My kids think anything on a skewer is fun to eat. With a coconut milk marinade and a sweet peanut butter dipping sauce, plain-old-boring-chicken is turned into a yummy Sate - which was a hit with everyone in my family.
For this recipe I cut skinless boneless chicken breasts into strips and also cubes for the kabobs before they go on the grill. For the kids, cutting into small manageable cubes seems to work best. Also, marinating the chicken overnight helps the meat absorb all the delicious flavors.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded slightly and either cut into one-inch strips or cubed
8 (8-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 20 minutes
Marinade Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 garlic glove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 lime, juiced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped (I leave skin on for the marinade)
In a large zip top bag, add the raw chicken (either strips or cubes) and continue to add the marinade ingredients. Do not worry too much about prettily slicing, dicing, or mincing the veggies for the marinade. I rarely use a measuring spoon, just eye ball this and first step for the marinade. The chicken will sit in this overnight in the fridge, if you can plan ahead, so the flavors will meld, marry and do their thing. If you are short on time, aim for at least an hour of marinading time.
Peanut Dipping Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger (skin removed)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon shallot, peeled and rough chopped
Chicken stock or water for thinning the sauce
Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Thin the sauce a tablespoon at a time with chicken stock or water until it is the right consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference. If your family likes spice, add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or spicy chili garlic paste.
Grill and serve
Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard marinade. Thread chicken onto pre-soaked skewers to prepare for the grill. Heat a stove top grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat and coat with oil. Grill for several minutes on each side, until meat is cooked through and has grill marks on both sides.
Serve chicken kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce and this delicious Rainbows and Butterflies Pasta Salad.
If you have any leftovers, toss the grilled chicken on top of a salad or with pasta and add steamed broccoli for a simple and healthy second dinner.