Chicken Satay Curry

5 from 2 votes

A quick and easy peanut butter chicken curry made with tender chicken pieces in a rich, sweet, spicy and tangy peanut sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Servings:

Calories: 612kcal

Author: Helen

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tbsp curry powder (Note 1)
1 tsp chilli powder (Note 2)
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp neutral oil (Note 3)
750 g boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (Note 4)
3 birds eye chillies finely chopped (Note 5)
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 6)
400 g coconut milk (Note 7)
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter (Note 8)
2 tsp brown sugar (Note 9)
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 large red bell peppers chopped into bite-sized pieces (Note 10)
1 lime zest
2 limes juice

To serve:

A large handful of chopped fresh cilantro/coriander.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the chicken pieces with curry powder, chilli powder and salt.
Place a wok or medium/large pan on a medium to high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken pieces when the oil is hot and fry for a few minutes until they are brown on all sides and set aside. (Note 11)
Fry the chilli and garlic for a few minutes until fragrant, adding a little more oil if necessary.
Add the peanut butter and dark soy sauce then stir in a little of the coconut milk to form a smooth paste.
Gradually pour in the rest of the coconut milk while stirring continuously to remove any lumps. Then add the sugar, kaffir lime leaves and red pepper and simmer on a medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the cooked chicken and simmer for 5 more minutes. (Note 12)
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime zest and juice and serve immediately with chopped fresh cilantro/coriander.

Notes

Curry powder: The recipe has been tested with medium, but feel free to use mild or hot.
Chilli powder: As above.
Neutral oil: Use an oil with a high burn point like groundnut or canola oil. Olive oil is not suitable.
Chicken thighs: I recommend chicken thighs because they are more tender and flavourful than chicken breast. You can use breast instead if you are looking for a leaner option.
Bird's eye chillies: Add a fruity freshness as well as heat. If you have a low tolerance for spice, feel free to reduce the amount or omit them.
Dark soy sauce: Has a richer flavour than light soy sauce and will also deepen the colour of the curry sauce. The recipe has not been tested with light soy sauce, but you can use it if you need to. Light soy sauce is lower in sodium and is not as sweet as dark soy sauce so you may want to add a little more and add a small amount of extra sugar to compensate.
Coconut milk: Full-fat and light/low-fat versions both work well.
Peanut butter: Opt for smooth instead of crunchy and try to choose one that has no added salt.
Brown sugar: Substitute with white sugar, honey or maple syrup.
Red peppers: Feel free to use other veggies like green beans, zucchini/courgette or broccoli.
Browning the chicken: The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point just browned.
Checking the doneness of the chicken: If the chicken was not fully cooked during the browning process, simmering it in the curry sauce should finish it off. Remove one of the larger pieces and cut it in half to check it is no longer pink.

Storage:

The cooked curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated on the stove or in the microwave. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Just portion it into containers or freezer bags and place in the freezer once cool. Remove from the freezer 24 hours before you plan to eat it and defrost it slowly in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition