Chicken Satay

Ingredients

• 12 each bamboo skewers
• 1 quart water – for soaking skewers
• 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless skinless – sliced into 1-inch strips
• 0.75 cup coconut milk
• 1.5 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp yellow curry powder
• 1.5 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.25 tsp white pepper
• 4 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 stalk lemongrass – tender lower part finely chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1.5 tbsp red curry paste
• 0.5 cup unsalted roasted peanuts – finely ground
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 0.25 cup water
• 0.25 cup rice vinegar
• 0.25 cup water
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1 medium cucumber – thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1 small shallot – thinly sliced
• 2 each Thai bird's eye chiles – thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil – for oiling grill grates
• cilantro – coarsely chopped (for serving)
• lime – cut into wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. Soak the bamboo skewers in 1 quart of water for 30 minutes; drain and pat dry.
2. Whisk 0.75 cup coconut milk, 1.5 tbsp palm sugar, 2 tbsp fish sauce, yellow curry powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, white pepper, minced garlic, chopped lemongrass, and 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a bowl until smooth.
3. Add the chicken strips to the marinade, toss to coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
4. Make the peanut sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer 1 cup coconut milk and red curry paste until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Stir in the finely ground roasted peanuts, 2 tbsp palm sugar, 1.5 tbsp fish sauce, and tamarind paste; cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4–6 minutes. Stir in up to 0.25 cup water to loosen to a dippable consistency; keep warm or cool and refrigerate.
5. Make the cucumber relish: In a small saucepan, bring rice vinegar, 0.25 cup water, granulated sugar, and kosher salt to a simmer, stirring to dissolve, 1–2 minutes; let cool 10 minutes. Combine cucumber, shallot, and Thai chiles in a bowl and pour the cooled brine over; let sit 15–30 minutes.
6. Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked skewers, accordion-style, dividing evenly.
7. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Brush the grates lightly with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Grill the skewers 2–3 minutes per side (6–8 minutes total) until lightly charred and the thickest piece registers 165°F.
8. Rest 3 minutes. Serve the chicken satay with the peanut sauce and cucumber relish; garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.