chicken, and let sit for 30 minutes.
Using tongs, drain off the excess chicken marinade and place the chicken in an air fryer basket. Spray the top lightly with cooking spray, and air fry for 10-12 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the peanut sauce and set aside, while the chicken is cooking.
Substitutions
- Crunchy peanut butter: You can use smooth peanut butter if that is what you generally buy. Add in some chopped peanuts for extra crunch and texture!
- Sriracha: Use your favorite chilli sauce if you do not specifically have sriracha on hand.
- Brown sugar: Feel free to use honey.
Variations
- Grilled: These chicken satays will be delicious on the barbecue or on a grill pan.
- Skewered: Traditionally, satay is skewered. If you are opting for bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least one hour to prevent them from burning.
Equipment
This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.
- Mixing bowls
- Air fryer
Storage
This chicken keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven, or in the air fryer covered with foil to prevent them from getting dry.
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Air Fryer Chicken Satay {with Spicy Peanut Sauce}
Ingredients
- 1 Chicken breast boneless, skinless
- ½ cup Coconut milk
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Ground ginger
- 1 Lime juiced, zested
- 2 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Curry powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
Peanut Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Crunchy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon Fish sauce
- 2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
- 2 teaspoon Brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Hot water
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken breast into lengthwise strips. Place the chicken flat on a cutting board, and pound flat with a meat mallet or any heavy object you can use to pound the chicken.
- Marinate: Mix together the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Add the chicken, and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Air fry: Using tongs, drain off the excess chicken marinade and place the chicken in an air fryer basket. Spray the top lightly with cooking spray, and air fry for 10-12 minutes.
- Prepare the peanut sauce: In a mixing bowl, mix together the peanut sauce and set aside.
Equipment
Notes
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket! To best mimic a grill or grill pan, do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. This will allow the air to circulate and let the chicken get a nice char.
- Adjust the hot water in the sauce, according to the consistency you like for the peanut sauce.
Lola
If I could give this peanut sauce 10 stars, I would.... soooo good!
Sunena Anand
Couldn't agree more, Lola! 🙂