Thai Pineapple Peanut Chicken Satay

So...I realize I haven't done a recipe post in quite some time, but the other night I tried something new, and it was sooooo amazing, I just had to share. Realize...in northwest Iowa, any type of Thai food is nearly nonexistent, so the flavors in this particular dish were outside the norm for our rural America setting.

I've cooked with peanut butter a handful of times before, and always found the flavors to be unique, interesting, and delicious, so when I spotted this recipe, I knew I had to give it a go. SO. GOOD. I'm not going to lie, there was very little speaking during this meal...a sure sign of an out-of-the-park win! C, who has recently started to enjoy peanut butter, could barely contain his enthusiasm while eating this dish, and was wolfing it down as fast as I could cut it up to bite sized pieces! I think it's safe to say this recipe will be making an appearance again in our weeknight meal plan!

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

THAI PINEAPPLE PEANUT CHICKEN SATAY | Yield: 10 skewers | Marinating Time: 1 hr-overnight | Prep & Grill Time: 30min

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs chicken (4-6 breasts) chopped into bite sized pieces

1 fresh pineapple, chopped into 1" pieces

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 C lite coconut milk

1/4 tsp cornstarch

1/3 C crunchy peanut butter

Marinade:

1/3 C pineapple juice

1/4 C soy sauce

1/4 C brown sugar, packed

1 Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp lime juice

1-2 tsp sriracha

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp black pepper

Garnish (optional):

Crushed peanuts

Green onions

Lime Juice

DIRECTIONS:

MARINADE: In a medium bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Add 1/4 C of this marinade and 3 Tbsp olive oil to a large freezer bag along with chopped chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator 1 hr up to overnight.

TO GRILL: Soak wooden skewers at least 30 minutes in water before grilling. Drain marinade from chicken, and thread chicken and pineapple onto skewers. Grill over medium-high heat for 5 minutes on one side, or until slightly charred, then flip and grill until chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.

TO OVEN BROIL: Soak wooden skewers at least 30 minutes in water before broiling. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add the skewers in a single layer and broil, turning every five minutes until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

THAI PEANUT SAUCE: Add reserved Thai Peanut Pineapple Sauce to a small saucepan and whisk in cornstarch and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Sauce should be thick and spreadable. If too thick, whisk in some more coconut milk to reach desired consistency. Add Sriracha, lime, or brown sugar to taste.

Brush grilled kebabs with sauce, top with crushed peanuts or other garnishes, or use as dip. 

Serving suggestion: Cilantro Lime Rice