Satay Chicken Sticks

The flavour combination of lemongrass, ginger, garlic and spices in this satay are a winner. Cooking on the chargrill or barbeque just adds that extra edge of golden deliciousness. These sticks are perfect as a party nibble or for dinner served with rice. 

makes 12 skewers
GF
what you need
1kg chicken thigh fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
100ml coconut milk

marinade:
1 lemongrass stalk (pale inner core only)
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp tamarind puree
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp chilli powder
4 tbsp natural peanut butter (crunchy)
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp sea salt
300ml coconut milk

what you do
1. Trim the excess fat from chicken and cut into 3 cm x 3cm pieces.
2. Finely slice the lemongrass stalk and soften in 2 tbsp of boiling water.
3. To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients with the lemongrass and water in a large, shallow dish. Mix well. (You can mix in a blender if desired).
4. Add the pieces of chicken to the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or alternatively overnight. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers, using about 4-5 pieces of chicken per skewer.
5. Preheat a large chargrill pan or the barbeque on a high heat. Drizzle pan with oil and cook skewers on each side for 4-5 minutes until chicken is golden brown in colour and meat is cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes covered with foil.
6. To make the dipping sauce, place the remaining marinade, plus the 100ml of coconut milk into a small saucepan, mix well and bring to boil on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Serve chicken sticks drizzled with dipping sauce.

Note: If using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for 15 minutes, to prevent them burning while cooking.

lemongrass (also called fever grass) is a tropical island plant from the grass family and native to many Asian countries. It is a perennial plant with long, thin leaves and although it smells like lemon, it has a milder, sweeter taste. Commonly used in teas, soups, curries and satays, it is ideal for use with poultry, beef and fish. A source of essential vitamins and minerals, lemongrass has proven health benefits such as easing coughs and nasal congestion.

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