Thai-Inspired Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce

I will be sharing more about the 2020 Sin Banderas Rhône Rosé for the March 2021 #WinePW event that focuses on the wines of Washington State's Yakima Valley. Stay tuned for more on that next weekend, but I am going to be posting several of my recipes ahead of time. The participating wineries  were so generous that I have more seven pairings to share. Seriously. Seven. So, I'm starting now and will continue throughout the entire month of March.

I love pairing Rosés with chicken. I paired their 2019 with my Shichimi Togarashi-Spiced Fried Chicken. But this 2020 was more delicate and wanted a dish that was still subtly spiced that didn't overpower the mouthfeel with crisped panko crumbs. I settled on a Thai-inspired chicken satay with peanut sauce. Just be sure to start this the day before you want to serve because the chicken marinates overnight.

Ingredients serves 4 to 6

Chicken

• juice and zest from 1 to 2 organic limes
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely minced
• 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 Tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 pounds chicken (I used boneless and skinless strips of chicken thighs)
• Also needed: skewers, grill or grill pan, lime wedges for serving

Satay Sauce

• juice and zest from 1 to 2 organic limes
• 4 Tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• splash of soy sauce to taste
• 1 Tablespoon raw honey plus more as needed

Procedure

Marinade

Place peanuts, cinnamon, cumin, and black pepper in a mortar and pestle. Grind until they form a paste. Then place that in a mixing bowl with the remaining marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a lidded container. Pour marinade over the top. Let the meat marinate overnight in the fridge. Thirty minutes before you want to cook the chicken, bring it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature whilc the grill or grill pan heats up.

Soak the skewers in cold water for, at least, 10 minutes. Thread strips of meat onto each skewer and place on the grill. Cook for a few minutes on each side until cooked golden. 

Satay Sauce

Combine all the satay sauce ingredients with just enough soy sauce to season. Add a little honey to sweeten, if necessary. Simmer gently for five minutes.

Serve the chicken skewers with the warm satay sauce for dipping and more lime wedges for taste.