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Tanglewood Dads Cook: Chicken Satay
I have to admit that I love it when my husband wants to cook a meal.
David is a good cook, and everything he makes is great, but what I love best about evenings when he cooks is that he typically cleans up after himself!
I know. He’s a unicorn.
Last week, David made an absolutely delicious chicken satay, which he served with peanut sauce, cucumber salad, and rice. It was a perfect warm weather meal. He has generously allowed me to share his recipes.
Chicken Satay
Ingredients
3 tablespoons neutral oil [David used avocado oil]
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 birds’ eye chiles (more or less, according to your heat tolerance)
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, smashed and roughly chopped
Zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
You will need either bamboo or metal skewers. If you are using bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using to keep them from burning on the grill.
Directions
Place all the ingredients except the chicken into a blender and blend until smooth. Place the chicken pieces in a zippered plastic bag (no clean up!) and pour the marinade into the bag. Close the bag and squish the chicken around in the marinade to ensure that every piece is coated. Marinate the chicken for at least an hour or up to overnight.
Preheat your grill to medium heat. If using charcoal, set it up for indirect heat.
While the grill is heating, skewer the chicken. You want to put 4 or 5 pieces of marinated chicken on each skewer, making sure to leave a little bit of space between each piece to ensure even cooking.
For satay, you really do need to grill it for the best flavor. Grill the skewers for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from the grill and serve with rice and the peanut sauce and cucumber salad below. Makes enough for 4 with leftovers.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
½ cup unsweetened, natural peanut butter (you can use chunky or smooth)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon fish sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice or rice vinegar [David used the lime that he zested for the marinade]
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha or other chile sauce [David used a chile garlic sauce, and it was delicious!]
¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
warm water to thin out the sauce
Chopped roasted peanuts to garnish
Directions
Add all ingredients except the warm water and the chopped peanuts to a bowl and whisk to combine. Once the ingredients are fairly well incorporated, start adding the warm water, a little at a time, until you reach a consistency you like. Drizzle over the chicken satay and rice and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for about a week and are delicious on all sorts of grilled meats and vegetables.
Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
2 English cucumbers, peeled (if you like), halved, and cut into ½-inch chunks
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
½ cup white sugar
1 to 2 Thai bird chiles, finely chopped (optional but heavily suggested)
½ bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Directions
Place the cucumber into a colander and toss with the kosher salt. Place the colander in the sink and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse well with cold water and then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
While the cucumber is sweating in the colander, whisk the vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and Thai bird chiles together in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the dried cucumbers and cilantro to the dressing and chill for at least an hour. Just before serving, sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the top. This makes enough for 4 as a side.
