This week’s recipe is always a big hit with small children, especially if they love peanut butter. It’s a really simple satay sauce with chicken skewers. I’ve found that my children tend to love any food that’s in a fun format, so meat on skewers is a sure winner. Bowls of sauce for dipping makes it even more interactive.
I use the main satay flavours: heat and sweetness from the chilli sauce, saltiness from the soy sauce and the creamy smoothness of peanut butter. It’s so addictive. I often mix up a batch of this sauce just for dipping cucumber and celery sticks into.
Peanuts are a great source of protein, so this makes a tasty, filling snack. If I’m in a hurry I use this exact recipe, but if I’ve a bit more time or if I’m a little more organised then I add ginger, garlic, lime juice and plenty of coriander. Alternatively, you could use coconut milk to thin it out, but I like the way the hot water makes the peanut butter creamier without weighing it down.
Some chilli sauces contain ginger and garlic, so they’d be perfect for this satay sauce. I love the Thai chilli sauce sriracha. I recently discovered that you can buy miniature sriracha bottles on a key chain, called Sriracha2go. The adorable 4in-high bottles of fiery flavour ensure that sriracha lovers need never panic at the thought of a meal without the hot stuff.
Sriracha is a paste of chilli peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. It’s the perfect dipping sauce for most things and I’ve seen people add it to their coffee.
These skewers are delicious when made with pork or beef, too. I sometimes scatter sesame seeds over the chicken near the end of the cooking time to add a crunch and a delicious toasted sesame flavour.
I’ve begun to use my Nutribullet for everything from chopping onions to making ice-cream. It’s a high-speed blender with a cup attachment that extracts the nutrients from the food it’s processing. It’s mostly intended for healthy recipes such as smoothies and soups, and it definitely beats washing and reassembling a juicer every morning. It takes a while to get used to a more textured, thick smoothie instead of a juice, but the resulting drinks are much more filling. I use it to make guacamole, almond milk and salad dressings. It’s perfect for making this satay sauce too. I often add plenty of coriander, which gets blitzed smooth.
As with all new toys, I’m sure I’ll forget about it soon and return to my trusty chopping knife and wooden board, but at the moment everything is being put through the Nutribullet.
For the most appetising green smoothies, I’ve found that adding some slices of frozen banana and frozen mango works wonders. The sweet creaminess of the fruit balances kale and spinach, making a refreshing slushy bursting with nutrients that even children will lap up.
CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH SATAY SERVES 4
The five ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- 3tbs smooth peanut butter
- ½-1tbs sweet chilli sauce or sriracha
- 2tbs light soy sauce or tamari
- Rice or noodles, to serve
From the pantry
- Olive oil
- Lime
- Skewers
Method
If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for a few hours beforehand so that they don’t burn under the grill.
Cut the chicken breasts into long, thin strips and thread on to the skewers. Make sure the meat is spaced evenly so it all cooks the same way. Once all of the skewers are ready, place on a grill rack under a hot grill. Cook for about eight minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until cooked through and piping hot.
Blitz the remaining ingredients with about four tablespoons of hot water until smooth and creamy. It should be of double cream consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning: some chilli sauces are milder than others, so see what tastes good.
Serve the skewers with boiled rice, a bowl of satay sauce for dipping and a wedge of lime to squeeze over the chicken.
- Every Thursday we'll tweet the five ingredients from @lillyhiggins and @irishtimeslife so you can have them ready for Friday. Email givemefive@irishtimes.com with your suggestions for recipes
