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Grilled Thai Coconut Chicken Skewers

Thai coconut chicken skewers with a coconut milk marinade that turns the chicken golden and deeply charred on the grill. Threaded onto skewers and grilled until 165°F, then served over creamy Thai peanut dipping sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 34 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 840
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coconut-marinated chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Cut into 1.5-inch pieces.
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
  • 3 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp lemongrass paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
Thai peanut dipping sauce
  • 0.25 cup peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 0.25 cup warm water Add as needed to thin; whisk until smooth.

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the coconut marinade
  1. Combine coconut milk, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lemongrass paste, turmeric, and cumin, then toss with chicken pieces until evenly coated with a pale golden mixture.
  2. Cover and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight, until the pieces look well-saturated and more uniformly golden from the coconut milk.
Skewer and grill
  1. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don’t burn on the grill.
  2. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers in an even layer of 1.5-inch pieces, leaving small gaps for charred edges to form.
  3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates well so the chicken sears and releases cleanly.
  4. Grill skewers for 6-7 minutes per side until deeply charred and cooked through to 165°F, with caramelized edges and a golden charred surface.
Make the peanut dipping sauce and serve
  1. Whisk peanut sauce ingredients together (peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, and warm water) until smooth and pourable.
  2. Serve skewers alongside the peanut sauce with lime wedges and fresh herbs, letting guests dip for a creamy, tangy bite.

Notes

For the best caramelized edges, let excess marinade drip off the chicken before grilling so it chars instead of steaming. Refrigerate cooked leftovers up to 3 days; reheat on a hot grill or skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because coconut-marinated chicken can soften after thawing. If you need it dairy-free and still creamy, use natural peanut butter and skip any honey alternatives with dairy—keep the sauce based on peanut butter + lime.