Chicken Satay Curry with Peanut Butter (Easy & Budget-friendly)
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If you’re looking for a chicken satay curry that is creamy, healthy, and whipped up in under 30 minutes, you’ve just found it! By using everyday pantry staples instead of expensive specialty pastes, we keep this recipe budget-friendly without sacrificing that intense peanut flavor. It makes for a delicious easy dinner, especially if you serve it alongside my Din Tai Fung Cucumber.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Chicken Satay Curry with Peanut Butter (Easy & Budget-friendly)
🕦 Ready in: 25 minutes
🤝 Serves: 5
🍴 Calories: 591kcal
🧑🍳 Main ingredients: chicken breast, peanut butter, low-fat coconut milk, kale
✨ Summary: This healthy chicken satay curry is whipped up in under 30 minutes, and is intensely flavoured with peanut butter. So so good.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy & rich: Thanks to the coconut milk and peanut butter, the satay chicken curry is sooo nice and creamy.
- Budget-friendly: We skip the expensive store-bought jars and use basic ingredients like curry powder and peanut butter to build loads of flavour in this chicken satay curry. And it’s ready in under 30 minutes, rivalling even my Creamy Leftover Ham Pasta for speed.
- High in protein: The combination of lean chicken breast and peanut butter in this easy chicken satay recipe makes it very high in protein, like my Healthy Chicken Lasagna, while keeping it lighter than a takeout version.
- Dairy & gluten-free: This chicken satay recipe happens to be dairy free without sacrificing the creaminess, and it’s also gluten-free!
More chicken curry recipes to try: Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala, Easy Chicken Thigh Curry, Chicken Katsu Curry.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: A lean cut of chicken is perfect for this satay curry. As the peanut curry sauce is rich, creamy and indulgent, I prefer using chicken breast rather than chicken thighs – a staple I also use for my 30-Minute Cream of Mushroom Chicken.
- Peanut butter: That’s the backbone to this peanut butter chicken satay. I’ve opted for crunchy peanut butter, as it adds a bit of texture and interest to the sauce.
- Low fat coconut milk: My chicken satay curry is made with low fat coconut milk rather than full fat. Since the peanut butter adds plenty of natural healthy fats, using light coconut milk keeps the dish balanced and calorie-conscious.
- Kale: I looove a chicken and kale recipe. And I use kale here specifically because when baked, it mimics the texture of crispy seaweed. The crunch cuts through the rich, creamy satay chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations / Adaptations
- Vegetarian: Swap the chicken breast with roasted aubergine/eggplant. The healthy chicken satay would also then be vegan like my Mushroom Stroganoff!
- Rice options: Not a brown rice fan? Peanut butter chicken curry also works with basmati, jasmine or any long-grain rice that you like. If you go for white, try my Creamy Rice next, you won’t regret it!
- Kale substitutions: Roasted tenderstem broccoli, wilted spinach, pak choi, mange tout will work great with this chicken satay curry.
How to make this Chicken Satay Curry with Peanut Butter
PREHEAT OVEN TO 200°C
Start by adding the rice to a medium saucepan with a 2:1 ratio of water to rice. Set your timer according to the packet time. Mine was 18 minutes.
- Next, prep the spring onions by chopping them in half, dividing the greener half and the lighter half of the onion, then thinly slicing (Image 1).
- In a large saucepan, add the lighter end of the sliced onion & chicken along with a tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and gently fry for around 4 minutes, continuously stirring (Image 2).
3. After 4 mins, add the curry powder and fry for a further minute. Deglaze with a splash of water when you get some sticking (Image 3).
4. Use a large bowl to combine the soy sauce and peanut butterwith a splash of water. This makes it easier to incorporate in the sauce. You can skip this step if your peanut butter is super runny (Image 4).
5. Add the peanut butter/ soy sauce mix along with the coconut milk (Image 5).
6. Season with salt and reduce to a low simmer and add the stock, timer set to 15 minutes (Image 6).
7. Drain the when cooked rice and set aside ready to serve (Image 7).
8. Add the kale to a large baking tray with a tbsp of olive oil. Use your hands to make sure all the kale bits get an even coating of oil. Pop in the oven for 7 – 10 minutes to get nice & crispy (Image 8).
Everything should be ready at this stage so you can serve the saucy chicken satay with a portion of rice & crispy baked kale. Garnish with the reserved onion and optional chilli flakes if you like it hotttt.
Other peanut recipes for you to try: Peanut Noodles with Roasted Veg and 10 Minute Peanut Butter Noodles.
Tips for the Best Result
- Use a stainless steel pan so you get sticky bits on the pan (called fonde), which will caramelise to form a richer flavour when frying.
- Seasoning with salt as you go will ensure that every element of your chicken satay curry is optimally seasoned.
- Spread the kale out as much as possible on your baking tray to maximise crispiness by preventing the kale from steaming. You could use your kale to make Cavolo Nero with Garlic & Lemon also.
- Use crunchy peanut butter to add some crunch and little pieces of whole peanuts throughout the satay curry sauce.
