Coconut Curry Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce

These coconut curry chicken skewers take just minutes to throw together and are loaded with unique flavors that your family will love. Toss them on the grill or a cast iron griddle for a few minutes on each side, serve with creamy peanut sauce, and enjoy!

 

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken Breast – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are the best option for these skewers, but you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. 
• Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk – I highly recommend using full-fat coconut milk. It will add the best flavor and it’s thick, creamy texture will cling to the chicken as it marinates. 
• Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice adds a nice tang, but it also helps tenderize the chicken. You can use lemon juice if you prefer.
• Curry Paste + Curry Powder – I like to use both curry paste and curry powder for this recipe. I love their flavors together and they each bring something special. If you don’t have one or the other, feel free to just add a bit extra of whichever you do have.
• Ginger Paste – I like to use ginger paste for this marinade because it saves some prep time. However, you can grate fresh ginger into the marinade instead.
• Garlic Powder – Garlic powder works well because it blends easily into the marinade and saves prep time.
• Creamy Peanut Sauce – This curry chicken is the perfect mate for my homemade creamy peanut sauce! It’s super easy to make and only takes 5 minutes to throw together.

Instructions

Combine coconut milk, lime juice, curry paste, curry powder, ginger paste, garlic powder, cayenne, and a couple large pinches of Kosher salt and black pepper in a shallow bowl.

Add chicken to the marinade and gently toss to coat until chicken is covered. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.

Heat a large cast iron griddle pan or grill to medium or medium-high heat. Thread marinated chicken onto wooden skewers.

Cook in batches, for about 3-5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through and a dark golden brown crust has formed on the outside. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping or drizzle with peanut sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped peanuts, cilantro, and thinly sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Tips

• Cut the chicken into strips or 1-inch cubes. Try to keep all your pieces of chicken about the same size so that they cook evenly. I like to use clean kitchen shears to easily cut my chicken into uniform strips or chunks.
• Don’t smoosh too much chicken onto the skewers. Gently thread it on so it has enough room to cook thoroughly on all sides. If you add veggies to the kebab as well, make sure there’s a teeny bit of room between those as well.

Serve With

• creamy peanut sauce
• quick pickled veggies
• air fryer zucchini
• sesame ginger noodle salad
• lemon dill yogurt dip
• crab sushi casserole
• cucumber tomato salad
• cucumber pasta salad
• creamy curry chickpea soup

Great on the Grill!

• These coconut curry chicken kebabs are perfect for a backyard summer grill out! They’re a delicious departure from classic chicken kebabs and can be served alongside your favorite veggies and rice for a quick and easy dinner your family will love! You can use a gas grill or charcoal!
• Lightly oil your grill grates and cook the marinated chicken kebabs over direct medium-high heat on the grill. Cook each side for a few minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and a dark golden brown crust has formed on the outside.
• If you’re going to grill these chicken kebabs, be sure to soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 10 minutes before threading the chicken on.
• If you’re just cooking the kebabs on a cast iron griddle like I did there is no need to soak the skewers as they won’t come in contact with an open flame.
• If you prefer you can also use metal skewers instead of wood which will eliminate the need to soak them. Remember that metal skewers will become very hot when cooked over the stove or grill and retain heat so keep that in mind when handling them after cooking.

Add veggies if you like!

• Feel free to bulk up these kebabs by adding your favorite veggies – red bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, etc. – in between the pieces of chicken!
• I recommend cutting your veggies into large chunks, keeping in mind that they will cook on each side for 3-5 minutes while the chicken cooks through so you want them to be large enough to stand up to that cooking time.
• Toss the veggies in olive oil and season with salt and pepper before adding them to the kebabs, or soak them in the marinade along with the chicken!

How to Know When the Chicken is Done

• The best way to test and see if your chicken is done is to carefully remove a large piece and cut all the way to the center.
• If it’s no longer pink inside, the chicken is done. By checking a larger piece you’ll ensure that the rest of the pieces are likely done already.
• This will help to avoid guessing and overcooking the chicken.
• If you find that the outside of the chicken is done while the inside is still pink, transfer kebabs to a baking sheet, cover them with foil, and bake in a 400-degree oven until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.
• If you end up having to bake the chicken that is a sign that the pieces of chicken may have been a bit too large and you’ll need to slice them a little smaller next time. That’s why I love to cut the chicken breast into strips and then thread it on.

Bake Chicken Skewers in the Oven

• If you prefer, you can also bake these kebabs entirely in the oven for a more hands-off cooking process.
• Place kebabs on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
• Broil for 1-2 minutes to get them crispy on the outside, flipping them about halfway through. Keep a close eye on the chicken kabobs when they’re under the broiler as they can go from crispy to burnt in a matter of seconds.

Make the Marinade Your Own

• As with all my recipes, my hope is that you’ll use it as a blueprint and customize it to suit your family’s taste!
• If you don’t love curry flavors, first of all, I’m sorry because you are missing out on some delicious food, but you can skip the curry powder/curry paste and add some spices that you do enjoy instead.
• If you want the marinade to have a sweet finish, stir in some local honey.
• This marinade is super forgiving so don’t be afraid to experiment with it and make it your own!

Don’t Skip the Peanut Sauce!

• If you haven’t tried my easy peanut sauce yet, now is the time to do it! My quick and easy creamy peanut sauce pairs perfectly with these juicy grilled chicken kebabs. It’s a little bit salty from the soy sauce, slightly tangy from the lime juice, and luxuriously creamy which makes it a delicious dip!
• If you aren’t in the mood to dip, try drizzling the sauce over the cooked kebabs and then garnishing with crunchy peanuts, thinly sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro. The combination of tender chicken, creamy sauce, and fresh herbs is a trifecta of flavor!

You Will Love This

• It’s so quick and easy to throw together! This flavor-packed dinner is a delicious departure from the usual boring chicken recipes that your family is used to. But it’s super simple to make so you can easily throw it together on a busy weeknight.
• If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out my Greek Chicken Marinade, Chicken Street Tacos, and my Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.

What is the best way to cook chicken skewers?

I like to cook my chicken kebabs on a grill or cast iron griddle pan. I find that this gives a delicious crust to the outside of the chicken while keeping it tender and juicy on the inside.

How long does it take to cook chicken on a skewer?

If you’re cooking on a grill or grill pan over the stove, it will take about 3-5 minutes per side to cook the chicken skewers.

What cut of chicken is best for skewers?

I prefer boneless skinless chicken breasts but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well.

What goes with chicken skewers for dinner?

I love to serve these chicken skewers with my easy peanut sauce, quick pickled vegetables, and rice. I like to top it all with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro. They also taste delicious paired with my sesame ginger noodle salad or air fryer zucchini.  

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Make-Ahead: This chicken is the perfect make ahead meal. Prep it over the weekend and you’ve got crispy coconut curry chicken ready to go for quick and easy lunches of dinners all week.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Reheating: Reheat the chicken in a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. You can also microwave them in 15-30 second increments until warmed through.

Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

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