Description
Grilled Thai Coconut Chicken Skewers are a flavor-packed main course showcasing tender chicken marinated in a lush coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and lime marinade. Grilled to juicy perfection, brushed with a sweet coconuty glaze, and paired with a creamy peanut-coconut dipping sauce, this recipe transports your taste buds straight to Thailand. Enjoy them over jasmine rice or wrapped in crisp lettuce for a tropical, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Skewers
- 1 kg boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1‑inch pieces
- 4–5 slices fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk or coconut cream
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Wooden skewers, soaked if grilling
For the Coconut Glaze (optional)
- 6 tbsp coconut cream
- 1½ tbsp honey
- 1 tsp soy sauce
For the Peanut-Coconut Dipping Sauce (optional)
- ¼ cup coconut cream
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp Thai red curry paste
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2–3 tbsp water (to thin)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a large bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, coconut milk (or cream), brown sugar, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and evenly distribute the flavors.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken thigh pieces to the marinade, ensuring they’re well coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours; for best flavor, marinate overnight.
- Thread onto Skewers: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes to prevent burning. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers, leaving a bit of room between each piece for even cooking.
- Preheat the Grill: Preheat your grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the skewers onto the grill. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side, turning once, until the chicken is nicely charred on the edges and cooked through.
- Apply Coconut Glaze: (Optional) While the chicken is still on the grill, brush each skewer with the coconut glaze and grill for another 2–3 minutes, allowing the glaze to caramelize lightly.
- Make the Peanut-Coconut Dipping Sauce: (Optional) In a bowl, whisk together the coconut cream, peanut butter, rice vinegar, Thai red curry paste, maple syrup (or honey), soy sauce, water (to thin), and sesame oil until smooth.
- Serve: Transfer the grilled chicken skewers to a serving platter. Serve hot with the peanut-coconut dipping sauce on the side, over jasmine rice or tucked into lettuce wraps. Garnish with lime wedges and fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.
- If using bamboo skewers, soaking is essential to prevent burning.
- The coconut glaze adds extra shine and sweetness—but the skewers are delicious without it, too.
- Swap coconut cream for coconut milk for a lighter option.
- The peanut-coconut sauce keeps up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Great with a side of jasmine rice, coconut rice, or crisp lettuce wraps.
- You can use chicken breast, but thighs stay juicier on the grill.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ minimum 30 minutes marinating)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (approx. 250 g cooked chicken, with sauce)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg