the trick to juicy chicken satay is to use chicken thighs and to let it marinade overnight. I made this recipe two ways – in the oven sans “black stuff” for the kiddos and cut into chunks, skewered and cooked over flames “with the black stuff” for mom & dad. With the black stuff was amazing – so unctuous!!
Marinade:
3/4 c lite coconut milk
1 TBSP fish sauce
1 TBSP coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
1 TBSP Thai red curry paste
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Place the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, curry paste, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
Cut the chicken lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces and add to the marinade. Stir to coat the chicken, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
For the peanut sauce:
3/4 c lite coconut milk
1/4 c chunky all-natural peanut butter (no salt or sugar added)
1 TBSP fish sauce
1 TBSP coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
1 TBSP Thai red curry paste
2 tsp chile-garlic paste
1 TBSP freshly squeezed lime juice
For the peanut sauce:
Place everything but the lime juice in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are evenly combined, about 3 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lime juice, and transfer the sauce to a small bowl to cool.
To cook the chicken:
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, thread a single piece of chicken lengthwise onto each skewer and transfer to a baking sheet.
When the grill is ready, rub the grates with a towel dipped in vegetable oil. Place the skewers on the grill, close the cover, and cook until grill marks appear on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken, close the grill, and cook until grill marks appear on the second side and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
Transfer the skewers to a clean serving platter and serve with the cooled peanut sauce for dipping.
Serves 6 – 8.
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