Peanut Chicken Kabobs
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Moist, tender, juicy chicken! The most flavorful and easy marinade. Served with the creamiest, dreamiest peanut sauce!
reasons to make peanut chicken kabobs
- Take-out favorite. No more long delivery wait times and cold takeout! Everyone’s favorited peanut chicken tastes so much better than takeout, using fresh and better quality ingredients all around, not to mention, the creamiest, zestiest, flavor-packed peanut sauce of all time.
- Perfect make-ahead recipe. With a simple marinade using pantry staples and easy-to-find ingredients, you can prep everything ahead of time and marinate 2 hours or overnight, making weeknight meals even easier and quicker!
- Can be made all year long. Throw these on the grill during those warmer, summer months for those extra charred, smoky flavors, or use a cast iron grill pan (or cast iron skillet) 365 days out of the year.
what is yellow curry powder and where can i find it
Yellow curry powder is a spice blend that typically features turmeric as a hero ingredient alongside coriander, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. It has a golden-yellow color and is known for its mild, earthy flavors.
Yellow curry powder is used for curries, stews and marinades, and is readily available in most grocery store chains. For a yellow curry powder substitute, a combination of turmeric, coriander and allspice can be used.
tips and tricks for success
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor.
- Fish sauce is a hero. Fish sauce is a key ingredient here, balancing out the flavors, and adding saltiness and umami without overpowering it. A little bit goes a long way.
- Natural peanut butter is ideal. Natural PB is made without sugar or oils, yielding a smoother, creamier, velvety peanut sauce.
- Use freshly squeezed lime juice. While bottled lime juice can work in a pinch, freshly squeezed is ideal here for its vibrant, stronger flavors.
- Work in batches. An overcrowded grill or pan can lead to uneven cooking and poor browning. Work in batches to maintain high heat for a good sear and crispy crust on each chicken skewer.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken kabob rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
what to serve with peanut chicken kabobs
Tools For This Recipe
Metal skewers or wooden skewers
Peanut Chicken Kabobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Absolutely! But because ground ginger is often more potent/concentrated than freshly grated ginger, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger to 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
Fish sauce has a strong, pungent “fishy” smell but when cooked, it brings in savory, salty, umami goodness.
Metal skewers are sturdy and reusable but note that they will retain heat so please be careful when serving. Wooden skewers can also be used but can burn over a hot grill. I recommend soaking them overnight in water (or at least 30 minutes) prior to using.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
To ensure juicy, moist chicken, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, avoid overcooking (use an instant-read thermometer) and let it rest prior to serving.
Yes! The chicken can be marinated overnight and placed in the fridge. The peanut sauce can also be made 4-5 days ahead of time, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Peanut Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons yellow curry powder
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
for the peanut sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, fish sauce and curry powder.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and soy sauce mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
- Drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers. Brush with vegetable oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Brush skewers with 2-3 tablespoons peanut sauce, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Serve immediately with peanut sauce and lime wedges, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
for the peanut sauce
- Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk in 2-3 tablespoons water until desired consistency is reached.
Video
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This looks great! Wondering if you could substitute olive oil or avocado oil and avoid the vegetable oil? And second, can the sugar be reduced or replaced?