I am definitely missing Asian and Indian cuisine from my favorite local spots since this whole global pandemic. I’ve been trying to only cook at home during this wild time to limit outings and make the most of my pantry— so I’m finding creative ways to fulfill the cravings with what’s on hand! While these juicy peanut chicken skewers would be fabulous grilled, I am limited to what’s in my kitchen arsenal so I’ll be sharing my baked version of this savory, flavor-packed take on chicken satay. I’m going to be serving them over a bed of leftover white rice from earlier this week with some avocado on the side to help use up what’s about to go bad. They would be just fine on their own or over a bed of lettuce, or alongside mixed stir-fried veggies, get creative with what you have!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins (or breasts tenderized and cut into thin strips)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (coconut or olive work too)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp red curry paste (any kind of garlic chile paste/oil or even sweet chili sauce can be used, it won’t have the same umami flavor but it will add a nice component to the sauce)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 lime
- Cilantro (optional)
- Bamboo skewers
Seasonings: turmeric, curry powder, dried basil, cumin, cayenne, salt & pepper
Cooking Instructions:
To start take out your chicken breast tenderloins from the package, give them a good rinse and pat dry. in a wide bowl or shallow platter, drizzle them with a tablespoon of sesame oil. Next, season them with ground turmeric, curry powder, dried basil, cumin, cayenne or crushed red pepper and salt & pepper, making sure they’re evenly coated. I always eyeball my spices rather than measuring them out, if you really like to stick to specifics, I’d recommend about 1-2 teaspoons of each. Set aside.
While your chicken is soaking up that beautiful blend of earthy and tangy spices, you’re going to mix up your peanut sauce that will act as your marinade and also your extra sauce for dipping once your chicken is cooked. To start, grab a small pot or skillet and turn your heat to medium-high. First add in a bit of sesame oil and let it heat up, then add in your minced garlic and ginger. If you have fresh on hand that’s awesome, dice it up nice and fine, otherwise grab your jar of refrigerated pre-diced garlic and ginger (or paste from a tube if that’s what you have.) Next, add in your curry paste and whisk it all together for a couple of minutes. Follow with a can of coconut milk and the peanut butter.
I like to let these ingredients fully melt and come together before I add anything else to achieve a really nice and smooth texture. Once all of your PB is melted and there are no clumps, go ahead and add in your soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Whisk this for a few minutes and let it come to boil so it can thicken up a bit. I then like to add in a pinch of all the seasonings you used on your chicken, to really help enhance and carry over that same flavor, as well as a tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Once your peanut sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and slowly drizzle off, remove it from heat. Let it cool a bit and then pour a generous amount over your chicken (you’ll want to reserve the rest in a small container for later.)
For best results you should let this mixture marinate overnight to really tenderize and flavor the meat, at the very least give it 3-4 hours if you can’t make it overnight! While those are marinating place your bamboo skewers in a shallow dish of water, ( for at least one hour) this will prevent the wood from burning while your chicken cooks.
Once your chicken is marinated fully, remove each strip from the marinade making sure to let any excess thoroughly drip off. This is why it’s best to marinate them for as close to 24 hours as possible, you want a good amount of the mixture to have absorbed into the meat, not have it dripping off of it when you place in on your baking sheet. Too much liquid on the meat while it’s cooking in the oven will cause it to steam and have a rubbery texture rather than a slightly crisp outside we’re going for.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and then go ahead and carefully pierce each piece onto a pre-soaked skewer and place on your baking sheet. Once they’re all assembled, place your baking sheet on the top rack of the oven, and cook for approx 15-20 minutes (depending on thickness) flipping once in the middle. I like to turn on the broiler for the last couple minutes to really achieve that slightly crispy outer texture!
During the last couple minutes of cooking, grab your reserved sauce and warm it up a bit, placing in a dish easy for dipping or drizzling!
Remove your chicken from the oven and place your tender, juicy skewers over a bed of rice, lettuce or just on their own, but make sure to drizzle them with extra sauce and sprinkle them with some freshly chopped cilantro (green onion work great too if you’re not a cilantro fan) ENJOY!
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