Chicken Skewers With Peanut Sauce

By Mark Bittman

Chicken Skewers With Peanut Sauce
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,136)
Comments
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That peanut butter is relegated to the sandwich while sesame butter (tahini) is seen as an exotic food item is one of the wonderfully preposterous anomalies of American cooking. In the rest of the world, especially Asia, peanuts are special, used not only as a garnish but as a main ingredient in sauces. One such sauce incorporates coconut milk and classic Thai seasonings: curry paste or powder, nam pla, lime and cilantro. The coconut milk and peanuts make the mixture too powerful-tasting for most fish and too heavy for most meat. It is perfect, however, when teamed with chicken on the grill, especially boneless thighs.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ½cup natural peanut butter, preferably chunky
  • 1tablespoon curry paste or curry powder, or to taste
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • ¾cup fresh or canned coconut milk, approximately
  • 1tablespoon nam pla or soy sauce
  • 1tablespoon lime juice
  • 1½ to 2pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
  • Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
  • Lime wedges
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

724 calories; 59 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 23 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 675 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Start charcoal or gas grill or heat broiler; fire should be moderately hot, and rack should be at least 4 inches from heat. If using wood skewers, soak them in water.

  2. Step 2

    Put peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; add curry paste or powder, salt and enough coconut milk to achieve a creamy but quite thick consistency. Cook over low heat, whisking, until smooth; do not boil. Cool a bit, then stir in nam pla and lime juice.

  3. Step 3

    Marinate chicken in this mixture for 5 minutes to an hour. Skewer chicken chunks, then grill or broil slowly, until nicely browned and cooked through, 10 minutes or longer. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and accompanied by lime.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,136 user ratings
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Comments

Cynthia

Question: if you hate coconut milk - what would you substitute? thanks.

Stu

Thighs are my favorite part, but I'm too lazy and cheap to use skewers and boneless meat.. Instead, I buy regular thighs (with the skin and bones), and remove the skin and as much fat as possible. Then - and this is crucial - I make several slashes in the meat all the way down to the bone. This allows the marinade to penetrate, and the bones serve in place of the skewers. I make more than I can eat as this is great cold the next day. The skin and fat makes great schmaltz for a bonus.

Ed Hawco

A quick note on "curry paste or curry powder," which is wide open to interpretation because there are so many different types. I make a similar recipe to this one in which I use red Thai curry paste (and a bit of fish sauce), and it's excellent. I've also made this with typical yellow Indian curry powder, and that's good too. My point is simply that both are very good, but quite different. (For this recipe I'd recommend the red Thai paste.)

Marylee

Is there anyway to make this in a skillet?

SFCook

Nam pla is fish sauce. Why suggest either fish sauce OR soy sauce. Very different flavors!

Allison LA

I used pressed Tofu, and served with rice and kale! YUMMY!! Could have thinned the sauce out with more milk, but it was hard enough not to eat the sauce by itself with a spoon.

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