Chicken Satay with Peanut-Chutney Sauce

I’m all about trying new dishes these days.  And by new, I mean new recipes and new kinds of food I never thought I’d like.  I’ve been wanting to make some kind of chicken satay for months now and finally came across a recipe I was happy with on the Martha Stewart website one day a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, it took me some time to find the necessary mango chutney for the recipe but finally came across it last week in Whole Foods.  Love that store!

This recipe definitely did not disappoint.  In fact, it was pretty damn awesome!  The sauce took 5 minutes to put together (not nearly close to the 45 minutes the recipe suggests) and was absolutely delicious with the soy sauce-grilled chicken.  I used natural peanut butter (as suggested) and added an extra tablespoon of the chutney to the sauce because 3 tablespoons wasn’t quite sweet enough to balance the peanut butter.  One note if you’re going to use wooden skewers for the chicken.  Be sure to soak them for at least 30 minutes.  It will prevent burning on the grill and will help to get the chicken pieces off after you’ve grilled them.  If you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal or even a fancy appetizer for your next party, you must try this recipe – you will not be let down.

PS – This recipe makes a lot of sauce.  Either refrigerate the leftovers for another meal or cut the recipe in half.

Chicken Satay with Peanut-Chutney Sauce

source: adapted from Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, September 2005

• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably natural
• 1/4 cup mango chutney
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut across the grain into 1/4-inch-wide strips (I used chicken tenderloin pieces and sliced them lengthwise in half)
• 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

1. Make sauce: In a blender (or food processor), combine peanut butter, chutney, lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, garlic, pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup water; blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Thread each chicken piece onto a skewer (fold the pieces slightly as you work so the skewers go in and out of the meat). Place skewered chicken in a shallow dish; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle oil and remaining tablespoon soy sauce over chicken; turn to coat.
3. Heat grill to high. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter; garnish with cilantro, if desired. Serve with chutney sauce.