Easy Chicken Satay Curry

Indulge in the creamy, nutty flavour of our easy Chicken Satay Curry recipe! Enjoy tender chicken in a creamy coconut curry sauce infused with tantalising spices and peanut butter for a very different fakeaway experience. Try it tonight and savour the taste of exotic comfort right in your own kitchen!

Chicken curry satay is delicious. It’s a yummy Satay sauce with tender chicken thighs. It’s easy, cheap, and a fantastic family dinner. If your kids love a milder curry, like a korma or butter chicken, I’d give this a go, too—as long as there are no peanut allergies!

It’s certainly not an authentic Thai recipe. It’s very much British mum cooks curry, so I apologise if you are after something authentic. It is family-friendly, easy, and fairly quick. It is ideal for busy school nights or weekends. 

Why I Love Chicken Satay Curry

Easy chicken satay curry is one of my favourite easy fakeaways because:

• Satay Chicken Curry is different. It doesn’t taste like anything else. 
• Peanut butter chicken is a distinct flavour, but it’s popular with kids. 
• Peanut sauce doesn’t take long to make. It’s not one of those curry recipes that takes all day to get the flavours right. And you don’t need to blend or crush anything with a pestle and mortar. 
• There’s no added Brown sugar, like there is in some recipes. 
• You don’t need to buy a Curry paste; you’ll probably already have the spices in your store cupboard. 

Ingredients For Chicken Satay Curry

When I make my satay curry with chicken, I use:

Olive Oil – Other cooking oils are fine, too. You could also use Ghee if you have it. 

Onion 

Chicken Thighs

Garlic Puree

Ginger Puree –If you prefer fresh, use three cloves of crushed garlic and one inch of grated root ginger. 

Lime Juice

Coconut Milk

Smooth Peanut Butter

Curry Powder – I use mild. 

Turmeric

Chilli Powder– I was gifted this by Rajah Spices. It’s awesome and a nice big pack, which is ideal if you use as much chilli as we do. (Affiliate Link)

Coriander

Cumin

Light Soy Sauce

Spring Onions – These are optional, but add a lovely colour and crunch. 

You’ll Also Need

I make my chicken satay curry in my cast iron Dutch oven. But you can use any flameproof, non-stick dish or pan. A large frying pan would be fine. 

You’ll also need a chopping board, sharp knife and spatula, as well as some spoons to measure out and add ingredients. 

How to Make Chicken Satay Curry – Step-by-Step Instructions

Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One

Heat the oil in a large flameproof, non-stick pan or dish over medium heat on the hob. 

Step Two

Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Step Three

Add the chicken thighs and cook for 5-10 minutes until browned, stirring often. 

Step Four

Stir in the ginger, garlic and lime juice. Simmer for 2 minutes. 

Step Five

Pour in the coconut milk and stir until any solids have liquified. 

If your coconut milk has separated in the tin, scoop out the white solids and add them to the pan before pouring in the water. It will all come together. 

Some recipes for satay peanut sauce use low-fat coconut milk, but I’m always wary of low-fat dairy, which can split when heated. 

Step Six

Add the peanut butter, curry powder, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander, cumin and soy. 

Step Seven 

Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to a low simmer if necessary. 

Step Eight

Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. It’s quite a yellow curry, so don’t worry if it’s not as orange/red as you are used to. 

Step Nine

Serve with a sprinkle of spring onions if you want to. 

These are optional, but they complement the satay curry sauce well. 

Variations

Use Crunchy Peanut Butter

My peanut curry sauce is nice and smooth. This is preference, though. There’s nothing wrong with using crunchy if you want a deeper texture. 

Add Vegetables

Things like broccoli and frozen peas are great additions to curries like this, adding flavour and nutrition. Add with the coconut milk and make sure they are soft and cooked before serving. 

Another option is spinach. Add a few minutes before serving, just giving it time to wilt. 

Kick Up the Heat

My peanut butter chicken curry is relatively mild. You can use extra chilli powder or hot curry powder if you want more heat. 

You could also serve it with a pinch of dried chilli flakes. 

Use Chicken Breasts

Any boneless, skinless chicken portions are fine. Thighs are ideal for curry because they are soft, flavourful, and often much cheaper than breasts. You can use breasts if you prefer, though. 

Add Some Stock

This peanut butter curry has a strong flavour and a heavy texture. I love it, but I recommend tasting it before serving. Add some chicken or vegetable stock if it’s too much for you. 

I’d make 300ml with one stock cube, stir it in, and simmer for around 20 minutes extra to thicken. It will still be lovely, but a little lighter and less intense in flavour. 

Other Recipes 

If you like this recipe for satay chicken curry, you might also want to try:

• Chicken Curry Pie
• Air Fryer Katsu Curry
• Katsu Curry Burgers
• Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Curry
• Leftover Chicken Curry
• Leftover Lamb Curry
• Chicken Rogan Josh
• Leftover Roast Beef Curry
• Lamb Tikka Masala
• Leftover Pork Curry
• Butter Turkey Curry