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Chicken Skewers With Peanut Sauce

Craig Lee for The New York Times

BY Mark Bittman

PUBLISHED October 7, 2024

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.

 

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Chicken Skewers With Peanut Sauce

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, preferably chunky
  • 1 tablespoon curry paste or curry powder, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup fresh or canned coconut milk, approximately
  • 1 tablespoon nam pla or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
  • Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  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. 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. 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.

— Recipe from The New York Times

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