Chicken Satay with Reduced Sugar Hot Pepper + Almond Butter Sauces

I had a vision to recreate a chicken satay that I had in a Thai restaurant. But without using a hibatchi, I didn't know if it would work.

If a photo is worth a thousand words, I hope you can see that a cast iron grill frying pan worked fine. The chicken was good on its own, but the sauces definitely added a flavor-packed boost.

Hope you enjoy this healthier version of the traditional sugar-filled Thai chicken satay, and "กินให้อร่อย!  (gin hâi a-ròi - Enjoy your food!)

My Paleo Marin Rating: 3 Persimmons*
 
Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

1 pound chicken tenders (about 12 bite-sized pieces)
1 -14 oz. can Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream, or full fat coconut milk
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin

For cooking: 12 wooden skewers, about 7" long, soaked in water 30 minutes prior to cooking and dried with towel before using

Hot Pepper Sauce:

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons pure cane sugar
1/2 English cucumber, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 fresh Thai chili, minced (or jalapeño)
Kosher salt to taste

Almond Butter Sauce:

1/3 cup creamy almond butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
3 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (or to taste)
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or to taste)

Directions:

Chicken Marinade:

1. Mix together in a bowl:  coconut cream (or milk), garlic, cilantro, sugar, salt, turmeric, ginger, and cumin. Add the chicken tenders and coat thoroughly. Cover tightly and put in fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.

Hot Pepper Sauce:

1. Mix together in a bowl: vinegar, sugar, cucumber, shallot, and chili. Add salt to taste. Cover and put in fridge until ready to serve.

Almond Butter Sauce:

1. Mix together in a bowl: almond butter, garlic, sugar, coconut aminos, Sriracha sauce, and rice vinegar. Cover and put in fridge unit ready to serve.

To Make the Dish:

1. Remove a chicken tender and shake off excess sauce. Insert a skewer through the piece and place on a plate. Repeat with each piece of chicken.

2. Heat the grill pan over medium high heat until very hot. Place half the chicken tenders in the pan. Let cook for about 2 - 3 minutes per side. Be sure the chicken is cooked through; thicker pieces may take another minute. Place on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.

Serve the chicken satay with the sauces. Makes 12 pieces.

#paleo #chicken #satay #appetizer #Thai #Thaicooking #coconutcream #glutenfree #dairyfree

Recipe adapted from Chrissy Teigen's cookbook, "Cravings," available here. 

*My Paleo Marin Rating between 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.