Fill your kitchen with mouthwatering aromas and your belly with flavorful comfort from this quick and easy one-pot meal!
I love ordering chicken satay as an appetizer in restaurants. The Southeast Asian dish features marinated meat threaded onto skewers, grilled over charcoal, and served with a spicy peanut-based sauce. It’s so flavorful and fun to eat!
This chicken satay soup recipe is a “flavor translation” of that popular appetizer, rather than a brothy version of it. The core ideas—chicken, warm spices, rich peanut sauce, coconut milk, a sweet‑salty soy profile, lime, and cilantro—mirror the marinades and dipping sauces used in satay-style dishes across Southeast Asia.
But instead of the hassle of marinating and grilling skewers, those same flavors are layered into a one-pot meal that features a mouthwateringly aromatic broth. Each spoonful warms your heart with a bold combination of earthy, savory, slightly sweet, and mildly spicy notes.
The best part is how quickly and easily this soup comes together. The 45-minute simmer gives me plenty of time to fix a salad or pot of rice to go with it—while gorgeous aromas fill my kitchen! Whether you whip this up for a comforting weeknight dinner or a hearty weekend feast, you’ll love its flavorful complexity.
Tips for tailored satay soup
- Shred store-bought rotisserie chicken or make Instant-Pot Shredded Chicken if you don’t have leftovers to use.
- Don’t like chicken? Sub in thinly sliced beef or pork for a heartier soup, cooked shrimp for coastal vibes, or cubed tofu for a meatless version.
- Use almond butter instead of peanut butter for a more delicate flavor profile.
- Replace the cilantro with fresh basil for more intensely peppery notes.
- Use heavy cream instead of coconut milk for a thicker, richer sauce and less coconutty flavor.
- Add some sautéed mushrooms to bulk up the nutrients and texture.
- Serve over store-bought Asian noodles, if you like, for a more robust meal—or make your own from scratch with the instructions from this recipe for Chicken Soup With Homemade Noodles.
How do I store leftovers?
Let your chicken satay soup cool completely before storing, but don’t leave it at room temp for more than 2 hours. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this dish for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or bags with as much air removed as possible. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until heated through to a safe internal temp of 165°F.
Serving suggestions
Serve your chicken satay soup alongside other Asian-inspired dishes. It pairs beautifully with Beef Curry or Korean Cheese Corn for a hearty and satisfying meal. For a lighter take, pair it with Avocado Rice and a Korean Cucumber Salad.
Chicken Satay Soup—Creamy Peanut-Coconut Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 can diced tomatoes (16 ounces)
- 3 carrots peeled and cubed
- 1 sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter not natural, well‑stirred if separated
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13 1/2 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons sherry
- 2 cups chicken breast cooked and shredded
- 3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped, plus more for optional garnish
- Chopped peanuts optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ginger, coriander, chili powder, cumin, curry powder, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes with their juices, the carrots, sweet potatoes, and chicken stock. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very tender.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the peanut butter, coconut milk, sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, and sherry until the peanut butter has melted and the broth is smooth.
- Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup in the pot until completely smooth—or carefully blend in batches in a countertop blender, then return to the pot.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, lime juice, and cilantro. Simmer over low heat until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lime juice, soy sauce, or brown sugar as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped peanuts and more cilantro, if desired. Serve hot.
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