What makes this a satay curry?
Okay, so let’s talk about the name. Technically, authentic Satay is all about grilled meat on skewers served with that lovely peanut dipping sauce. But honestly, I don’t always have time to thread meat onto skewers.
This chicken satay curry is basically a delicious shortcut. We’re taking those iconic flavours of roasted peanuts, soy, lime, and aromatics and channeling them into a one-pot curry sauce instead. It still captures the soul of a satay (salty, sweet & nutty) but saves you the hassle of grilling.
The real hack here is the peanut butter. It gives the sauce that thick, authentic satay body without needing to grind your own peanuts or make a complex spice paste. It shows you don’t need a trip to a specialty Asian supermarket to get authentic-tasting results. It’s definitely a fusion – think Thai curry texture meets Indonesian flavour profile – but it works so well. If you enjoy creating these healthier takeout alternatives at home, you should also try my Tender Pepper Steak Recipe.
Serving Suggestions
This peanut butter chicken satay curry is rich and creamy, so I like to serve it with simple sides or some bread to soak up that delicious sauce.
Try it with:
- Easy Rice With Chicken Broth and Butter
- Easy Flatbread Recipe (only 2 Ingredients!)
- Budget Green Goddess Salad
- Air Fryer Spring Rolls {Homemade!} with Gyoza Dipping Sauce
- Easy Skillet Roasted Corn
- Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Fridge: This keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days. Ensure that you refrigerate as soon as it’s cool enough.
Freezer: The chicken satay curry is freezable for up to 3 months! Curry and rice freeze really well with no compromise to flavour, though the crispy kale doesn’t and should be stored separately.
Reheat: Microwave on high for 2 minutes to reheat, or on the hob until piping hot. Serve your satay-style peanut curry with freshly sliced spring onion and optional chili flakes.
FAQs
I recommend using crunchy peanut butter to add texture and interest to the satay sauce. However, if you prefer a completely smooth consistency, smooth peanut butter works just as well for this recipe.
I’ve gone for diced chicken for this chicken satay with rice. You want small, bite-sized chunks (approx 1 inch pieces) so they cook evenly in the satay curry sauce, similar to how you would prep meat for an Indian curry.
Yes, you can substitute the coconut milk with single cream if you prefer. However, using low-fat coconut milk keeps this healthy chicken satay lighter and adds a subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with the peanut butter.
Absolutely. I use chicken breast to keep this peanut butter chicken curry lean and light. However, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are juicier and work wonderfully if you prefer a richer flavour.
More weeknight dinner recipes for you to try: Chicken Vermicelli Noodles, 5 Ingredient Spaghetti Chorizo Carbonara and Simple Prawn Red Thai Curry.
If you tried this Peanut Butter Chicken Satay Curry recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Chicken Satay Curry with Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken breast (£4.20)
- 4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (£1.25/5)=(£0.25)
- 50 g spring onions (£0.50)
- 2 limes (£0.25x2)=(0.50)
- 1 tin of coconut milk (£0.75)
- 250 g long grain rice (£0.52/4)=(£0.13)
- 1 bag of kale (£0.65)
Cupboard Essentials
- 2 tbsp coconut/ olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp of curry powder
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 400 ml vegetable stock
Method
PREHEAT OVEN TO 200°C
- Start by adding the rice to a medium saucepan with a 2:1 ratio of water to rice. Set your timer according to the packet time. Mine was 18 minutes. Next, rinse the spring onions. Chop them in half, dividing the greener half and the lighter half of the onion. Also prep the chicken by slicing it into thin pieces
- Slice the greener half on a bias (diagonally), setting aside to use as a garnish and slice the white half regularly to add to the sauce.
- In a large saucepan, add the lighter sliced onion & chicken along with a tbsp of olive oil. Gently fry for around 4 minutes.
- After 4 mins, add the curry powder and fry for a further minute.
- Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, a pinch of salt and the juice of a whole lime to the saucepan. This will be a very thick mix so add a splash of coconut milk to combine on a low heat.
- Slowly pour the coconut milk in as you stir to form the satay sauce. Once combined, add 400ml of vegetable stock.
- Reduce to a low simmer, timer set to 15 minutes. During this time, wash the kale and add to a large baking tray with a tbsp of olive oil. Use your hands to make sure all the kale bits get an even coating of oil. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes to get nice & crispy.
- Everything should be ready at this stage so you can serve the saucy chicken satay with a portion of rice and crispy baked kale. Garnish with the reserved onion and optional chilli flakes if you like it hotttt.
Notes
- Opt for a stainless steel pan instead of a non-stick one to enhance flavor: Sticky bits (fonde) will form and caramelise, intensifying the taste when frying. Stir and deglaze to prevent burning.
- Adding salt at each stage ensures optimal seasoning. Avoid excessive saltiness by using a reduced amount at each step.
- Maximise kale crispiness by spreading it out on the baking tray: Prevent steaming by spreading the kale thinly, resulting in a crispier texture.
Nutrition
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