Perfect Summer Party App
These delicious curry-spiced grilled chicken skewers pair well with a sweet-and-tangy peanut sauce. Marinating the chicken satay strips overnight really imparts a ton of great flavor, and makes for easy, day-of preparation. For a fun presentation, serve skewers mounted onto a pineapple cut in half, stabilized on a platter.
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken Satay & Marinade
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- About two dozen wooden skewers
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander seed
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
Peanut Sauce
- 2 tablespoons ground sesame paste
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon hot chili paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Mirin
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Chicken Satay
Cut the chicken thighs lengthwise into even strips, about an inch wide. Whisk together all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag with the marinade, and refrigerate overnight (do not marinate for more than 24 hours).
Soak about two dozen wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes, to prevent the skewers from burning on the grill.
Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread the chicken onto the wooden skewers.
Grill the chicken skewers over high heat (you can also use a stove-top grill pan) until lightly charred and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve with the peanut sauce.
Peanut Sauce
Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender, pulsing for just a few seconds to combine. Adjust seasoning using more sugar if you care for it sweeter, or a little more vinegar if you care to cut the unctuous quality of the dressing. Do not use salt, the soy takes care of that for you.
Photograph by Madeleine Hill.
