Several years ago my lovely wife and I had the opportunity to spend a couple of years out along the southern shoreline of Puget Sound; it’s beautiful country, and despite it’s well-deserved reputation for rain, we grilled every month of the year, rain or shine.
We truly enjoyed the bountiful seafood available on the coast, but also the very, very good Thai and Korean cuisine we found in abundance. One recipe we fairly quickly folded into our regular rotation was this Curry Coconut Chicken Satay; we fiddled with several recipes until we came up with a version that suited our palates and (importantly) was quick and simple to prepare, easy enough to set up for a weeknight cook.
You’ve probably read before that Thai dishes seek to stimulate every single one of the taste senses in each and every bite; this recipe accomplishes the task and is Primal/Paleo compliant to boot (note a touch of brown sugar is optional, and does add a tiny hint of flavor to the final product).
If you’re a satay fan, bet this one ends up in your summer rotation…
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/4 to 1/3 cup fish sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp good curry powder (to taste, Madras if you’ve got it)
1 and 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 and 1/2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2-3, scallions ,white and green parts, minced
3 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, sliced into 1 by 3 inch pieces
Optional: 1 tbsp brown sugar, packedBamboo skewers, soaked for 30 minutes
Stir the first seven ingredients (everything but the chicken) together, mixing well, then add the chicken pieces, using your hands to combine well and making sure every chicken piece is coated. Throw in the fridge (a large resealable bag works wonders here) for at least an hour, but far better in the 6-8 hour range or overnight.
When ready to cook, fire the grill, drain the chicken and thread it onto the soaked skewers.
Now sear the chicken quickly over a hot fire, turning once, about 90-120 seconds per side. Move to a medium-hot / indirect heat area of the grill and cook for another 2-5 minutes (depends on thickness of the slices and how hot your fire) until cooked through.
Pull and serve hot with your favorite peanut sauce and perhaps a Thai cucumber salad.
Enjoy.
