rainforest recipes: CEiMB: Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

I seem to be preparing and eating a lot of dishes with peanut butter based sauces these days .... and I don't mind at all! Trends seem to go in waves in the blogging world. I was thrilled to see that our Craving Ellie in My Belly event this week, chosen by The Tortefeasor, was this fantastic sounding Chicken Sate with a Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce.

Chicken Saté with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce
2006 Ellie Krieger, All Rights Reserved

Preface:

I halved the recipe since there are only two of us to eat it.

I used home made chicken stock and home made peanut butter.

The coconut milk was not "lite"

The soy sauce was not "low sodium"

I actually had "Thai fish sauce"!! I saw it while shopping in Canada, and bought a bottle to bring back with me. Until now, when a recipe called for fish sauce, I had been using dried small fish that I had found in the market, figuring that would give the right bit of flavor.

I don't have a "grilling pan", so I dug out our barbecue.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce (or 2 additional teaspoons low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast pounded slightly and cut into 1-inch strips

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon red curry paste
1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Sauce can be made 1 day ahead of time, and will keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Instructions:

8 (8-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked for 20 minutes

(I just threw them in the pila)

3/4 cup Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, recipe above
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped toasted peanuts

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, and ginger.

Add the chicken strips and marinate for 1 hour. (Be sure not to leave too long).

Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.

Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high flame. (I used our barbecue).

While pan is heating, thread chicken onto skewers.