Thai Coconut Grilled Chicken

These smoky Thai coconut chicken skewers turn plain chicken into an explosion of taste with a rich marinade of ginger, garlic, and coconut cream. You'll love how each mouthful balances sweet and savory notes, topped with a creamy coconut finish and served with an irresistible peanut dip that'll make everyone ask for more.

I came up with these skewers during a summer cookout when I was tired of regular BBQ options. The coconut mixture was such a success that now my friends won't let me cook anything else when they come over for grilling.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs or legs: 1 kg. The darker cuts give better taste and stay moist on the grill. Try to get pieces with skin for extra yumminess.
• Ginger: 4-5 slices. Fresh ginger brings spicy warmth and aroma. Go for hard pieces with unblemished skin for strongest flavor.
• Garlic: 2 cloves. Forms the tasty base of your marinade. Pick fat, unsproutted bulbs.
• Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons. Gives that savory backbone. Standard soy sauce is fine here.
• Dark soy sauce: 1 tablespoon. This thicker stuff helps the skewers get that lovely brown color and adds depth.
• Coconut cream: 2 tablespoons. Creates that distinctive Thai taste. Find options with only coconut and water listed.
• Sugar: 2 tablespoons. Cuts the saltiness and helps everything brown nicely. Plain white sugar does the job.
• Oyster sauce: 1 tablespoon. Brings rich savory goodness. Don't skimp on quality here for best results.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Mix up the peanut sauce:

Stir together coconut cream, natural peanut butter, rice vinegar, red curry paste, maple syrup, soy sauce, water, and any oils you want to add. Blend until it's smooth and silky. It should be thick but easy to pour. Add more water if it's too stiff. Let it sit while you work on the chicken.

Get the chicken and marinade ready:

Slice chicken into 1-inch chunks, keeping them all about the same size so they cook evenly. Chop the ginger and garlic super fine until they're almost mushy to get maximum flavor. Mix them with both soy sauces, coconut cream, sugar, and oyster sauce in a big bowl. Toss everything so the chicken gets completely covered. Wrap and chill for at least 1-2 hours, but leaving it overnight makes it taste even better.

Prep the skewers:

Put wooden skewer ends into water for at least 30 minutes so they won't burn. Take the chicken out of the fridge about half an hour before cooking to warm up a bit. Push pieces onto skewers, making sure they touch each other so they won't spin when you flip them. Use two skewers for floppy pieces to keep them steady.

Whip up coconut glaze:

Mix coconut cream, honey, and soy sauce until they're fully blended. You want it thick enough to stick to the chicken but thin enough to brush on easily. Set it aside till you're almost done grilling.

Fire up the grill:

Heat your grill to about 500°F for direct cooking. Put skewers right over the heat, turning every 2-3 minutes to get nice char marks all around. They'll need about 15-18 minutes total to cook through while staying juicy. Keep an eye on them since the sugar can burn fast.

Finish with coconut glaze:

In the last 3 minutes of cooking, brush lots of the coconut cream glaze all over the skewers. Keep turning them often to let the glaze get sticky and brown without burning. When done, they should look shiny with some charred spots.

Time to eat:

Lay them on some lettuce leaves with the peanut sauce on the side. People can wrap the skewers in lettuce for a fun, hands-on meal.

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The best part of this dish has to be the coconut cream glaze that goes on right at the end of grilling. I found this trick by accident when I spilled some coconut cream near my hot grill and saw how amazingly it turned golden. That lucky mistake changed these skewers from pretty good to totally unforgettable.

Prep Ahead Ideas

These skewers actually taste better with more time in the marinade, so they're great for planning ahead. You can get everything ready up to the cooking part a whole day early. The chicken soaks up more flavor sitting in the mixture overnight. You can make the peanut sauce up to three days before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Just let it warm up and give it a stir before serving. The coconut glaze can also be mixed ahead and kept separate until you need it.

Smart Swaps

Don't worry if you're missing something from the ingredient list. This recipe bends easily to what you have around. Can't find coconut cream? Just chill a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight and scoop off the thick stuff that rises to the top. Pork shoulder chunks work great instead of chicken. No oyster sauce? Just use a bit more soy sauce with a pinch of sugar to get that sweet-savory kick. Need it gluten free? Swap the soy sauce for tamari and double-check your oyster sauce has no gluten.

What to Serve With It

These skewers play well with tons of different sides. For a complete Thai meal, try them with coconut lime rice and quick cucumber slices tossed in rice vinegar. If you're serving them as finger food, arrange them on a big plate with the peanut sauce in a small bowl for dipping, then sprinkle fresh cilantro and mint all over for color. At parties, I like to stand each skewer up in a tall glass with some dry rice at the bottom to hold them steady. It looks cool and makes grabbing them easy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

→ What’s the best chicken cut for this dish?

Thigh meat is perfect for its juicy texture and deep flavor, but you can use breast meat—brine it for better results.

→ Can I replace coconut cream with another ingredient?

Full-fat coconut milk works as an alternative, though it will create a thinner marinade with a more subtle flavor.

→ How do I stop skewers from catching fire?

Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes or more before grilling. This keeps them from burning.

→ How can I get a sweet, sticky glaze?

Add the glaze during the final grilling moments, turning the skewers regularly to create a golden, sticky coating.

→ Can I swap chicken for another protein?

Pork shoulder is a fantastic swap and will soak up the flavors beautifully.